all day yesterday examining the country between this and Malvern Hill. Am therefore a little too much occupied at the desk to-day to see you. I shall see you, however, as soon as possible and endeavor to get a little better knowledge of the country below you than I now have.

I am, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. LONGSTREET,

Major-General, Commanding.

[11.]

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, Va., July 25, 1862.

General ROBERT E. LEE,

Commanding Army, &c.:

GENERAL: Yesterday evening I had a full conversation with General R. Taylor, and also with Major Ma Sere. General Taylor thinks the best arrangements which can be made of the Louisiana troops will be as proposed, to place the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Fourteenth Regiments in a brigade, to promote Colonel Hays to be a brigadier, and assign him to the command of it, and to withdrawn the Ninth Regiment from the brigade heretofore commanded by General Taylor, associating with it the First and Second Regiments and the battalions of Coppens and Pendleton; that the Tenth Regiment, Colonel Magirny, be sent without delay to camp Moore for operations upon and around New Orleans. The senior colonel of the Second Brigade, Shovers, is thought quite competent to command it, and therefore that General Taylor may be detached and proceed to Louisiana to hasten on recruits for the regiments to fill up the skeleton regiments which are to be sent home. General Taylor is decidedly in favor of breaking up Wheat's battalion. He thinks the men would voluntarily transfer to other companies in service and that the officers should be disbanced. He reports favorably of Captain Atkins, who has commanded one of the companies, and thinks, if he desires to remain in the service, that he should be made an exception. Imperfect knowledge of the captain, limited to azn examination of the evidence of his service in Italy and to observation of him on the field of Manassas, has led me to regard him as worthy of special consideration. The period for active operations at New Orleans by acclimited troops ios the next and the ensuing month, for reasons which I need not state to you, and the whole programme is submitted to you that you may take action on it if it meets your approval.

Very respectfully and truly, yours,

JEFERSON DAVIS.

[11.]

HDQRS. RIGHT WING, ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINI.

Colonel S. D. LEE,

Commading Cavalry:

COLONEL: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your report of the handsome little affair on your line yesterday. The Mississippi rifleshave been ordered for you, and will be sent out with ammunition as soon as received. The major-general commanding desires you to