HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
August 7, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond:

SIR: I have the honor inform you that there are 1,700 unarmed men in this army, and the commanding officer of the Richmond Arsenal has informed lieutenant-Colonel Baldwin, chief of ordnance, that he could only furnish a portion of the needed arms. In addetion to the present deficiency, we will need about 5,000 stand of arms in a fortnight, and probably 10,000 within a month. In order to supply these deficiencies, I would respectfully recommend that the reserved arms of this army, which I hear have been distributed aming the local troops and the second-class militia, be again collected and forwarded to us, while this class of troops wait for the gradual supply from the arsenals. I need not urge upon you the importance of keeping this army thoroughly equipped.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
August 7, 1863.

Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War, Richmond:

SIR: In a late letter from Colonel Northrop he alluded to the difficulties of railroad transportation from the south, and suggests that when the freight trains cannot brig the usual supplies or sufficient supplies, that the passenger trains should be temporarily stopped, and the whole force of the road devoted to supplying the army. I think the suggestion an important one. Besides the important deficiencies in the commissary department due to these difficulties, I regret to say that we received now only 1,000 bushels of grain per diem for all the animals of this army. on this it would be impossible to bring up our cavalry and artillery horses, even if we gave it all to them. I hope that something can be done to procure a greater proportion of the transportation of our railroad for army purposes than we ever have had at our disposal.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

RICHMOND,

August 7, 1863.

Major General W. H. C. WHITING,

Wilmington, N. C.:

The President directs that the regiments of Colquitt's brigade be sent to Charleston, as indicated to you yesterday.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.