General Herron is still confined to his bed by sickness, and General Vandever is in immediate command of the troops.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. BREWSTER,

Captain, and Aide-de-Camp.

[Indorsement.]

The inclosure was a letter from Colonel Claiborne, which is in the possession of the major-general commanding.

C. P. S. [STONE.]

HDQRS. 3rd DIV., 19TH ARMY CORPS, September 4, 1863.

Captain HOFFMAN, Asst. Adjt. General, Nineteenth Army Corps:

It is my imperative duty to call attention to the condition of the part of this division now under my command, and to request that your inspector-general be sent here to look for himself.

It is utterly unfit to take the field as it now is, and something should be done at once to restore its numbers and efficiency.

The artillery horses, cooped up for the last twelve days aboard transports, are unable to drag the pieces 50 yards at a trot, and, unless allowed time to rest and recuperate, must all be lost. The battery wagon and forage and one section of guns of the First Vermont are at Baton Rouge, as before reported to you. The horses are foot-sore, and need shoeing, and it is essential that this forage and wagon should join its battery.

The First Brigade is in a state of destitution and demoralization; first, from the long-continued absence of any permanent brigade commander, and, secondly, from the absence of so many of the officers and men; thirdly, this brigade was not allowed any rest after the fall of Port Hudson, but was placed on picket duty in rear of Port Hudson, thence transferred directly on crowded transports, without change of clothing, and both officers and men are necessarily filthy beyond endurance, and utterly broken down; and all of the regiments, excepting the Twenty-sixth Massachusetts, are more or less in the same condition.

Two of the regiments, the One hundred and tenth and One hundred and sixty-second New York, are infected with the swamp fever, and are incapable at this time of any effort.

I desire that the general commanding will visit this division, or send some responsible inspector to see its condition. It is beyond my power to restore it except by time, and more power than I now possess to compel the return of absent officers and men, and the proper control over the material of the artillery.

I inclose a report of my acting chief of artillery,* and as soon as the division inspector can make out his reports, they will be forwarded.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
[W. H. EMORY,]

Brigadier-General, Commadning.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF THE GULF, NINETEENTH ARMY CORPS,

New Orleans, September 15, 1863.

[Major-General HALLECK:]

GENERAL: The military operations require more troops. Assuming that we have sufficient force to cope with the enemy in Louisiana, if the

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*Not found.

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