Captain Eldridge's batteries are assigned to General Davis' command. General Davis will prosecute to completion the work still unfinished.

II. Captain Graves is appointed chief of the artillery under the command of General Davis. He is charged with the control of all ordnance and ordnance stores in the several works in and about this post. He will organize and instruct artillerists from General Davis' command for the efficient service of the artillery in the fortifications. He will hold his own battery in reserve, to be placed as occasion may require. He will take immediate measures to place ammunition and all necessary artillery stores in the above fortifications.

By order of Major-General Hardee:

D. G. WHITE,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Richmond, December 20, 1861.

NATHAN ROSS, Esq., Springfield, Tenn.:

SIR: Your letter of the 13th is received. The Government would gladly supply the needed arms if possible, but it is not in our power to do so at present; but the Government will pay for all arms furnished by troops, upon inspection and valuation by a Government officer, when the troops are mustered into service. The Department hopes that your efforts in enlisting troops in Kentucky may not necessarily be impeded by this difficulty, and will lend every encouragement in its power to promote your success.

Respectfully,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

KNOXVILLE, December 20, 1861.

S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector-General:

SIR: Various applications are made to me for information as to the acceptance of troops (infantry) from East Tennessee. I wish to inquire how many regiments of infantry the Government will receive.

There are here and near here seven independent companies of cavalry which have been mustered into service-Captains White's, McLin's, Gormus', Brown's, McLary's, McKenzie's, and Brock's. These are now and have been doing service in East Tennessee. Would it not be well to organize these into a battalion, and am I to consider them as belonging to my command.

On yesterday I inspected the arms of White's regiment, of Carroll's brigade, which I had ordered to join Zollicoffer, and found its arms in such condition that I could not let it go. The men had some old flintlock muskets, some squirrel rifles with saber-bayonets and some without, and some shot-guns, almost all out of fix and wholly unfit for service. I telegraphed you to this effect. This regiment of the brigade I had ordered to move first. Colonel Powell's regiment, of Zollicoffer's brigade, goes forward to-morrow. General Zollicoffer has not been heard from for the past three days.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

G. B. CRITTENDEN,

Major-General, Commanding.