OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [Chap.XII.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Richmond, October 4, 1861.

Gov. ISHAM G. HARRIS, Nashville, Tenn.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 28th ultimo. There can be no difficulty on the subject to which you refer. The Confederate Government will pay all the troops of Tennessee from the 31st of July, the date of their transfer to this Government, and will do this without regard to the date of the formal muster into service. Your excellency will, perhaps, do well to let this fact be made known to the volunteers of your State, in order that no uneasiness be felt by them on the subject.

Of course it will not be possible to pay troops before they are mustered, but when that is done they will be paid their back pay from the 31st of July by this Government.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, Columbus, Ky., October 4, 1861.

General S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General:

GENERAL: Captain Wright, in charge of the ordnance department at Nashville, informs me that he has been ordered to send to New Orleans and Mobile 150 barrels of cannon powder from the first manufactured. From his previous reports I am satisfied that the only supply he has consists of 15 or 20 barrels, which I ordered to be retained for the use of Buckner in Kentucky. Nashville is the only source of supply for my department. At present the capacity of the mills is, at a maximum, 400 pounds per day ( they promised 10,000 per day), but this is not only prospective, but uncertain; therefore this issue will consume the labor of the mills for thirty-seven days to come.

My necessity seems too pressing to await additions to my limited supply for such a length of time. Small as is the supply, I find that all in store at Fort Pillow is damaged, and must be reworked to be useful.

I am about completing works here to meet the probable flotilla from the North, supposed to carry 200 heavy guns. To meet successfully this armament, and at the same time to supply field batteries sufficient to cope with their land forces, will require all the powder I have and all that the mills of Nashville can supply for some time.

I am aware that there is a deficiency of powder in the Confederate States, and as fully aware that, this being so, the Government must decide where the need is greatest. At the same time it is my duty to represent my own wants, and I may be pardoned if, intrusted as I am with the defense of this department, I should find the upper part of this river as important as its mouth.

Of two things one should obtain: If Nashville is my only source of supply, no powder should be drawn thence until it is known that I can spare it. If Nashville mills are liable to calls by the Chief of Ordnance at Richmond for other departments I should be so informed, that I may make my wants known and my calls on Richmond.

I had the honor to lay before you a month ago a proposition from responsible parties at Memphis to go into the manufacture of powder to the extent of the wants of the Government, if authorized, with proper