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

my department. I had no means of ascertaining the relative proportion of troops furnished before by each State, nor was I aware that instructions had been given Major-General Polk to refrain from making further calls upon Mississippi. I was desirous that the furnishing of the quotas should operate as little onerously as possible upon the several States of this department. The States, as far as I knew, had previously furnished troops promptly to meet the exigencies of the Government, and I did not know that there had been any considerable disparity in proportion to population. I have asked for no other troops that those from State in this department. I have excepted that services of two regiments by special authority of the War Department, and a few detached companies without any special sanction, from, I believe, Alabama. Terry's regiment has joined. The other, De Veuve's, {?} has not. I presume it could not be spared. I have in no instance accepted a brigade organized as such, and when they have been so offered, have replied that such acceptance would exceed my power. (Herewith I send an extract of an answer to Governor Pettus on this subject.) Two Mississippi regiments were ordered from Corinth to report to General Buckner. General Alcorn accompanied them, and as they had not mustered into the service and the condition of the regiments required some one of better ability to command than either of the colonels possessed, General Alcorn was temporarily kept in command of them by General Buckener, with the understanding that General Alcorn should be relieved so soon as the regiments were mustered. General Alcorn having now reported that they have been mustered, and requested to be relieved immediately, General Tilghman, whom I intend to assign to the command of Fort Columbus as soon as the fort there is finisher, will be ordered to relieve him.

My attention was at once on my arrival directed to the indispensable necessity of having correct returns. I hope soon to be able to cause accurate ones to be made and regularly forwarded to the Department.

We have received but little accession to our ranks since the Confederate forces crossed the line; in fact, no such enthusiastic demonstration as to justify any movements not warranted by or ability to maintain our own communications. It is true that I am writing from a Union country, and it is said to be different in other counties. They appear to me passive, if not apathetic. There are thousands of ardent friends to the South in the State, but there is apparently among them no concerns of action. I shall, however, still hope that the love and spirit of liberty is not yet extinct in Kentucky.

The action of the legislature of Kentucky places this State in the attitude of war against the Confederate States, and the political relations existing at the time of arrival of this army corps in the State are thus entirely charged, and there is no longer any obligation to regard the natural position this State professed the desire to preserve. The revenues may therefore rightfully be appropriated to the use to the Confederate States in any portion of the States occupied by the Confederate forces.

The legislature has levied an onerous tax for the expulsion of the Confederate forces, but as the people do not concur heartily in the object for which it was levied, I think it would be bad policy to demand the payment of it to the Confederate States. If we do, we would make ourselves the instruments of an act of operations in enforcing the execution of an unjust law. By forbidding the payment when the time comes (the law, I understand, does not go into effect before January 1, 1862),