MOBILE, December 19, 1863.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

General Hardee has applied for Brigadier-General Shoup to take command of a vacant brigade. As I have no duty now for him, I have no objection to the transfer.

D. H. MAURY,

Major-General.

RICHMOND, December 19, 1863.

General MAURY,

Mobile, Ala.:

How was General Shoup relieved from assignment as brigadier of artillery at Mobile,and why did you apply for brigadier-general for duty in the same arm?

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

HEADQUARTERS, Atlanta, Ga., December 19, 1863.

Colonel G. W. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Dalton, Ga.:

COLONEL: I have the honor to lay before the general commanding the following facts, and request that the favor I may ask be granted, viz:

First. I was assigned, on the 23rd July last, to the command of the troops and defenses of Atlanta, in addition to my duties with the Confederate States arsenal. This command was given me much to my surprise, I assure you, as well as much against my wishes, feeling that my responsibilities with the arsenal were enough for a young man, and knowing the obstacle that would be thrown in my path in the new position. But Colonel Gorgas and General Gilmer, to whom it seems I was indebted for the promotion and assignment, told me that it was the express understanding with the War Department that I should not be pressed with the details of post duty as commandant of post, but that I should be senior in command and attended to putting up the line of defenses,&c., and organize the volunteer troops for homer or local defense. But, in the natural course of things, in order to get some matters arranged and straightened out, and Major Lee having been assigned to other duty with the Bureau of Conscription, I had to assume the position of commandant of post, but made Major McCall executive officer in command. The forces now being organized and matters as well arranged as he can have them under the circumstances, the defenses all laid out and pretty well advanced, and my arsenal duties daily increasing, I now desire and respectfully request that Lieutenant Colonel W. M. Reed, supernumerary officer from Forty-fourth and Fifty-third Tennessee Regiments, be assigned to duty here and ordered to report to me as commandant of the post. I believe Colonel Reed to be a faithful and good officer, and I know he will relieve me very much. Colonel R. is now on