eral Price's headquarters your receipt of this order and your present position.

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

D. H. MAURY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

NEW MADRID, MO., March 3, 1862.

His Excellency C. F. JACKSON, Governor of Missouri:

GOVERNOR: You will find inclosed an act which we have passed this day. I hope it will suit your convenience to meet at Caruthersville, according to this programme (adjourned to some other point), when it may be safe to transact business.

The enemy are in plain sight of these headquarters, and therefore I have no time to write now.

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General.

[Inclosure.]

NEW MADRID, MO., March 3, 1862.

Whereas the forces of Abraham Lincoln are making such demonstrations this day that it is deemed unsafe and inexpedient for the Legislature of Missouri to assemble and transact business in this town agreeably to adjournment at Carrsville November 7, 1861:

Therefore we, officers, privates, and citizens of the First Military District, Missouri State Guard, assuming the responsibility)and pledging ourselves to support with our lives those who conform with this act), do hereby declare the General Assembly of the State of Missouri is adjourned to meet at Caruthersville, Pemiscot County, on Thursday, March 6, 1862.

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General.

To this was added about sixty signatures.

A. G. S., Clerk.

MADRID BEND, March 4, 1862.

General LEONIDAS POLK:

GENERAL: Colonel Richmond can give you all the news and my views. Two companies of cavalry arrived to-day. I can now make no use of them on the Missouri shore. A level plain, with perpendicular banks, offers no shelter for the horses. I am virtually besieged. The enemy is encamped in force [within] 3 miles of New Madrid. My position is critical in the extreme. I fear the gunboats may pass Island 10. In that event New Madrid falls, unless the fleet of Commodore Hollins can defeat them.

Time is what I most want, unless I had force to fight them in the open field. I will do all I can and trust Providence. Colonel Jordan and Colonel Richmond can give you all necessary information. You can judge what is best to do.

Yours, sincerely,

J. P. McCOWN,

Brigadier-General.