I wrote to you by the last mail, informing you of the acceptance of the four cavalry regiments offered you by the Secretary of War, and desiring to know whether you still wished the two you had accepted. On the same day I dispatched a messenger, with the intelligence of their acceptance by the Secretary of War, to these regiments, and that I had communicated with you and him. This leaves them in doubt as to the ultimate result of their present condition, and for this reason I would be pleased to hear as early as your convenience will permit.

I see that you are energetically at work for the defense of our coast. I am pleased to be able to say that several brigades of militia are ready for service, if needed, and will be placed at your command if you need them.

I am gratified at the news from the seat of war. I sincerely trust it may prove true.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD CLARK.

GOLIAD, TEX., October 12, 1861.

To the Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR, Richmond:

SIR: Having been at Brownsville, on the Rio Grande, for several weeks, on a mission of importance for the State of Texas, I take the liberty of inclosing a memorandum of my observations while there, with the hope that it may serve in attracting the attention of the Government to the importance of that point. As the only brother of the late General B. E. Bee, my name will not be unknown to you, and I can with pleasure refer you to Colonel Wigfall, Colonel Waul, and Judge Hemphill as to the great interest I have at stake, both politically and personally, in the success of our cause.

With great respect,

[Inclosure.]

HAMILTON P. BEE.

Brownsville is 30 miles from the Gulf; Brazos Island is its port; depth of water 6 feet. The mouth of the Rio Grande has still less water on its bar.

Fort Brown was built by General Taylor for attack on Matamoras, 'and is of but little use for defense of Brownsville, as an enemy could without difficulty take possession of it without coming under fire from the fort, whose guns could destroy it in an hour. The fort has been repaired by Colonel Ford and is unfinished, but could in a short time be made as strong as earthworks generally are. There are twenty-five pieces of cannon of different caliber there, including a light battery, complete, with its caissons loaded, harness in good order, and ready for service in thirty minutes. The battery horses are poor and unserviceable, but in improving condition. About 300 rounds of ammunition for each piece, of the best description, and a good supply of powder and ball cartridges constitute the supply of ammunition. Lead can be bought in any quantity at 4 cents per pound. There is one 10-inch mortar, and no piece larger than a 24-pounder. There are now at Fort Brown four companies of cavalry (Texans), say 400 men in all.

Brownsville is the depot of the Mexican trade. In 1860 $12,000,000 in specie passed through the custom-house en route for the United States. The imports of goods, principally dry goods, is proportionally heavy. All that trade is now suspended. No direct shipments have arrived at Matamoras from foreign ports. Two vessels arrived there from New York while I was on the Rio Grande, both loaded with provisions and

necessary supplies. One of them was wrecked. The foreign merchants. at Matamoras are English and German, and are friendly to our cause. No arrangements for direct importation have been made, owing to the unsettled state of opinion concerning the raising of the blockade. If it should not be raised, direct importation will follow.

The Mexicans are neutral. The officers, civil and military, profess and exhibit every desire to co-operate with us in maintaining peace and good order où the line, and have aided essentially in estopping the forays of Cortinas into Texas. The Mexican population on this side of the Rio Grande are quiet, but not to be relied on in case of invasion.

It is known that Lieutenant Langdon (artillery) and two cavalry officers, who were previously on this line and familiar with the country, are now at Fort Pickens. Two cavalry companies are said to be on Santa Rosa Island. They have all the information, and we may suppose the desire, to repossess themselves of that point.

The following reasons occur to my mind why the enemy will seek to reoccupy Fort Brown: The hope of recapturing the cannon and material of war; the opening of the Mexican trade to New York, which will throw millions of dollars into the industry of the North. The fact, beyond a question, that the reoccupation of that point will convert the neutrality of the Mexicans into hostility, then hatred and bitterness, is against us, not against the North. By virtue of commissions from the Lincoln authorities two or three thousand Mexican mounted guerrillas would be mustered into the service of the United States, to depredate and destroy the settlements even to the San Antonio River, thus destroying the stock interest of Western Texas.

