no further calls will be made until we are placed in a defensible condition.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

M. LOVELL,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT ALABAMA AND WEST FLORIDA,
Pensacola, Fla., March 9, 1862.

Colonel THOMAS M. JONES:

SIR: You will receive with this an order assigning you to the command of the troops remaining here. You are aware that by instructions from Major-General Bragg preparations have been made to evacuate this post.

I have ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Conoley, commanding Fourth Battalion Alabama Volunteers in Pensacola, on receiving an order from the commanding officer here, or if attacked by an overpowering force, or on discovering buildings of the navy-yard to be on fire, immediately to burn and destroy all public buildings, including the railroad depot, all machinery and machine-shop, cotton, lumber, the wharves, and all boast of every description in Pensacola, then retire to Pollard, destroying as far as possible the railroad, and moving the iron to the interior. An engine and sufficient number of platform cars will be placed at his command for this service.

I have ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Beard, commanding battalion Florida regiment at Deer Point, if attacked in force, or if he should discover two or more buildings in the navy-yard to be on fire, immediately to fire his huts, take his men on the steamer Tom Murray, which is placed at his disposal and ordered to remain at Deer Point constantly subject to his orders, proceed to Crigler, Bagdad, and Milton, burn the Tom Murray and all boats of every description, every foot of lumber and the saw-mills, breaking and destroying the machinery, then to march across the country to Brewton, 7 miles above Pollard, on the railroad, and there await further orders. Preparations have been made for burning all the buildings of any value from Fort McRee to Pensacola, and for disabling all the guns and their carriages. You will keep constantly on the alert, and, if attacked in such force as to render it impossible in your judgment to defend the place, you will immediately cause the guns remaining in the batteries to be disabled and all the buildings fired; then retire with all your troops, and proceed as rapidly as possible to Mobile. Florida Railroad and rolling stock are at your command. In the mean time you will continue with all possible dispatch to dismount the remaining shell and rifled guns, and send them, with the carriages, ammunition, and implements, to Pensacola, for transportation to Mobile, and all other guns and supplies to Montgomery.

You are aware that I still have some hope of being able to hold this place. The governor of Alabama has promised to send here by the middle or end of this week about 1,500 men. Five hundred are expected to arrive to-night. As they arrive they will report to you. By distributing them judiciously at the different batteries you may prevent the enemy from discovering that other troops have been withdrawn.

The Eighth Regiment of Mississippi Volunteers has been ordered to proceed on Tuesday next, the 11th instant, to Corinth, Miss. As soon thereafter as transportation can be provided you will send first the Mississippi Battalion, then the Florida Battalion, then the Fourth Alabama