UNOFFICIAL.] HDQRS. Georgia RES. AND MIL. DIST. OF GA.,

Macon, Ga., October 7, 1864.

[General COOPER:]

DEAR GENERAL: Inclosed I send you copy of an order* I have issued, in compliance with the directions of the President, at Augusta.

The object is to get the men fit for duty in the field who are now on detailed service. The serious difficulty in my way is the fact that many of these details are granted at Richmond and [by] the generals of the army, and they deny my authority to revoke their details. I know the President's anxiety on this subject, but to make my order efficient I must be sustained at Richmond, and if the men detailed in the way I have indicated are beyond my reach I shall be able to do little or nothing. I write to ask you to bring the attention of the President to the subject, and to have my order recognized by the War Department, otherwise these detailed men will stand upon their details, granted by higher authority, and thus defeat my order. Pardon me for troubling you, but it is a matter of importance if the ranks of the army are to be filled up, and hence I write to you.

Your friend,

HOWELL COBB,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

OCTOBER 19, 1864.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL:

Is there conflict between this and the general order?

J. D.

DALLAS, October 7, 1864.

(Via Newman and Montgomery 8th. Received 8th.)

Honorable J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of war:

On the morning of the 5th Major-General French attacked Allatoona with his DIVISION and succeeded in carrying the enemy's works, except one interior inclosed work, at which time the enemy were reported moving on his rear, when he withdrew his forces and rejoined the main body of the army. East Point is in possession of our cavalry.

J. B. HOOD,

General.

RICHMOND, October 7, 1864.

General J. B. HOOD:

For his conduct in separating from General Wheeler in the recent move in Tennessee, Brigadier General J. S. Williams has been arrested and ordered to report to you for trial. Please send me General Wheeler's report on this matter at the earliest date. It is necessary for his own vindication. Williams' command has been assigned by the War Department to Southern Virginia.

BRAXTON BRAGG,

General.

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* Numbers 22, October 1, 1864, p. 781.

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51 R R -VOL XXXIX, PT III