low down as these works without large force, but he will certainly have a force in hand in a very short time to attack this place, and with my small force will crush me and take the work, and then, if he should go on down, with the small force left to defend the works at Pillow and Randolph, I see no reason why he could not take them also, but if there were troops enough here to protect this place he could not go below. If, however, this force should be cut up, and your whole force thus taken in detail, he will a success of what otherwise could be successfully resisted. Before I agreed to come on this duty you assured me I should have the support of Hardee's and Thompson's forces, and you said you would give me a carte blanche. In all these assurances I am disappointed. It is painful to be under the necessity of thus complaining, but I am left without support, in an exposed condition, and with an inadequate supporting force, and though I have in three several dispatches explained everything to you, you fail to support me and place your disposable force below here, though you are fully advised of the danger of the position of this force, and you must know that if I am sacrificed here the forces below will also be sacrificed and the works all taken, whereas if this force was sustained or withdrawn to the strong position below, the country below would be safe.

I know what I have to do and am fully prepared to make any personal sacrifice, but I owe it to my command to avoid, if possible, so great a disaster to the country as their sacrifice would be. Controlled by these circumstances, my convictions of duty compel me to inform you that, unless assured of support, I shall take my whole force, abandon this place, and strike into the interior as the only course left. If the result should prove disastrous to my command or the country below, the responsibility will not rest on me.

I am, general, with respect, &c.,

GID. J. PILLOW,

General, Commanding.

AUGUST 8, 1861.

[General PILLOW]:

MY DEAR GENERAL: The news last night from Ironton is that the enemy is concentrating a large force at that point, and as my orders for burning the bridges on railroad, &c., has not been executed, he can still farther re-enforce it from Saint Louis. I have slept on my letter to you of yesterday, and I am more and more convinced of the correctness of the views therein expressed. I write in haste. Send this by Colonel Johnson to General Polk. If we are to do anything in Missouri, we must have a large column.

Respectfully,

W. J. HARDEE,

Brigadier-General.

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, WAR DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, August 8, 1861.

His Excellency Governor RECTOR, Little Rock, Ark.:

SIR: This department has received a copy of the "Terms and stipulations" agreed upon between the military board of the State of Arkansas, on the one part, and Brigadier General W. J. Hardee, of the C. S. Army, on the other part, in regard to the "use and control of the forces, arms,