of militia. I would respectfully call your attention to the following statistics:

Number of inhabitants in our town, about................ 400

Number of families on the peninsula, about.............. 24

Number of families in the rest of the county............

Number of negroes in the county, over................... 2,000

Number of bales of cotton here, about................... 700

Number of bales shipped since January 1, 1862........... 3,850

Number of bushels of salt now here...................... 1,000

Number of bushels received since January 1, 1862........ 16,000

Number of sheep on the peninsula........................ 10,000

Number of goats on the peninsula........................ 100

Number of cattle on the peninsula....................... 1,500

The peninsula is about 65 miles long. The lower Matagorda Bay is from 15 to 30 miles wide, affording access to vessels drawing from 8 to 12 feet of water. Below the city of Matagorda the Dog Island Reef affords a natural obstruction, over which not more than 4 feet can at any time be obtained. The peninsula is about a mile in width, and as the bay runs up to the mouth of the Caney, which is emptied into the bay by an artificial canal, a force might be landed at the mouth of Caney, take possession of the bay and peninsula, and have free access to the whole of the Caney region. I regard it necessary to place these facts before you for your consideration, and to ask instructions and orders how to proceed in this matter. There is among some of our citizens a great and growing aversion to leaving their homes and residences, and if evacuation of any one point is necessary I think it ought to be general, complete, and thorough and not by any means partial, as those who are left behind will often, almost imperceptibly to themselves, give information and comfort to the enemy. Let me urge on you that I cannot at present regard such harsh means as necessary. It may be so on the lower part of the peninsula, but certainly not here. The inhabitants of the peninsula are left without a military force, guard, or protection. The inhabitants are too few and far between to guard themselves, and require some force of that kind, as 8,000 to 10,000 head of sheep and 1,200 or 1,500 head of cattle and 100 goats would subsist a military force for some time.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. H. CHINN,

Provost-Marshal, Matagorda City, Tex.

[Sub-inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS CAMP OF OBSERVATION,
Indianola, Tex., July 10, 1862.

R. H. CHINN,

Provost-Marshal, Matagorda County, Tex.:

SIR: I am just in receipt of an express from Lamar, stating that a large schooner, heavily armed, is now lying in Aransas Bay. She has captured one vessel loaded with cotton and 300 bales at Lamar, and [will] doubtless attempt to capture others. This schooner is accompanied by a large bark, supposed to be the Arthur, commanded by Captain Kittredge (a bold and daring fellow), who will probably follow up his success by making forages in this bay. You will therefore prevent any vessel from leaving Matagorda for the lower bay until further orders from these headquarters. Take such steps as you may deem necessary to prevent cotton or any species of property that may be useful to the enemy from falling into their hands. I would advise that