son's, 737. Vaughn's brigade is composed of two others (which was infantry till last winter), and the First Tennessee Cavalry, the Twelfth and Sixteenth Tennessee Battalions Cavalry, and the Sixteenth Georgia Battalion Cavalry. Dismount at once the whole of it, except the First Tennessee and Twelfth and Sixteenth Tennessee Battalions; transfer the mounted battalions to the First Tennessee and make it a respectable size - it's colonel is a fine officer; have the part dismounted brought to Army of Northern Virginia, or sent to Army of Tennessee; assign First Tennessee to Johnson's brigade, and assign Brigadier General G. H. Steuart to its command, as I hear he has been ordered to the Valley. Imboden's has the Eighteenth, Twenty-third, and Sixty-second Virginia Cavalry and one unauthorized battalion; break up the battalion; transfer the men to Sixty-second Regiment and place the whole brigade under Wickham as a part of his own, at the same time relieving Brigadier-General Imboden. Jackson has the Nineteenth and Twentieth Regiments and Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Battalions Virginia Cavalry; consolidate the two battalions; give Major Lady, Forty-sixth Battalion, the command of the battalion transferred, and place the whole brigade with Lomax's old brigade as a part of it. McCausland's brigade to remain as it is, with addition of a regiment from Johnson's. Johnson's to consist of Eighth and Twenty-first Regiments, Twenty-seventh, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-sixth, and Thirty-seventh Virginia Battalions Cavalry, and the First and Second Maryland Battalions Cavalry; make two regiments of the four Virginia battalions; consolidate the two Maryland into one; find meritorious officers from the cavalry of Northern Virginia to place in charge of the regiments formed; transfer one regiment to McCausland. With this arrangement General Lomax will have two strong brigades; Fitz Lee will have his division increased by 1,200 men, where they will be taught to fight; and the indifferent officers gotten rid of. Give to each division a military commander at once.

The above, in my judgment, is the best arrangement that can be made. The only other change that can do any good is, if this be not carried out, consolidate Imboden's and Jackson's brigades and find a commander for the brigade thus formed. The horses from Vaughn's brigade can be used to fit out artillery for the command, as all it had has been lost; to my knowledge, two-thirds of these horses have been stolen and captured, and taken from Maryland. The Georgia battalion has never done anything, and has not now fifty men present. There should be at least three inspectors at each division headquarters.

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

R. RANSOM, JR.,

Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES,
Richmond, December 20, 1864.

Respectfully submitted to the Adjutant-General.

A copy of this report was sent to General Early, August 29, 1864, with a letter of that date, a copy of which is herewith inclosed.*

No reply has been received.

For General Bragg and in his absence:

JNO. B. SALE,

Colonel and Military Secretary.

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* See p. 1008.

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