Dabney H. Maury, September 7, 1863

COLONEL: I have been notified by General Johnston that the brigades of Generals Gregg and McNair await my orders at Enterprise, and that the brigades of Generals Featherston and John Adams are at Newton, and destined to come to Mobile to assist in its defense so soon as I mayinform you that Irequire them. I needsome good heavy artillerists. There are three battalions or regiments, the First and the Twenty-first and Twenty-third Louisiana, and Eighth Louisiana Battalion, captured at Vicksburg, whom I know to be very skillful in handling heavy guns. I hope so soon as they can be exchanged you will send them down here to me, if other interests of the service will permit you to do so.

Little’s old Missouri brigade, once commanded by me, will be more serviceable here than any other troops. I shall be glad to have them also, preferring, if necessary, to exchange for them troops now here or awaiting orders to comehere. I think it very important to have troops belonging to distant localities. There are questions involving embarrassment to the service frequently arising in consequence of the singular manner in which officers of the general staff have been assigned to specified posts and duties within the limits of my command without any report being made to me or the post commanders of such assignment. I believe it is in accordance with military usage for staff officers to be ordered by their chiefs to report to the department commander, and for him to have them assigned to their appropriate positions, and in no case is it proper that an officer should enter upon duty at a military post and fail to report to the commander of that post. As several unpleasant difficulties have arisen in consequence of a neglect of this

212 W. PLA., 8. ALA., 8. MISS., L. A., TEX., N. MEX, (CuaP. XXXVIIL

requirement on the part of chiefs of staff corps, I respectfully call your attention to it, in the hope that you will make such an order as will prevent the recurrence of it. I am, colonel,

very respectfully, your obedient servant,