[Inclosure No. 8.]

ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE,

San Antonio, March 8, 1861.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that the public chest containing the Government funds, for which I was responsible, and which had been forcibly seized by the Texas State troops on the morning of the 16th of February, 1861, was returned to me yesterday.

On an examination of the contents of the chest I found a deficiency of $2,943, in lieu of which amount the commissioners on the part of the Convention of the people of the State of Texas presented me with a receipt, a copy of which is herewith inclosed.

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I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. W. REYNOLDS,

Captain and Assistant Quartermaster.

Bvt. Major W. A NICHOLS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Dep't of Texas, San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO, TEX., March 6, 1861.

This is to certify that on the morning of the 16th of February, 1861, the Quartermaster's Department of this place, together with the iron chest used by Cast. A. W. Reynolds, assistant quartermaster, U. S. Army, for keeping the United States funds in his charge, were forcibly taken possession of by the forces of the State of Texas, the chest aforesaid with its contents being taken by order of us, the commissioners, acting for the State under the authority of the State Convention; and we moveover certify that the chest aforesaid has this day been turned back to the possession of Captain Reynolds with the same contents, except $2,943, which among had been taken by us for the use of the State, and the receipt thereof is hereby acknowledged.

P. N. LUCKETT,

S. A. MAVERICK,

Commissioners on the part of Committee of Public Safety.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS,
San Antonio, March 27, 1861.

SIR: In case the difficulty between the General Government and the seceding States should result in hostilities, there is reason to apprehend that an attempt may be made to prevent the embarkation of the troops and to detain them as prisoners of war. This can only be effected by their seizing and removing all lighters, preventing transports of light draught entering the bay at Indianola, and by cutting off our supplies of provision, &c. To avoid an attempt of that kind, nd to be prepared to meet it if made, I am concentrating the troops at the camp near Green Lake as rapidly as possible. This camp is full twenty miles from Indianola and is the nearest place to the coast where fresh water can be obtained. The difficulty, amounting almost to impossibility, of supplying the troops with water at Indianola, prevents my moving them down to that place. Not a line has been received at these headquarters from the headquarters of the Army, or from the War Department, since I entered upon duty as the department commander, except unimportant matters, and I am inclined to believe from inspection of the envelopes that they