our other armies, i promptly revoked the new outstanding permits, and from that time have steadily refused to grant any more, so that at this time there is no authority to recruit or form new organizations in Alabama or elsewhere issued from this Department. The attention of the Department has likewise been engaged in endeavoring to discover and return all deserters who have recruited in other companies to their proper commands. Inspections have been made in the armies of the South and West, and notice given that deserters should not be received, and that all heretofore enlisted should be returned to their proper commands. In regard to the dissatisfaction said to have resulted in the Ninth Alabama Regiment from the dismissal of a favorite officer I have no information; but I will cause inquiry to be made, and if any remedy can be found will endeavor to apply it.

I am glad to have your suggestions on these or any other matters relating to the organization and improvement of your army, and hope to profit by them.

Very truly, yours,

JAMES A. SEDDON.

Secretary of War.

NEAR PETERSBURG, VA., August 17, 1864.

General SAMUEL COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.;

Cannot General MacRae be assigned permanently to command Martin's brigade and General Conner (temporarily) Elliott's brigade?

The services of these two officers are pressingly needed.

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

HDQRS. ARTILLERY, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,
August 17, 1864.

Colonel STEVENS,

Chief Engineer, Army of Northern Virginia:

COLONEL: General Alexander and myself to-day examined the lines about Chamberlayne's and in rear of the crater of the enemy's mine of the 30th ultimo, with view of best defense in event of another mine anywhere in that quarter. We concur in the following arrangement of guns as best, viz: At the pits preparing for three Blakely 32-pounders, to have one of those; immediately next it and on its left, one 8-inch howitzer, and next to it one 24-pounder howitzer. This, we think, combines best the coalition there. The other two 32-pounder Blakelys had best, we think, be put on the knob behind the Griffith house, and near them, on the same knob, two 24-pounder howitzers. The two 30-pounder Parrotts, now in position near the mouth of Ragland's lane, behind General Heth's headquarters, ought, we think, to be removed, as their ammunition is wholly unsafe to fire with over our lines; two 8 or 10 inch mortars had better be gotten, if possible, we consider, and placed there. Those 30-pounder Parrotts might be used with advantage on the north side of the Appomattox, and the 8-inch howitzer recently placed there might be usefully transferred to some point behind Chamberlayne's battery; suppose that just in front of where the