of the local companies under the President's command, have been found for them at other places while the enemy were besieging Altanta.

Another remarkable fact deserves attention. During the whole march of the enemy upon Atlanta, and for more than a month after it was closely invested and shelled by the enemy, it never seems to have occurred to the President to make requisition upon me for the militia of Georgia to aid in repelling this "formidable invasion" or these "destructive raids," and it is only when he is informed that I have an organization of gallant, fearless men, ready to defend the State against usurpations of power as well as invasions by the enemy, that he makes requisition upon me for this force and all others I can organize. Imust express my astonishment, however, that you and the President should seem to be ignorant of the fact that this force was organized by me to aid in repelling the army of invasion; that it was placed by me under the commandof General Johnston and afterwards of General Hood for the defense of Atlanta, and that the brave men of which it is composed, under thecommandof the general appointed by the President for the defense of the city, have taken their full share in the dangers, fatigues, and sufferings of the campaign, and have acted with distinguished valor both upon the battle-field and for over forty days in the trenches around the city of Atlanta, and that they formed the rear guard when Atlanta was evacuated and brought off with them safe and in good order the reserve artillery of the army, which was especially instructed to them by the commander in-chief. For all this no word of thanksor praise comes from the President to encourage them. They were militia. Their generals andother officers were not appointed by the President and their services are ignored by him. In making this requsition it is quite clear that it was no part of the President's object to get these brave men into service. They were there at the time, in the trenches, among those who were nearest to the enemy, where they never faltered in a single instance. It was not done to produce harmony in the command, for the most perfect harmony has existed between me and both the generals who have commanded the army since the militia were called out, and it is well known that I placed them for the time under the absolute control of the Confederate general commanding. It was not done to increase the number in service at the front, for the President is too familiar with the obstacles thrown in my way by Confederate officers when I have attempted to compel men to go to the trenches to have committed this mistake. It was certainly not done to cause Georgia to furnishher quota of troops required inlike proportion of other States, for she has already furnished more than her just quota, and to every call responded with more than were required, while she has borne the rigirs of conscription, executed as much severity as in any other State. I hear of no similar requisition having been made upon any other State. While Georgia has more than filled every requisition made upon her in common with her sister States, and had borne her full share of conscription, and has for months had her reserved militia under arms from sixteen to fifty-five years of age, I am informed that even the Confederate reserves of other States from seventeen to eighteen and from forty-five to fifty have till very lately been permitted by the President to spend much of their time at home attending to their ordinary business.

Without departing from legitimate inquiry as to the cause of this requisition, I might ask why this distinction is made against the good people of this State, and why her Confederate reserves are kept constantly in service, and why requisition is made for her whole militia when the same is not required of any other State. It is quite clear