OPERATIONS IN TEX., N. MEX., AND ARIZ. [CHAP. XI.

and Washita, under the authority of the State of Texas and with the consent of the Chickasaw Indians. The term of service of these troops is one year, if not sooner discharged. They are now stationed on Red River and Trinity River, awaiting further orders.

X. B. DEBRAY, Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Texas.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Richmond, August 31, 1861.

Colonel X. B. DEBRAY, Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Texas:

SIR: Your report on the military standing and defense of Texas, made to this Department under instructions from the governor of that State, has been received and attentively considered. I acknowledge with profound pleasure the zeal of the people and the energies of the government of Texas in behalf of the general cause, and it gratifies me to give assurance to your authorities of the disposition and earnestness of this Department to co-operation with them to the fullest extent within the limits of its powers. Those troops which have been called into service under the requisition of this Department will be paid and subsisted by the Confederate Government. It is desired that they shall be placed in camps of instruction, to be designated by the governor of Texas. Drill officers will be assigned to them, if possible, when this Department comes to be informed that they have been mustered into service. When arms are procured they will be armed and receive marching orders. With regard also to the troops called out by General Van Dorn, they will be accepted by this Department, and be also paid and subsisted by this Government; but in reference to the troops called out on the mere motion of the governor of Texas, this Department must first be advised concerning the necessity for their services before they can be accepted, and as to this it awaits to hear from the commanding general in the Department of Texas. It will at once occur to you that the Government could not preserve its integrity and assume the responsibility of paying and subsisting the troops that each and every State of the Confederacy might choose to draw into the field. The general commanding in Texas has been instructed not to permit the public welfare to suffer in that State, either upon the borders or in the interior, and the Department has great confidence in his ability, sagacity, and patriotism. It is hoped this officer and the governor of Texas will freely communicate with each other, and that they co-operate in all measures best calculated to secure peace and safety at every point.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

L. P. WALKER, Secretary of War.

GENERAL ORDERS,} HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS, Numbers 17. } San Antonio, Tex., September 4, 1861.

By orders from the War Department the undersigned has been relieved in command of the Department of Texas, and is directed to report at the headquarters of the Army, at Richmond. He takes leave of the troops and of the people of Texas with unfeigned regret. From them he has, as military commander, received at all times their most hearty