HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Tullahoma, March 16, 1863.

Colonel B. S. EWELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Chattanooga:

COLONEL: The general commanding directs me to say that his chief commissary informs him that he has made a requisition on Major Cummings for meat at Atlanta. The reply received is that none would be sent except on a special order from the Secretary of War. One hundred and ninety thousand pounds that happened to be on the cars he has allowed to be forwarded. The terrible condition of the roads and the increasing scarcity of supplies have retarded our agents, and we have only been able to obtain 60,000 pounds of meat from them to help us feed our army, on this requisition.

We require, to complete our requisition, 400,000 rations meat to carry us to the 31st of March, and the only place we can look to at present is Atlanta.

The general commanding directs me to urge upon you the importance of having this meat ordered here at once. Major Cummings was ordered by General Johnston to come up here at once and take charge of the purchasing of supplies. He has not come up, nor have any of the agents he sent up furnished this command with any supplies.

I have the honor to remain, colonel, your obedient servant,

DAVID URQUHART,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE,

No. 56. Tullahoma, March 16, 1863.

Misapprehensions seem to exist in many corps of this army in regard to the recent orders of union on duty, or consolidation, as it is erroneously called, of certain companies and regiments for temporary convenience and service in the field. To remove all doubts and produce uniformity in all such organizations, it is ordered that where companies, battalions, and regiments are reduced so low in rank and file as to render the commissioned officers largely in excess, temporary union for field service will be made, and the supernumerary officers will be detached on recruiting, conscript, or other special duty. In this arrangement it must be specially understood and provided, however, that no legal organization is to be changed, and no officer or soldier displaced or discharged from his official and legal position. Company, battalion, and regimental organizations will be preserved in all records, reports, and musters, the union being only intended for drills, parades, marches, and battles, and standards will all be preserved and carried as heretofore. Whenever the rank and file shall justify it, these temporary unions will be dissolved, and officers will be ordered back to their duties in the field. In the mean time, a sense of duty and patriotism should incite all to the utmost exertion in filling the ranks of our regiments. The officer or soldier who furnishes a man to our ranks is doing as good service, and deserves as much credit, as he who slays an enemy in battle.

By command of General Bragg:

GEORGE WM. BRENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.