imputing to his constant inebration the unfortunate advance of General Z [ollicoffer], and against his own earnest protest. Imutations of a graver character against the loyality of the commanding officer are freely spoken of in the camp and believed. I hope this latter is without foundation, but the soldier believe it and assert it, and whether true or false, its effect is the same. His army is disaffected, mutinous, and will never be reorganized under him. And yet these men are brave, patriotic, and loyal, excepting always those of them late Union men and recruited from that party. These can never be trusted till they are sudbued. But I fully believe if an officer could be sent here at once in whose experience, loyality, and freedom from Union associations and sympathies they can repose implicit confidence, the army can be organized and the invasion repelled. I fully believe that this will have to be done or East Tennessee will be invaded and held, the bridges burned again, and our territorial disintegration temporarily effected. Let a competent man be sent here from beyond the influence of Tennessee politic, known to us as of unquestionable loyality-one who is perfectly sober, who has had experience in arms, who has enterprise as well as courage-and these Tennessee troops now mortified and chagrined at the late disaster and anxious to wipe out the accidental disgrace will rally to his standard and not stop this of the Ohio. Had Zollicoffer not been ordered to make that unwise advace all would have been now right. We should first have a new commander, a stranger to our people by any antecedents and political sympathies with reconstruction, &c., who hill reassure our soldiers, stimulate the efforts of our own people, and impart to them a new vitality, and the late defeat will be converted into victory. If you have not yet acceped the resignation of Pillow he will be ale to restore order out of this chaos; but I do not presume to suggest for you or the Secretary of War, but I think it no presumption in my to give my opinion that the necessities of the occasion demand the transfer of Crittenden to another field. I would have also suggested General Elzey, with the hope of getting, Colonel Vaughn (who is under him) on our frontier. But I hear, too, that he is not sober, and besides you may not be able to weaken your Potomac line. Many of our friends will telegraph you to-day on this subject.

Yours, tryly,

J. G. M. RAMSEY.

P. S.-I understand that General Canswell, of this city, is an applicant for the position of brigadier-general. He does not equal in hi claims either Colonel Vaughn or Colonel Cummings, both of whom have experience and capacity, and are original State's -rights men, and are entirely temperate. Floyd or Pillow I think should come here at once.

[7.]

HEADQUARTERS HEAVY ARTILLERY,
Columbus, Ky., January 26, 1862.

Memoranda of suggestions to be laid before the major-general commanding by the chief of heavy artillery.

The guns at Fort Columbus are now all in battle order; the traverse circles are being laid down; all the chassis then will work as well as can be expected. I whould now respectfully suggest:

First. To have the covered way built as soon as practicable; the batteries below blinded in case they should take too much time. A gabion

17 R R-VOL LII, PT II