his letter the silence was accepted as and acquiescence in his suggestion and no inspections were made. On the 3rd of August an order was addressed to Colonel Murray, requiring a resumption of the inspections and a transmittal of the reports as heretofore required. Colonel M. being absent sick, I issued the inclosed circular* to the corps inspectors in accordance with instructions contained in the order. Many causes have operated to prevent a prompt and satisfactory execution of this order. From General Early's command the reports are necessarily meager, owing to the fact that that corps has been constantly on the march or in line of battle. Colonel Smead, the inspector of that army, whose position and opportunities enable him to present a general view of the condition of the corps, makes no report and conveys no information of any sort. He neither indorses nor comments upon the brigade and division reports. The reports for the last of the month have not been forwarded. I have delayed the transmittal of my own report, hoping to receive these. It will be seen that there is general complaint throughout this command of the indifferent clothing of the troops, including shoes. There are no indorsements of the quartermasters except in one or two cases, showing the cause of this deficiency, nor does Colonel Smead throw any light on the subject. His attention has been called to this omission.

It is a matter of congratulation that the health of this command is universally good. There is and abundance of medicines and ordnance stores, secured in great part form battle-fields. The inspectors have made no return of captured property, as required by circular of instructions from Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, Richmond. The discipline is represented as a general thing lax; not more so, perhaps, than could be expected under the circumstances. Attention is called to the remarks of Major Moore, inspector of Gornod's division, form which it will appear that that command had performed "from the 13th of June to the 20th of August 800 miles of route marching, independent of movements in the presence of the enemy, and been engaged in seventeen battles and skirmishes, some of which have lasted through two and three days." It will be seen that none of the reports are made according to the instructions at the bottom of the third page of the form. Desks containing the records having been left behind when General Early moved from Staunton, it was not practicable to obtain the data necessary to fill up all the columns and thereby perfect the reports. Attention is called to my indorsements on brigade reports of this corps.

First Corps, Lieutenant-General Anderson (Major John W. Fairfax, assistant adjutant and inspector general).

No reports has been made by Major Fairfax. He and Major Latrobe accompanied General Anderson to the Valley with Kershaw's division. Pickett's and Field's divisions report directly to these headquarters. Inclosed* will please find reports of inspectors of these divisions.

Pickett's division (Major W. Harrison, inspector), is situated between the James and Appomattox Rivers, and has suffered considerably from ague and fever, a disease peculiar to that locality. Corse's brigade, resting on James River, has suffered most. Attention is called to Major Harrison's report and remarks of Surgeon Guild, medical director of the army. I made a general informal inspection of the whole of this division and a more special inspection of Hunton's brigade.

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*Not found.

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