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

fix your attention. It is understood here that you have accepted certain troops from the State of Mississippi by brigades. Now, this is against our whole policy from the beginning. If you will look at the sixth section of the act for the public defense, page 36 of the Laws of the First Session, you will see that we accept no organizations higher than a regiment. The President alone is vested with the power to form regiments into brigades and divisions, and this was done for the express purpose of enabling him to keep control over the general officers, and to get rid of them if found inefficient, by breaking up the brigades and division to which general officers are appointed. Of course these points could not be as familiar to you as to us, in consequence of the long delay which intervened before you could reach us iron the Pacific. I therefore lay the more stress upon them, that you may be put fully into possession of our policy in the organization of the army. If it be true that you have accepted brigades, we must, of course, get along as best we can; but for the future I beg you to be careful to accept no organized body higher than a regiment; as many regiment as you please, but separately, by regiments.

3. I have next to beg your special attention to making your adjutant prepare and forward punctually your monthly returns. The negligence on this point that has prevailed elsewhere has seriously embarrassed the Department. Without them we cannot, of course, administer the service; can make no calculations, no combinations; can provide in advance with no approach to certainty, and cannot know how to supply deficiencies. I need not enlarge on this point to general of your experience, but I have suffered so much from inattention to this particular, that I cannot refrain from calling your attention to it.

4. I have your letter asking for the appointment of a brigadier-general to command at Columbus, Ky., in your absence. Your recommendation of Major A. P. Stewart has been considered with the respect due to your suggestions, but there is an officer under your command whom you must have overlooked, whose claims in point of rank and experience greatly outweigh those of Major Stewart, and whom we could not pass by without injustice. I refer to Colonel Lloyd Tilghman, whose record shows longer and better service, and who is, besides, as a Kentuckian, especially appropriate to the command of Columbus. He has therefore been appointed brigadier-general; but of course, you will exercise your discretion whether to place him in command at Columbus or not. Colonel McCown had been appointed brigadier-general some days before the receipt of your letter to General Cooper of the 5th instant.

I much lament that we are still so strained for arms. As soon as we can get any you shall have your full share. I shall order four 32-pounders at once to be sent to you for defense of your works at Bowling Green or such other point as you may desire to fortify heavy guns.

Rely on the active co-operations of this Department to the full extent of its disposable mead.

Your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War.

NASHVILLE, October 16, 1861.

General A. SIDNEY JOHNSTON, Bowling Gree:

Governor Harris has sent, or rather ordered, to-day one company of artillery to Fort Donelson. Cannot one regiment be ordered there from