H^d Q^rs Army N Va

26^th Oct 1864

 

Maj Gen J C Breckenridge

Comd^g &c

Wytheville

 

General,

                     Your letter of the 19^th inst. is received. The subject of authorising the raising of companies &c in those districts not accessible to our enrolling officers, has been much considered, and we have had a good deal of experience of its effects. I have been induced by the evils attending it to request the Department to revoke all such authorizations, except in Ky & parts of Tenn, and to refuse to grant others. It has been found that such commands cause disertions from our regular armies to such an extent, of men from the districts where these independent commands are raised, for the purpose of getting near their homes, that the loss is not compensated by the advantage. The best regulated independent commands contain many deserters of this kind in spite of all the efforts that have been made to prevent it. My experience is that men enlisted for service in a particular locality are worthless for the general service, and not of much value for that into which they enter. Their object is not so much to do duty as to be near their homes. The qualification that you suggest, that they should be inlisted only for general service, I regard as indispensable to granting such authority, but it / would be found that few men could be obtained under such terms, and those who might enlist would consider that they had some kind of right to remain where the command is raised. They invariably desert or prove worthless when transferred to another locality. I cannot therefore recommend the granting of the authority to raise such commands in Virginia & Tennessee. As to Ky, the case is different somewhat, and the Department has authorised various persons to recruit in that State. I have no doubt that the privilege has been abused as you say, and I have recommended to the Secretary to revoke the authority in such cases as you will designate as unsuitable, and either to authorize you to send officers of your selection into Ky for the purpose, or to empower only such as you may recommend. I think that those men who would enlist in an independent command for general service, could be obtained by the same means for existing commands. If anything I can do will aid you to procure the men you speak of for any of the organizations in your army or elsewhere, I will gladly render all the assistance in my power.

 

Very respectfully

Your ob^t serv^t

R E Lee

Gen

SOURCES