ments on this subject, and their statements all concur in establishing the above facts, and unless something is done soon to remove this evil, which of all others weighs most heavily on the minds of the troops, I fear that the number of desertions will be greatly increased during the winter.

I have the honor to be, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. DUNCAN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Sixteenth Mississippi Regiment.

[First indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS MAHONE'S DIVISION, January 22, 1865.

Respectfully forwarded for the information, and, if deemed necessary, for the action of the lieutenant-general commanding.

Sometime in November last I brought to the notice of the commanding general of this division the subject of the insufficiency of the bred ration issued to the troops of my brigade, and recommended that the amount be increased to one and one-quarter pounds of meal or eighteen ounces of flour per man daily. The fact that there is now six months' pay due the troops is another serious subject of complaint, and should be removed at the earliest practicable moment.

JOSEPH FINEGAN,
Brigadier-General.

[Second indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS THIRD CORPS, January 24, 1865.

Respectfully forwarded.

I believe that the ration is insufficient, yet nevertheless other troops bear without complaint these evils they know we cannot help.

A. P. HILL,
Lieutenant-General.

[Inclosure Numbers 4.]

HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARMY CORPS, January 22, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. S. VENABLE.

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of Northern Virginia:

COLONEL: I have the honor to report the following desertions from my command since my report of the 19th instant, most of them from the picket line. Every exertion has been made to check these desertions by making the officers in charge responsible for their details, &c., as yet with but poor success. I inclose two communications from Colonel Lang, commanding Finegan's brigade, with regard to the desertions form his command: Wilcox' division-Lane's brigade, 6; Scales' brigade, 12; total, 18. Heth's division-Archer's brigade, 2; macRae's brigade, 2; Davis' brigade, 2; total, 6. Mahone's division-Finegan's brigade, 27; Weisiger's brigade, 5; total, 32.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. P. HILL,

Lieutenant-General.