My conclusions are that it is of the utmost importance to the Confederacy that Brownsville and the line of the Rio Grande should be held by them. Shut up and encompassed around as we are, it is the only point through which we can communicate with the nations of Europe. By proper encouragement every necessary supply, either for our Government or people, can be brought to Matamoras from abroad, and we have no other outlet so long as the supremacy of the seas is against us. It will keep quiet and neutral a large and in some respects an efficient force of a race embittered against us by real or imaginary wrongs dating back twenty years. By means of the steamboats now at Brownsville the enemy could transport a force to Ringgold Barracks, and thence, by forced marches over a good road, be at San Antonio in twelve days -leaving no enemy in their rear, but, on the contrary, a willing and useful ally, to keep up their line of communication. It is the most feasible way to invade Texas. Brownsville should be defended or given up at once, and the cannon withdrawn while yet there is time. It will be too late when the enemy lands. A few men-a thousand men-cannot defend it; they will only be caught in a trap; there will be no way of retreat. The gloomy desert of sand between the Rio Grande and Nueces will lose us the cannon. The enemy will hardly land with less than 10,000 men. The material of war there is worth its weight in gold to our cause. It will be lost within two months unless a strong force is sent there for its protection. An officer who speaks the Mexican language and understands the people should be appointed to the command. If he is wise and watchful, he will keep the peace with Mexico and make her people useful friends. Supplies of all sorts for the troops can be got in Brownsville except bacon or pork.

HAMILTON P. BEE.

P. S.-I omitted to say that the above points were submitted to General Van Dorn some months since in a more detailed form by Col. J. S. Ford, commanding at Fort Brown.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,
Richmond, October 13, 1861.

Gov. EDWARD CLARK, Austin, Tex.:

SIR: The very great pressure on my time and the absorption of all my energies in the attempt suddenly to direct the operations of this Department on the resignation of General Walker will furnish an apology that I trust you find satisfactory for my delay in replying to your two favors of 7th and 14th ultimo. I appreciate to the fullest extent the zealous and hearty co-operation of yourself and your generous fellow-citizens in the effort fully to supply clothing for our troops in the field.

After maturely considering the various modes suggested, it occurs to me that the simplest and best plan is for the State of Texas to clothe her own troops, under rules and regulations to be executed by her own officers, and to receive the commutation of $25 for every six months' clothing furnished to each man, according to the act of Congress of 30th August last, and which cannot have reached you at the date of your letters. I have prepared regulations on this subject, now in press, and in a day or two, when I get them from the printers, will furnish you a copy. If your State will, under these regulations, furnish her own troops, in whole or in part, it will greatly relieve our labors, that are now taxing with the utmost severity all our energies.

Please inform me as soon as you get my printed circular whether you will do this. If not, could you not have the wool manufactured at your penitentiary and sell it to us at a fair value, which we will cheerfully pay? State agency in all these matters is much more effective than our own, and I desire, as far as I possibly can, to avoid the multiplication of Confederate officers and agencies.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Acting Secretary of War.

HEADQUARTERS,

Col. H. E. MCCULLOCH:

Doña Aña, Ariz., October 14, 1861.

SIR: Please find inclosed a copy of a letter received at my headquarters to-day. It embraces a correct account of the present critical condition of the citizens and miners in that region of the Territory which includes the locality of the Pinos Altos and other important mines of Arizona. The most important and available to the Confederacy are under the sway of Indians. I am at present unable to render the necessary assistance, although I have ordered Maj. E. Waller to proceed thither and render what aid he could with a detachment of 100 men. He left for the Pinos Altos mines on the 10th instant. Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN R. BAYLOR,

Lieut. Col. Comdg. Second Reg't T. M. R., P. C. S. Army.

To the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

[Inclosure.]

PINOS ALTOs, October 8, 1861.

Of the Confederate Troops in Arizona Territory:

DEAR SIR: A few days since the majority of the citizens of this place addressed you a petition. However, many of those that gavo

their signature promising to remain here, in order to keep up the place, deserted us cowardly by a train that left yesterday for Mesilla.

