shall not countermand the order, for I agree with the general that the place is not tenable. Tampa I think we may hold, and I shall countermand the order for its evacuation, since the general leaves it discretionary with me to do so.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. H. TRAPIER,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Tallahassee, March 19, 1862.

Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War:

SIR: The inclosed copy of [letter of] General Richard F. Floyd is respectfully submitted to your consideration.

I am informed that General Trapier desires to be relieved from service in this military department, and respectfully recommend General Floyd to be appointed brigadier-general and assigned to duty here.

Nearly all our guns have been lost at Fernandina and on the Saint John's River, and an immediate and rigid inquiry into the causes is alike due to the public interests and the character of officers.

The prejudices excited against General Trapier, whether just or unjust, prevent his being an efficient officer in this department. I regret it very much, and entertain for him the kindest regard, but an immediate change, in my opinion, is necessary to the defenses of the State. If agreeable to you, submit this letter to the consideration of his excellency President Davis, and moreover whether it will be agreeable to him and the War Department for me, as the governor and commander-in-chief of the State, to command the Confederate forces a few weeks for the defense of the State.

I have the honor to be, respectfully,

JOHN MILTON.

[Inclosure.]

BRIGADIER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Tallahassee, Fla., March 17, 1862.

His Excellency Governor MILTON,

Tallahassee, Fla.:

SIR: I have the honor to report to you that as the State troops were to go out of service on the 10th instant, and as others were not forth-coming to replace them at Apalachicola, I deemed it proper to remove the guns, ordnance stores, and other public property from that post to one of greater security. I therefore commenced to take the cannon from the batteries on the 10th. The State troops were held for this purpose by their own voluntary action. After many days and nights of constant labor I got the cannon, with all their appliances, ammunition for small-arms also, on board steamers, and removed them to Ricco's Bluff, on the east side of the Apalachicola River. At this point the cannon [thirteen in number, being all I had at Apalachicola] were being placed in position for immediate use, if necessary, and orders have been issued to Lieutenant-Colonel James, in command there for the present, to erect batteries with all dispatch. The brass field pieces of the Milton Artillery, together with all things pertaining to them, I brought to Chattahoochie Arsenal, at which place they are now, in charge of Second Lieutenant Bull, of the Milton Artillery.