HDQRS. 2nd Brigadier, 3rd DIV., CAV. CORPS, A. P.,
November 12, 1863.

Captain SUYDAM,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Cavalry Corps:

I respectfully submit the following statement, hoping the attention of the proper authorities will be called to it:

Yesterday a detachment of men joined my brigade from Dismounted Camp. The detachment numbers about 80 men. The majority of the horses upon which the men were mounted are unserviceable, and are really a more indifferent lot than those sent to Washington as unserviceable. In the detachment that reported to me yesterday there were 23 men belonging to the Seventh Michigan Cavalry. There were 40 men belonging to this regiment in the detachment when it left the Dismounted Camp, but 17 of that number had to return on account of the horses upon which they were mounted being unable to reach the army.

Numerous complaints reach me from regimental commanders against the inferior quality of horses sent to them with the men from the Dismounted Camp. So far as my experience and observation extend, my command suffers about as much from the influences and effect of the Dismounted Camp as it does from the weapons of the enemy.

it is an actual fact that there are men in my command who have been captured by the enemy, carried to Richmond, and rejoined my command in less time than it frequently requires for men to proceed to the Dismounted Camp and return mounted.

Very respectfully, &c.,

G. A. CUSTER,

Brigadier General, Commanding 2nd Brigadier, 3rd Div., Cav. Corps.

[Indorsements.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY CORPS,
November 14, 1863.

Respectfully forwarded.

The attention of the major-general commanding this army is respectfully called to the within report, which is one of many received constantly of a similar nature. The facts therein shown are conclusive, in my mind, in proving that there is in the present system of supplying the cavalry of this army with horses and equipments something so radically wrong that the interests of the service imperatively demand an immediate and entire change and the application of some very stringent remedy.

A. PLEASONTON,

Major-General.

OFFICE OF CAVALRY BUREAU,

November 23, 1863.

Respectfully returned.

There are very few if any men belonging to General Custer's brigade in the Dismounted Camp. General Kilpatrick assured me the other day that his division, to which Custer's brigade belongs, was completely mounted; if it is not, horses are on hand to mount it.

All requisitions from the Army of the Potomac up to date have been filled with the best the Government has on hard. I have understood that Custer's brigade are great horse-killers, and it is very likely that the 17 horses were used up as stated, though they were