General Johnston is now at Dalton and must feel that to the new system is due the support of his army. General Polk having assumed General Johnston's command in Mississippi, reiterates the views of the latter, and has been answered conclusively in a paper sent to the President March 12, 1864. Copies of both papers are sent with this which the Secretary of War is asked to read. This paper being just received accounts for the late response to the Secretary's call for a report.

Respectfully,

L. B. NORTHROP,

Commissary-General of Subsistence.

[Fifth indorsement.]

This paper received at the War Office alone. Those referred to by the Commissary-General did not come with it.

R. G. H. KEAN,

Chief of Bureau.

[Inclosure.]

MOBILE, December 1, 1863.

General A. R. LAWTON,

Quartermaster-General, Richmond, Va.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that at the representation of parties in Mississippi I applied there for forage. Not that Alabama could not supply me, but that I understood there was more in Mississippi than was needed, and I was anxious to obtain as much as possible. I received but twenty-one car-loads of corn from the State of Mississippi without seeking. This corn was of the tax in kind, and at the request of officers there, nails, &c., were furnished them from this department for fixing up this forage. In reference to the 20,000 bushels of corn sent here by General Johnston, to the best of my knowledge, it wa shipped from Demopolis, Ala., via Selma by Major McGivern by orders of Major Barbour, chief quartermaster of General Johnston, and this corn was of the old stock.

The State of Alabama is now furnishing large quantities of forage of all kinds.

Application was made by me to Major Mims for the privilege of purchasing forage in Mississippi upon the representation made me that there was an abundance in that State, and that it could not be all consumed by that army.

I remain, very respectfully, general, your most obedient servant,

THOS. M. LE BARON,

Major and Quartermaster.

MERIDIAN, November 11, 1863.

General BRAGG,

Chickamauga

Your dispatch of to-day received. I don't understand whether you wish me to send Baldwin's brigade for a battle. When you do, say so.

J. E. JOHNSTON.