RICHMOND, VA., March 1, 1862.

Major MONSARRAT, Knoxville:

You are authorized to send Brownlow out of Tennessee by the Cumberland Mountains or any safe road.

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

JACKSON, TENN., March 2, 1862.

General G. T. BEAUREGARD:

GENERAL: In obedience to your order of the 21st ultimo to proceed at once to Montgomery, Ala., and deliver to Gov. J. G. Shorter a letter, with instructions, which you handed me, I started early the following morning, but owing to the disorganized condition of the different condition, and did not arrive in Montgomery until the afternoon of the 25th ultimo. I immediately called upon the Governor and delivered your letter to him. He made an appointment for me to meet him, with his Adjutant-General, at 8 p. m. He then informed me that he highly approved of your plan and would give you every assistance his power, but he feared that, owing to the want of arms and the recent call for twelve new regiments made by the General Government, he could not issue another proclamation until those regiments were raised.

I endeavored to persuade him to select one general officer and a certain number of colonels, and inform them, if they would collect together a force of armed men, that they should be ordered to join you immediately. In reply he said his hands at present were tied, and although he did not doubt that upon such terms a large number of men could be raised, still he was first bound to fill the requisition of the President, but that he would write and telegraph to Richmond to obtain permission from the Secretary of War to send you the first five regiments and one battalion in North Alabama, guarding bridges, &c. These troops he thought would be of more service with you, and he would intercede with General Bragg to have them ordered ot report to you immediately. He at once telegraphed (copy attached) to General Bragg. Owing to the heavy rains the wires were down and he could get no reply.

The following morning I called by appointment and requested him to give me the attached memorandum as his reply for your perusal. As he was making every effort to arm and have the new levies sent to you, I left your letter in his hands. He also gave me a letter ot General Bragg (a copy which is attached).

At 3 p. m. I left Montgomery by steamer and arrived at Mobile on the 28th ultimo. The railroad being washed away in many places, I could not come by the most expeditions route.

I immediately called upon General Bragg and handed him a copy of your letter to Governor Shorter, with the one from the Governor to him. To my surprise and joy I fund the general intended leaving the following day to join you, and that he would have ten regiments, besides those in North Alabama, which were en route and would follow him. I returned with him to this place, arriving here this morning.

In making this report I would respectfully state that, unless some military control is exercised in the management of the different rail-

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