remain here threatening advance, we are preventing a concentration of his forces against McCulloch.

Hardee did not wait until he received my dispatch, which followed Borland, and of which I gave you the substance, before he decided. he has acted in the face of his agreement, by Borland, to abide your decision.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

GID. J. PILLOW,

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

P. S.-I have invited the opinion of Captain Gray on this point and its strategical importance, which you will find condensed below.

NEW MADRID, August 29, 1861.

I am fully impressed with the value of Columbus as commanding the river and as the gateway to the interior of Tennessee. From information I am satisfied that it is a very strong position. If you should be of opinion that Kentucky's neutrality has been violated by the Federal forces and that the time has arrived for the occupation of Columbus for protection of the people of Kentucky and Tennessee, then I regard it as a military necessity to occupy and fortify that place.

A. B. GRAY,

Captain, C. S. Army, Acting Topographical Engineer.

LITTLE ROCK, August 29, 1861.

Honorable L. P. WALKER:

SIR: The volunteers of Brigadier-General Pearce's command were turned over to the Confederate States by agreement with brigadier-General Hardee. The exigencies of the northwest hindered these forces from being placed under the actual control of General hardee. When now, however, that general has sent his agent to that region to take them in charge, we sent an agent on the part of the military board of Arkansas to see that they were duly turned over to General Hardee. These troops were raised for most part in the region where they now are. They were mustered at first into the service of the State, and their individual consent is necessary to perfected the transfer. This might have been readily obtained before the battle near Springfield. We are advised by our agent that it will now be next to impossible to obtain it without the condition that they have the command of General McCulloch, under whom they fought and passed from the region in which they were situated across to General Hardee, with whom they are unacquainted. We ask that the agreement with General Hardee be so far modified as to enable us to turn these forces over to General McCulloch. Without this they will probably disband. The forces with General Hardee may be immediately recruited by an Arkansas regiment, which is already organized, and is now near him. The matter is important. reply at once.

H. M. RECTOR,

President Military Board.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT Numbers 2,
Memphis, Tenn., August 29, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS, President, &c.:

I have now had ample opportunity to judge of the field you have assigned me, as well as of the fields around me, which had been assigned to other officers as theaters for defensive operations, and I am