is completed and the muster rolls returned to this office within sixty days from the date of this order.

By command of the Secretary of War:

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS,
Houston, April 19, 1862.

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: On the 14th of March last I received an order, dated February 23, from the Secretary of War, directing me to send all the forces under my command, except such as were necessary to man the coast batteries, to report to General Van Dorn at Little Rock, Ark.

I have since acted in accordance with these instructions, and have moved troops as rapidly as the necessary transportation could be obtained.

Recent events in the Mississippi Valley and telegraphic statements as to the movements of General Van Dorn have left me in doubt as to the position of his command. I shall in consequence, until further orders, forward the troops to their destination according to the orders referred to, but by such a route as to place them on the march within striking distance of the Mississippi-that is, direct to Alexandria, La.-thence on by water transportation.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

P. O. HEBERT,

Brigadier-General, Provisional Army.

HDQRS. SEVENTH REGIMENT TEXAS MOUNTED MEN,
Camp above Dona Ana, April 20, 1862.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose to you the within letter from Captain Hunter, C. S. Army, now at Tucson, N. Mex.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. STEELE,

Colonel Seventh Texas Mounted Men.

[Inclosure.]

TUCSON, ARIZ., April 5, 1862.

Colonel JOHN R. BAYLOR:

SIR: After a march made as speedily as practicable from the Rio Grande, attended by some violently-stormy weather, but without any accident or misfortune save the loss of one of my men (Benjamin Mays), who died at the San Simon, I have the honor of reporting to you may arrival at this place on February 28. My timely arrival with my command was hailed by a majority, I may say the entire population, of the town of Tucson. I found rumors here to the effect that the town was about being attacked by a large body of Indians; that military stores of the Federal Army to a large amount had been landed at Guaymas,