Don Pedro Jose Perea, and his three sons, upon whom a demand had been made for a large sum of money, which they had not in their houses, having advanced all their available means to be disbursing officers of the Government but a short time before. The threat of personal violence in case of refusal so alarmed them, that they left their houses and entire contents at the mercy of the enemy.

It is said that the Texans are prepairing for a precipitate retreat from the Territory by way of Fort Stanton and the Pecos River, which I think is not without probability, from the fact of their sudden and mercenary demand for money, and from the fact that they know there is a force superior to their own in the field, to which they must finally succumb. Their position at this time is directly on the road to Stanton, and it is thought was taken with the view indicated.

I hope in my next to give you the news of a more favorable condition of things in this Territory. We have the means now on hand to destroy the Texan forces now among us, except they receive large re-enforcements, of which there exists no probability. I hope in ten or fifteen days more to advise you of their expulsion from the Territory.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

HENRY CONNELLY,

Governor New Mexico.

HEADQUARTERS EASTERN DISTRICT, Fort Union, N. Mex., March 24, 1862.

The ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY,
Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to state that on the 9th instant I sent a dispatch to Colonel Canby, proposing a plan to form a junction with him (copy of dispatch marked A). In a dispatch from Colonel Canby, of the 14th, instant he approved of the proposed plan, and on the receipt of his note I completed the organization of a column, which I turned over to Colonel John P. Slough, First Colorado Volunteers. On the 21st I received another dispatch from Colonel Canby (marked B), in which he concludes by saying: "Do not move from Fort Union to meet me until I advise you of the route and point of junction." Notwithstanding this order Colonel Slough determined to leave two days sooner than the original plan contemplated. I then addressed him a note (marked C), to which he replied, through his acting assistant adjutant-general (marked D). Believing that the best interests of the Government demanded it I wrote camp, urging upon him to leave me a part of the troops for the defense of this post (letter marked E). To this letter he paid no attention whatever and left with his column. I am thus left with a feeble garrison and no suitable artillery for the defense of the principal and most important post in the Territory.

My object in this communication is to throw the responsibility of any disaster which may occur on the right shoulders. The position of affairs in the Territory is, with the exception of the occupation of Santa Fe by a small force of the enemy, the same as stated in my last communication. Colonel Canby is still (March 16) at Fort Craig, with 1,600 men; Colonel Slough is now at Bernal Springs, with nearly 1,400 men and eight pieces of artillery. The enemy's main force is now at and near Albuquerque, say 1,900 men and fifteen pieces of artillery; about 120 men and two pieces of artillery are at Santa Fe, and numerous pickets will swell their number to 2,500 men.