The undersigned having been elected captain of the Minute Company organized amongst our citizens to defend our diggings against the Indians (conjointly with the Arizona Guards, stationed here) yesterday held a meeting, and found that about 70 miners remained here, only half of which are armed. We are determined to defend this place to the last, and could easily do so if we could stay in one body; but the diggings are such that only a few men can work at one place, and as the miners now left occupy merely a narrow space of ground, but running about 1 mile up Bear Creek, the other gulches having been abandoned for the want of a sufficient number of miners, therefore the Indians are liable to attack the dispersed miners at any time, and, until we can rally our small number of armed men to meet the enemy, they may murder our miners again before we can save them; and as we are not numerous enough to pursue the Indians, they may resume their attacks almost every day with impunity, and annoy our miners to such an extent that they will have to stop working, and consequently, not being able to earn our living, necessity would make us leave here, even against our will.

If it is in your power to send a sufficient number of mounted men here that would pursue the Indians to their hiding places and make our roads safe again, this place would soon have a large population again, and you would save a place from desertion which at no distant day will become the most important of Arizona, as soon as our rich diggings, gold and silver mines, can be worked with safety for capital. Should you not be able to send more troops at present, you would help us greatly by sending thirty or forty muskets to the commander of the Arizona Guards here, who would distribute them to our unarmed miners with good security for their return when recalled, and thereby we will defend ourselves until you can give us more protection and commence your operations against the savages. I am confident that you will do all in your power for our safety and protection in our dangerous position.

I remain, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. MARKT, Captain Minute Men.

RICHMOND, October 15, 1861.

Col. H. E. MCCULLOCH, Comdg., &c., San Antonio, Tex.:

SIR: In answer to the recommendations of Major Maclin, of the 17th ultimo, forwarded by you with indorsement, you are respectfully informed that the Quartermaster-General reports that orders were given a month ago to the officers of that department in Texas to procure the necessary clothing for the troops in that State.

Very respectfully,

R. H. CHILTON, Assistant Adjutant-General.

MILITARY DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS;
Galveston, Tex., October 16, 1861.

His Excellency EDWARD CLARK, Governor of Texas:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your excellency's communications of the 10th and 12th instant, both of which reached me yesterday.

Not found.

Col. W. H. Parsons, Fourth Regiment Texas Volunteer Cavalry, having by letter and through the major of his regiment this day expressed a strong preference for service in the State, I have ordered his regiment to be mustered into service at Spring Creek, near Hempstead. In regard to the other regiments, it is, perhaps, advisable, in view of the position of General McCulloch and the urgency of his call, that they should be mustered into service under the authority granted to Colonel Young. Any other divisions of those regiments might perhaps seriously interfere with the plans of the War Department, of which, however, I am not advised, and under the authority I could not well entirely countermand orders emanating from the headquarters of the Army.

The heavy guns intended for Galveston are reported on the way, strung along the road from Alexandria to Niblett's Bluff. Two or three of them are expected by the end of this or the beginning of next week. I have ordered them to be placed in battery as they arrive, and, as the number is limited, distributed to the best advantage. Owing, however, to the vast superiority of the naval armaments of the enemy and the almost defenseless state of the coast, the problem of defending it successfully with the means at our disposal is one of difficult, if not of impossible, solution. The enemy having complete possession of the seas, as in the days of our first revolution, we must fight this war as our forefathers did, and, I have full faith, as successfully.

With respectful salutations, I have the honor to be, your excellency's very obedient servant,

P. O. HÉBERT, Brigadier-General, Provisional Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS,
San Antonio, October 17, 1861.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:

SIR: From the time I came to this place (2d September) cotton has been passing through it to Mexico. The quantity has been considerable, though not very great, but it has been increasing for the last three weeks, and I have just been informed by reliable persons that a much greater quantity has been and is still passing from Texas into Mexico by wagons on the route below this and by light-draught vessels that go through the bays and bayous along the coast to the mouth of the Rio Grande. Cotton is now worth twenty-two and twenty-three cents at New York, and I am satisfied that a large proportion of the cotton going into Mexico passes on to that and other Northern ports.

The policy of our Government is no doubt to prevent our cotton being shipped to the United States to sustain the manufacturing interests of our enemies. Under these circumstances how is it to be done, and can the military authority here do anything in it?

There is a large number of beef cattle now being purchased by persons for the market in Mexico. Such a thing has not been known in Texas for many years, and I think there is good reason to suppose that these cattle are for the benefit of the U. S. Army that are expected to come through Mexico either from California or by sea, and for the support of that portion of the Army in New Mexico. It seems to me that a proper regard for the safety of the country would justify the suspension of this trade for the present, or that those engaged in it should be