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raising the standard of the officers of your regiment and for your own sake as well as that of your command, I hope you wont hesitate to act to the point. At least oust [underline] one or two of the worst of them. Remember that all these vacancies will be filled from the supernumeraries, and the latter will be well culled out [2 words underlined] before assignments are made, so your chance is good of getting valuable men. It can all be done quietly [underline] without anyone knowing who [underline] makes the move, and is an opportunity not to be lost, as it will never again occur.

  In thinking of the past I sometimes wonder how I ever was able to live on an equality with several officers of the Tenth whom I can name.   Getting where I could choose my associates reconciled me more than anything else to leaving the Tenth.
  It is a pity for one who has such a splendid record as you, to allow officers to remain in your regiment, in effect [2 words underlined] countenanced by you, who so often shamefully disgrace your regiment, their character and conduct being known by and talked of by many more people than you imagine, while more or less blame is invariably attached to you, continually hurting your reputation.  You cannot afford it!    This is all so, General, and I have long thought that as your friend and well wisher it was my duty to tell you so, but I have hesitated for reasons which are plain enough.  Now, however,