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

of the bar and about 5 miles off. She made several short tacks off the bar and steered back to the east. At about 5 o'clock she came to anchor off the East, or Decrow's, Channel, and 2 miles from shore. On the 8th, at noon, she made sail, and steered westward, running close to the bar. When nearly opposite our position, and 3 miles distant, I caused my four 24-pounder battery to open on her. She was struck two or three times by our shot. She put about after the first round of the battery and steered seaward. She showed no colors up to this time. She is standing off and on in sight.

I trust the commanding general will give me instructions relative to the present position of our battery, property,&c. I only have sufficient mules here to carry one piece to the rear. We fired sixteen shots.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D.D. SHEA, Captain, Commanding at Pass Cavallo, Texas.

HEADQUARTERS, CAMP HENRY McCULLOCH, December 14, 1861

Major SAMUEL BOYER DAVIS, Asst. Adjt. General , Dep't of Texas, Galveston, Tex.:

SIR: I have the honor to report, for the information of the commanding general of the department, that I have just returned from Captain Shea's camp, at Pass Cavallo. The captain is making every arrangement in his power to secure a retreat, if it should become necessary.Upon a second reconnaissance I suggested to the captain the propriety of taking up a position some 2 miles farther up the Pass, as, in my judgment, he would have the same, if not a better, command of the channel, as well as being out of the range of guns from the sea. The vessel reported was still there up to the time I left. She lies off and on, and moves up and down the coast, never getting entirely out of sight of the entrance to the bay, and it is my impression she is looking out for two vessels that left that port for Mexico some time since with cotton, and are expected to return about this time laden with coffee. While I was at Captain Shea's camp she fired some eight or ten guns, but we were unable to ascertain the object of her firing, but judge she was merely practicing. At the time of firing she was lying off the coast, some 10 or 12 miles above Decrow's Point. With a good glass, from the top of the light-house, we could distinctly see the flashes, as well as hear the reports, of the guns. The night I spent at Captain Shea's camp a Mexican or Spaniard was shot under very suspicious circumstances. He was taken by a party of mounted volunteer patrols while in the act of launching a pilot's yawl near one of the pilot stations, a short distance above camp. He was brought in and turned over to the guards, and in attempting to escape was shot,but was alive up to the time of my departure.

I directed Captain Rupley's company to take position at Saluria, to guard the ferry across the main bayou and to afford any other assistance in his power. The other three companies, under Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson, took position at Indianola. I have ordered a detachment of mounted men (1 commissioned, with 2 non-commissioned officers and 15 privates) from Captain Beaumont's company to report to Captain Shea for duty. I did not order a large detachment down, on account of the difficulty of procuring forage and water; and, as I do