SAN ANTONIO, TEX., February 25, 1861.

Honorable JOHN H. REAGAN:

DEAR SIR: Inclosed you will find the order of General Twiggs.* I send it that you may see what sort of spirit prevails in the Army here, from General Twiggs down, with one or two exceptiones. They will do nothing to benefit the South. This order itself is an insult to the commissioners and the people of the State; besides, is calculated to make a wrong impression, and mislead everybody in regard to the terms of the agreement between the commissioners and General Twiggs, which are, they are simply allowed to leave the State by way of the coast, with their arms, two batteries of light artillery being taken as the arms belonging to that branch of the service. Many of the officers, who are Southern men, say they will not serve Mr. Lincoln, yet they will nighter resign nor do anything else to assist the section that gave them birth. I hope the Southern Confederacy will aid them as little in future as they are helping her now. What good will their resignations do the South after they have kept their commands embodied and turn them over with arms in their hands to Lincoln, to be placed in some Southern garrison on our coast, or otherwise used to coerce Southern people? this force ought to be disorganized before it leaves this State. If the Southern Confederacy intends raising a regular army, these men ought to be enlisted into her service at once. Let recruiting officers be sent forthwith to this place, Indianola, and Brownsville, or the mouth of the Rio Grande, with the necessary funds to pay the proper bounty, and you may depend upon it Mr. Lincoln will new get many of them to leave this State. I shall urge the Convention to take prompt action to defend our frontiers. Some of the cavalry regiments would do for that service; the infantry would do for those passes on the Rio Grande; yet such men don't wish to go into service uncles it was permanently. This the State cannot offer. One year, if not sooner discharged, is the terms she will offer. it suits volunteers. The arms we get from the Federal Government are not such as will be of much use to the State, particularly in defending her frontiers. We ought to purchase some for that particular service. The Colt pistol and the Morse altered gun are the best, if we can get them. I propose, if Virginia secedes, to go at once to her and get, if possible, those morse guns that are at Harper's Ferry, and get them here in tim to be placed in the hands of the men who have to march again the Indians.

If you think worth while, show this letter to the other delegates. I wrote Colonel Wigfall yesterday. Sergeant Spangler will make an excellent recruiting officer for Indianola. He is in the Second Cavalry, and wishes to remain in the State. Money must be had to effect much with these men.

Yours, truly,

BEN. MCCULLOCH.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Montgomery, March 4, 1861.

Major BEN. MCCULLOCH, Texas:

MAJOR: The secession of Texas of the United States, and the consequent withdrawal of the troops of that Government, leaves the frontier of your State exposed to Indian depredations.

---------------

*No inclosure found. Reference is probably to Special Orders, Numbers 25, February 14, 1861, p. 589.

---------------

39 R R