of the wounded, will be promptly arrested, and as soon as charges can be made out, they will be forwarded.

By command of Lieutenant-General Jackson:

A. S. PENDLETON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, VA., April 14, 1863.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding, &c., Fredericksburg, Va.:

GENERAL: The President has desired me to write to you on the subject of re-enforcing the army in Middle Tennessee, in the vicinity of Tullahoma.

The activity displayed by the enemy in collecting at Memphis and other places large bodies of troops for the purpose of increasing the strength of Rosecrans' army, or of co-operating with it in any forward movement he may contemplate, makes it absolutely necessary that we should, without any loss of time, add to the manual strength of our army in the section of country referred to. The question necessarily arises: From what quarter are these accessions to be obtained? The President has such reliance on your judgment in a matter so important and pressing as this that he hopes you will give it your earliest consideration, and communicate your views.

The return of April 1 of troops in Middle Tennessee exhibits an aggregate strength, present and absent, of 96,000, while its present effective force in the aggregate is but 53,000. The army of Rosecrans is estimated to be more than twice our effective strength, and this without including any portion of Burnside's command, part of which is now moving into Kentucky, and, it is supposed, in the direction of East Tennessee.

Should we encounter defeat in Tennessee for want of additional strength at this time, we can well imagine what would be the effect of such defeat to our cause. It behooves us, then, to strain every nerve to increase our numbers there, so as not only to avoid defeat, but to insure victory.

It is believed that from 12,000 to 15,000 additional men will effect this. In this contingency, then, I would ask if it is not possible for you to spare Hood's or Pickett's division from your command for this purpose?

Please give this due consideration, and let me have your views on the whole subject with the least delay possible, for the information of the President.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, &c.,

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

RICHMOND, VA., April 14, 1863.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to state, in reply to the communication of the President of the 8th instant, herewith returned, that General Lee's report of the battles around Richmond was sent to the War Department on the 13th ultimo. The report of the battle of Fredericksburg was submitted yesterday, and that of Kernstown this morning. These are the