[CHAP. XVII.

garrison therefrom when no longer tenable in the opinion of the commanding officer. Island Numbers 10 and Fort Pillow will likewise be defended to the last extremity, aided also by Hollins' gunboats, which will then retire to the vicinity of Memphis, where another bold stand will be made.

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General, C. S. Army.

W. J. HARDEE, Major-General.

[FEBRUARY 8, 1862.-For Benjamin to Bragg and Lovell in reference to re-enforcements for General A. S. Johnston, see Series I, Vol. VI, pp. 823, 824.]

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Richmond, February 8, 1862.

General A. SIDNEY JOHNSTON,

Bowling Green:

SIR: The condition of your department in consequence of the largely superior forces of the enemy has filled us with solicitude, and we have used every possible exertion to organize some means for your relief.

With this view the following orders have been issued to-day and the following measures adopted:

1st. We have ordered to Knoxville three Tennessee regiments-Vaughn's, Maney's, and Bate's-the First Georgia Regiment and four regiments from General Bragg's command to be forward by him. This will give you in East Tennessee the following, viz: As above, eight regiments. Add Gillespie's Tennessee, one regiment; Vaughn's North Carolina, one regiment;* one regiment cavalry; Stovall's battalion and another from North Carolina, together one regiment-total, twelve regiments, besides Churchwell's command at Cumberland Gap, the other forces stationed at different passes by General Zollicoffer, and a number of independent companies.

The whole force in East Tennessee will thus amount, as we think, to at least fifteen regiments, and the President desires that you assign the command to General Buckner.

2nd. The formation of this new army for Eastern Tennessee will leave General Crittenden's army (augmented by Chalmers' regiment and two or three batteries of field pieces already sent to him) free to act with your center.

Colonel Chalmers will be nominated to-morrow brigadier-general. You might assign a brigade to him at once.

The President thinks it best to break up the army of General Critenden, demoralized by its defeat, and that you should distributed the forces composing it among other troops. You can form a new command for General Crittenden, connected witty your own corps, in such manner as you may deem best.

General Crittenden has demanded a court of inquiry, and it has been ordered; but from all the accounts which now reach us we have no reason to doubt his skill or conduct in his recent movements, and feel

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*The records show no Vaughn's North Carolina regiment. Probably R. B. Vance's Twenty-ninth North Carolina.

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