OPERATIONS IN TEX., N. MEX., AND ARIZ. [CHAP. XI.
your orders will follow you, and communicate to General Van Dorn the order for him to report here for duty. The mails are so irregular that its transmission in that way would probably delay it.
L. P. WALKER.
SPECIAL ORDERS,} ADJT. AND INSP. General 'S OFFICE, Numbers 123. } Richmond, Va., August 14, 1861.
I. Commander W. W. Hunter, C. S. Navy, will proceed to Galveston and report to General Earl Van Dorn for duty as superintendent in charge of the works for the defense of the coast of Texas.
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XVII. General Earl Van Dorn will turn over the command of the Department of Texas to the officer next in rank in the State, and will repair immediately to this city and report to the Adjutant-General.
XVIII. The command of the Department of Texas is assigned to Brigadier General Paul O. Hebert, Provisional Army. He will immediately repair to San Antonio, Tex., and assume the command.
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By command of the Secretary of War:
JNO. WITHERS, Assistant Adjutant-General.
RICHMOND, VA., August 28, 1861.
HonorableL. P. WALKER, Secretary of War:
SIR: I have the honor to report to you that I have been instructed by the governor of Texas, as his aide-de-camp, to proceed to this city for the purpose of conferring with your honor on subjects connected with the military standing and defense of Texas, and which are now respectfully laid before you: The governor of Texas being convinced that the integrity of the soil of Texas greatly depends upon the success of the Southern cause in Missouri, and moved by an appeal to the people of Arkansas and Texas (published at the beginning of July by General Ben. McCulloch) ordered on the 25th ultimo the raising and concentration on Red River of 3,000 mounted men, besides the regiment commanded by Colonel W. C. Young, which has been occupying for several months Forts Arbuckle, Cobb, and Washita, under the authority of Texas, and at the request of the Chickasaw Indians. These troops were to have completed their organization into regiments on the 20th instant, the men supplying their own horses and arms, and taking service for twelve months, unless sooner discharged. The success of our arms in Missouri, the friendly feelings of the Territory Indians, except, however, the Cherokees, and also the approach of the winter season, seem to remove any plausible contingency of an immediate attack on the northern frontier of Texas, but it is probable that in fall or winter one or perhaps several simultaneous attacks will be attempted on our coast, which extends over several hundred miles, and is very sparsely inhabited, except the vicinity of Galveston Island. We must therefore prepare to meet any contingency in that quarter, and considering the vast extent of the territory of Texas, the slowness of mail communications, and the want of railroad transportation, these preparations cannot be made too soon.
To meet these exigencies the governor charged me to respectfully request that the force above referred to be accepted into the service of
