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

III. Headquarters of this army are temporarily fixed at Fort Bliss, wither communications will be forwarded until further orders.

By order of Brigadier General H.H. Sibley:

A.M. JACKSON, Acting Adjutant-General, Army of New Mexico.

OFFICE TEXAS AND NEW ORLEANS, R.R. CO., Houston, Tex., December 16, 1861

General P.O. HEBERT, Commanding Department of Texas, Galveston, Tex.:

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to report that, on receipt of your telegram and order on Major J.B. Likens, commanding at Sabine Pass, received on the 8th instant, p.m., I at once proceeded to Beaumont with a sufficient force of engineers, machinists, laborers, &c., to accomplish the object. The agents of the company there were loth to give any assistance, as they deemed the town (Sabine Pass) and the railroad perfectly safe from any foray of the enemy. Major Likens promptly co-operated with me in removing the rolling stock up to a point of temporary safety and within reach of protection. The company have so neglected and abused their engines that they are comparatively useless until in the hands of skillful mechanics for a day or two. The rolling stock in working order, or which I put in rolling order, consists of seven platform cars and three house cars. I also found eighty-four wheels and axles, and all the furnishings to put them up, sufficient for twenty-one cars which would give capacity in order for the transportation of from 1,000 to 1,500 men. I removed these wheels and axles 21 miles north of Beaumont. I also towed one engine out of order to a distance of 6 or 7 miles north of Beaumont and the other engine I removed north of Taylor's Bayou (a draw-bridge) at which point it broke down or failed to operate. On each engine I left a detail of two men, with a sergeant in charge, as a guard, furnished by Major Likens, and to report to him. On my return here yesterday I dispatched my master machinist, with some men, to put one engine in order and fix up a train, so that either the Eastern Texas Railroad Company or the military authorities could have some transportation facilities in case of emergency. I am sorry to report that the employes of the road, although they volunteered to assist in the accomplishment of the end desired, evinced a disposition to try and so injure the only engine they had in order to move as to defeat the securing of the rolling stock, and, by carelessness or malignity,to partly succeeded; but by this time it is all rectified by my men. Should a more detailed report be desired, I will furnish it cheerfully.

I beg to make two suggestions in the matter. First, that a train be put in order on the road, either to be at the order of the commanding officer at Sabine Pass or the railroad company, subject to his protection and control. Second, that a sufficient amount of rails be shipped from Galveston to Liberty (which the company have in Galveston), to enable them to lay their track up to the junction with the Texas and New Orleans Railroad at Beaumont, which will give you rail connection from Galveston and this place to Sabine Pass. It will only require about two hundred tons of rails, and the connection can be made in five or six days after the arrival of iron at Liberty.

I remain, yours, with much respect,

A.M. GENTRY, President, &c.