than 800 for duty. If they were sent back to Florida all these sick would soon recover and it would again be an efficient body of troops and would do good service there, while here many of them will die, and others will cumber the hospitals and be a trouble and expense to the Government. With these opinions, which I have no doubt will be fully corroborated by the officers of the brigade, I would earnestly request you to endeavor to get this brigade back to Florida, and by so doing you will benefit the cause far more than to let these men linger out a painful existence in a climate inimical to them. Our rulers are men of enlarged views and experience, and I have no doubt if you would represent the matter to them they would at once order them back.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. M. PALMER,

Surgeon in Charge.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, August 19, 1864.

Major General WADE HAMPTON,
Commanding Cavalry:

GENERAL: I desire to express the gratification I have derived from the conduct of the cavalry during its late operations north of James River. The success of General W. H. F. Lee's division, on the 15th instant; the more signal result that attended the combined attack of his and General Gary's forces on the following day, and the skillful execution of your orders on the 18th by General Butler with his division, reflect great credit upon the several commands engaged. Please express to the officers and men my thanks for their gallant and valuable service. The loss sustained by the cavalry in the fall of General Chambliss will be felt throughout the army, in which, by his courage, energy, and skill, he had won for himself an honorable name.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Numbers 196.
Richmond, Va., August 19, 1864.

* * * * * * *

XXXVII. Paragraph XIV, Special Orders, Numbers 187,* current series, is hereby revoked, and Brigadier General J. J. Archer, Provisional Army, C. S., is assigned to duty with the Army of Northern Virginia, and will report to General R. E. Lee, commanding.

By command of the Secretary of War:

JNumbers WITHERS,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

Numbers 197.
August 19, 1864.

* * * * * * *

II. Brigadier General J. J. Archer is assigned to the command of Archer's and Walker's brigades (temporarily united), of Heth's division, Third Corps, and will report accordingly.

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*See Vol. XXXVIII, Part V, p. 953.

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