SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEP'T OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,.

Numbers 67.
March 3, 1862.

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II. Brigadier General I. R. Trimble, P. A. C. S., will assume control of all the operations now going on at Manassas, and will be furnished with the details he may require by Major-General Ewell, Brigadier-General Early, and Colonel G. B. Anderson..

By command of General Johnston:.

A. P. MASON,.

Assistant Adjutant-General..

RICHMOND, VA., March 4, 1862.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON:.

DEAR SIR: Yours of the 1st instant received prompt attention, and I am led to the conclusion that some imposition has been practiced upon you..

The Secretary of War informs me that he has not granted leaves of absence of furloughs to soldiers of your command for a month past, and then only to divert the current which threatened by legislation to destroy your army by a wholesale system of furloughs. Those which you inform me are daily received must be spurious..

The authority to re-enlist and change from infantry to artillery, the Secretary informs me, has been given but in four cases, three on the recommendation of General Beauregard and specially explained to you some time since; the remaining case was that of a company from Wheeling, which was regarded as an exceptional one. I wish therefore you would send to the Adjutant-General the cases of recent date in which the discipline of your troops has been interfered [with] in the two methods stated, so that an inquiry may be made into the origin of the papers presented..

The law in relation to re-enlistment provides for reorganization, and was under the policy of electing the officers. The concession to army opinions was limited to the promotion by seniority after the organization of the companies and regiments had been completed. The reorganization was not to occur before the expiration of the present term..

A subsequent law provides for filling up the twelve-months' companies by recruits for the war, but the organization ceases with the term of the twelve-months' men..

Be assured of my readiness to protect your proper authority, and I do but justice to the Secretary of War in saying that he cannot desire to interfere with the discipline and organization of your troops. He has complained that his orders are not executed, and I regret that he was able to present to me so many instances to justify that complaint, which were in nowise the invasion of your prerogative as commander in the field..

You can command my attention at all times to any matter connected with your duties, and I hope that full co-intelligence will secure full satisfaction..

Very truly, yours,.

JEFFERSON DAVIS..

69 R R-VOL V.