Colonel Gorgas in thinking that twenty guns are too much for the cavalry. In my opinion they are not enough. We should have a battery for each brigade and a reserve battery for each division. The seven brigades would require seven batteries, and the three divisions three reserve batteries, making ten.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS, April 16, 1864.

General BRAXTON BRAGG:

GENERAL: I learn from General Longstreet that all of his troops will not reach Charlottesville before the 21st, the railroad not being able to transport over 1,500 a day. For want of good camping ground in the neighborhood of that place, I have directed him to take position in the vicinity of Gordonsville, where he will be more convenient for service here or eastward and for procurement of supplies. The brigades will march from Charlettesville as they arrive, so as not to embarrass the railroad. General Longstreet states that, with the view equalizing the commands with him in Tennessee, he had attached Law's brigade of Hood's old division to Buckner's division for service, Buckner having with him but two f his brigades, the other being with General Johnston's army. He has not ordered Law's brigade to move with his corps. I understood the order of the department to embrace all of his corps with him. If that was the intention, I request you to order Law's brigade forward. The brigades in motion with General Longstreet will amount to about 9,000 men. That of Law numbers about 1,500.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,

General.

HEADQUARTERS.

Charlottesville, Va., April [16?], 1864.

General R. E. LEE,

Commanding, &c,. Orange Court-House:

GENERAL: The troops are coming in very slowly, owing to our very imperfect railroad arrangements. We cannot hope to have the command up before the middle of next week.

It may have a good effect during this delay for me to go to Petersburg and remain. By leaving my horses, &c., with the command I could get back by express train in full time fro any emergency. If the enemy learns that I am at Petersburg he will in all probabilty assume that my troops are with me and that is the point at which my corps will rendezvous instead of this.

If such should be the effect he will move with more caution in that direction and more boldness in this, and we may, by this means, here until we learn that the army at Annapolis has set out on its intended expedition; then, having all things well prepared, I think that we should take up the shortest line of march for Washington City. We will be able to get between the enemy and his capital, and, by pushing on toward it, we will force him to give battle hurriedly in order to save his capital. If he does that we ought to have great reason to hope that we may destroy him and get this capital.