CHAP.XI.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

McCulloch, after which I will repair with all dispatch to Colonel S.B. Maxey's rendezvous, in the southwest corner of Lamar County. when I have finished the muster of his regiment I shall move directly to join my own regiment, which is ere this with General McCulloch, under the command of my lieutenant-colonel, J.J. Diamond, unless I shall receive different orders. Two of the regiments tendered the Confederate States by his excellency Governor Clark, of the State of Texas, to wit, Colonel M.F. Locke's and W.H.Parson's, I learn, have marched in the direction of the coast, which service, I learn, has been tendered them by General Hebert, commanding the Department of Texas. I notified Locke and Parsons that I was ordered by your excellency to muster all troops tendered by his excellency the governor of the State of Texas into the service of the Confederate States, and to march them without delay to the command of General Ben.McCulloch, in Missouri. I received no reply, but heard they [Locke and Parsons] marched on toward Galveston, disregarding the information I gave them.

I would ask leave to call the attention of your department to Forts Washita, Arbuckle, and Cobb. These posts are at the present unoccupied. Washita and Arbuckle are posts of considerable value, whilst Cobb is but a temporary affair, yet at that immediate place are some 2,500 or 3,000 Indians, known as the Reserve Indians, the most of whom have been principally raised in Texas, know our country better than any one, and are susceptible of being made the most disagreeable and destructive enemies to our northwestern frontier-I mean Texas. These Indians are at Fort Cobb, and are unable to protect themselves against the depredations of the combined Comanches and Kiowas, with whom they [the reserve Indians] are and have been for a long time at war. Besides this you have no doubt been officially informed of the rupture between the Creek Indians. Though I learn that matters have been compromised and settled with the disaffected Creeks, yet I learn there are still some disaffected Indians of various tribes still hanging about the Cherokee Nation, and give to the Chickasaw Indians and the people of the northern portion of Texas a good deal of uneasiness, from their proximity to the Chickasaws and our people immediately on Red River. I learned the day before I left Red River, Grayson County, that there were at one place in the Cherokee Nation, on the Canadian River, 200 runaway and free negroes in regular drill, whose object is supposed to be hostile to the Confederates. If this be so, would not the circumstances justify a force being placed in these posts to keep down hostilities and protect the reserve Indians, and prevent them [the reserve Indians] from being trifled with by the Federals? It has been said that some 500 of the jayhawkers were in camps with the disaffected Creeks-whether true or not I cannot say, though it is believed from the northern part of the State of Texas proper there have left for the Confederate Army several thousand troops, leaving but few, except those who have families.

There is a very considerable dread amongst our people on Red River on this account, as it might be justly said that we are now without any power intervening between Texas and the Creek Nation, and none between us and the wild Comanches except the reserve Indians, who will stampede at the first approach of the enemy. I desire in this to ask your determination, and, as you think proper, act in the premises.

With sentiments of high regard, I am, your obedient servant and friend,

WM.C. YOUNG, Colonel, Commanding Reg't Texas Vol.Cav., C.S.Army.

10 R R-VOL IV