RICHMOND, VA., October 3, 1863.

General BRAXTON BRAGG,

Near Chattanooga, Tenn.:

GENERAL: Your letter of the 25th* and telegram of the 1st instant+ have been received. I can well appreciate the disappointment resulting from the delays and disobedience of orders to which you refer, and I sincerely regret the consequences which resulted there from. when I sent you a dispatch recommending that Lieutenant-General Polk shoudl nto be placed in arrest, it was with a view of avoiding a controversy which could not heal the injury sustained, and which I feared would entail further evil. Believing that he possessed the confidence and affection of his corosp, it seemed to be better that his influence in your favor shoudl be preserved by a lenient course. Your letter furnished the only information I possessed. In that it did not appear that there was any intention to disobey your orders, and it might be wel that no repetition of the objectionable conduct would occur. To change the comadner involves the necessity of an investigation, with all the crimination adn recrimination to be thus produced. The opposition to you both in the army adn out of it has been a public calamity in so far that it impairs your capacity for usefulness, and I had hoped the great victory which you have recently achieved would end to harmonize the army and bring to your a more just apprecaition of the country. It must be a rare occurrence if a battle is fought without many errors and failures, but for which more important results would have been obtained, adn the exposure of these diminishes the credit due, impairs the public confidence, undermines the morale of the army, and works evil to the ause for whicfh brave men have died, and for which others have the same sacrifice to make. I can but regret that the explanation you have received has been found insufficnet to enable you to overlook the offense, and you will not be surprised that I am at a loss to see how the delay of one general should be regarded as a higher offense than the disobedience of orders by another officer of the same grade, especially when to the latter is added the other offenses you specify, each giving point to the disobedience charged. You will not fail to perceive how readily others predisposed to censure you will connect the present action with former estrangement said to have followed an expression of opinion by your generals in answer to interrogatories pr I may be mistaken as to what is the wisest course, and do not intend either to decide the question of necessity or to suggest that any policy is to be adopted which does nto promise success to our cause. It not infrequently happens that in a state of excitement one believes himself impelled to do that which a calm observed will regard as easily premitted. You have amuch better knowledge of the facts than myself, and I frequently pray that tyou may judge correctly, as I am well assured you will act purely for the public welfare.

Very respectfully and truly, yours,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[30.]

RICHMOND, VA., October 4, 1863.

Colonel JAMES CHESNUT,

Aide-de-Camp, General B. Bragg's Hdqrs., near Atlanta, Ga.:

Have been unavoidably detained, but hope to start to-morrow.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[30.]

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*Not found, but see Bragg to Cooper, September 24 (second), VOL. XXX, Part II, p. 23.

+See second, ante.

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