Tennessee to the east of Stevenson as the means at your disposal will admit.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. KIRBY SMITH,

Major-General Commanding.

CORINTH, MISS., March 30, 1862.

The PRESIDENT:

I am not informed of any important movement by the enemy since my last communication. General Floyd's supplementary report* was received to-day; Colonel Forrest's not yet presented. They will be transmitted as soon as received. General Bragg is chief of the staff for this army and department. There will be a thorough reorganization of the army as soon as possible. There will be three grand divisions, the whole under my immediate command, with General Beauregard second in command.

A. S. JOHNSTON, General.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT, Corinth, March 30, 1862.

Captain E. J. SANDERS, Memphis, Tenn.:

SIR: Your letter of the 29th instant to General Johnston has been received by him and its contents noted.

You state that you have been informed General Johnston would receive "any number of independent companies," and when they report for duty" he would give them a general order to scour the country, destroying in every possible manner our enemies and their property, protecting Southern men and their property, and that all the spoils consequent on such mode of warfare and everything captured by such guerrilla parties would be the property of such company, to be sold or used for their private interest."

You desire information from him as to the terms on which independent companies will be received and the character of orders under which they will be expected to serve.

I am instructed by General Johnston to say in reply that you have been wholly misinformed. No independent companies will be received into the service, but all forces will be assigned to duty in battalions, regiments, or brigades, as the interest of the country demands.

The organization of the army will be preserved, nor will any conditions-precedent be agreed upon as the terms by which the country is to be served.

There is no branch of the army under any general order of the character indicated in your letter, now will any such order be given. All troops in the service must be subject to the Articles of War, to discipline, and such organization as may be necessary to render ours an efficient army.

The general instructs me further to say that when your company is mustered into service you will report to the adjutant-general at these headquarters.

By order of General A. S. Johnston:

E. W. MUNFORD,
Aide-de-Camp.

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*See Series I, Vol. VII, p. 270.

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