circumstances mentioned by you, if verified by him, shoudl materially increase his power to re-enforce you. The failure of General Longstreet to keep you advised of his operations is unaccountable. You had better order him to report fully the events of each day.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

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HEADQUARTERS,
Near Knoxville, November 24, 1863-9 p. m.

Brigadier General WILL T. MARTIN,

Commanding Cavalry:

The lieutenant-general commanding desires that you will leave a brigade and a battery in front of the enemy at Kingston, and reurn here with the balance of your command as soon as you can. Please give instructions to the officer you may leave in command there to give us information of any movement of the enemy, and also to communicate the same to Brigadier-General Vaughn, commanding at Loudon. All the information that can be gotten should be sent up promptly by the pickets wehave below Kinston. The lieutenant-general desires you to be here with your command as directed above by night of the 26th instant.

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

G. M. SORREL,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

[31.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 280.
Richmond, Va., November 25, 1863.

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XV. The organization know as Hilliard's Alabama Legion is hereby dissolved, and the companies composing it will be organized into two regiments and a battalion of sharpshooters, as follows: The Second and Fourth Battalions will constitute the Fifth-ninth Regiment Alabama Volunteers, with the following field and staff officers: Bolling Hall, Jr., colonel; John D. McLennan, lieutenant-colonel; G. W. Huguley, major; J. J. Kaigler, assistant quartermaster; John Dixon, assistant surgeon; Crenshaw Hall, adjutant. Ten companies of the First and Third Battalions will constitute the Sixtieth Regiment Alabama Volunteers, with the following field and staff officers: John W. A. Sanford, colonel; D. S. Troy, lieutennat-colonel; Hatch Cook, major; Clayton wilson, assistant quartermaster; James B. Luckie, assistant surgeon; J. N. Gilmer, adjutant. The remaining three companies of the First Battalion (E, F, and G) will be formed into a battalion of sharpshooters, and Captain John A. Fitzpatrick will report for duty as assistant quartermaster of the battalion. The appointment of a field officer to command the battalion of sharpshooters will be hereafter considered by the War Department. The commissiones of the officers connected with the legion who are not assigned to duty by this order will expire on the 1st day of December, 1863. General Bragg is charged with carrying into effect the provisions of this order.

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By command of the Secretary of War:

John WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[31.]