We are beginning to feel the want of the arms recently sent to Richmond under orders from the War Department. One regiment already has twenty-three men returned from hospital, who are without arms.
The recruiting directed in General Order No. 2 will give us men who cannot be armed, unless a part at least of the arms referred to can be returned.
Permit me again to remind the War Department that a division and five brigades are without their proper generals.
The great number of colonels and other field-officers who are absent sick, makes the want of general officers the more felt.
Several of the colonels of this army are well qualified to be brigadier-generals.
Besides Colonels A. P. Hill and Forney, Colonels Hampton, Winder, Garland, and Mott, are fully competent to command brigades.
Most respectfully, Your obedient servant, J. E. Johnston, General.
Headquarter Department of Northern Virginia, January 30, 1862.
General S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector-General. Sir:
The execution of War Department General Order No. 1 will greatly reduce the strength of the “one year” regiments of this army.
They constitute about two-thirds of the whole number.
I respectfully suggest that men to fill those regiments, say twenty or thirty per company, be sent to us as soon as possible.
The Secretary of War proposed to send unarmed regiments to supply the places of the men furloughed.
Such regiments would be of little value for some time, but the men composing them, if distributed among our present General S. Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector-General. Sir:
