Ridge range of mountains, running through the western part of North Carolina, and, following the line of said mountains, through the northern part of Georgia to the railroad, south from Chattanooga; thence by that road to West Point, and down the west or right bank of the Chattahoochee River to the boundary of Alabama and Florida; following that boundary west to the Choctawhatchee River, and down that river to Choctawhatchee Bay (including the waters of that bay) to the Gulf of Mexico. All that portion of country west of said line to the Mississippi River is included in the above command. General Johnson will, for the purpose of correspondence and reports, establish his headquarters at Chattanooga, or such other place as in his judgment will best secure facilities for ready communication with the troops within the limits of his command, and will repair in person to any part of said command whenever his presence may, for the time, be necessary or desirable.*

* * * * * * *

By command of Secretary of War:

JNumbers WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

RICHMOND, VA., November 24, 1862.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

SIR: I had the honor this afternoon to receive Special Orders, No. 275, of this date. If I have been correctly informed, the forces which it places under my command are greatly inferior in number to those of the enemy opposed to them, while in the Trans-Mississippi Department our army is very much larger than that of the United States. Our two armies on this side of the Mississippi have the further disadvantage of being separated by the Tennessee River, and a Federal army (that of Major-General Grant) larger, probably,than either of them. Under such circumstances it seems to me that our best course would be to fall upon Major-General Grant with the troops of Lieutenant-Generals Holmes and Pemberton united for the purpose; those of General Bragg co-operating, if practicable. The defeat of Major-General Grant would enable us to hold the Mississippi, and permit Lieutenant-General Holmes to move into Missouri. As our troops are now distributed, Vicksburg is in danger.

Most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. E. JOHNSTON,

General.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,

No. 2. Tullahoma, November 24, 1862.

I. Cavalry commanders will take immediate steps to supply themselves with pack mules, instead of wagons, for transportation. The allowance, including that for ammunition, will be one mule to ten men. The quartermaster's department will immediately supply the necessary pack saddles.

II. The supply of ammunition for the field will be 40 rounds in boxes and 100 in regimental train for small-arms. For artillery the full allowance for ammunition boxes in batteries. All over that amount now in

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*Atlanta, Ga., embraced in this command by Special Orders, No. 280, November 29, 1862,p.432.

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