Today in History:

460 Series I Volume XV- Serial 21 - Baton Rouge-Natchez

Page 460 W. VA., S. ALA., S. MISS., LA., TEX. N. MEX. Chapter XXVII.

and that the mighty effort of this Abolition war is for that purpose is amply provide by at thousand evidences unnecessary to refer to hind this order, and which are rapidly culminating in the various schemes of the Federal Congress in reference to the destruction of the slave-holding interest in all the border States.

Your major-general calls in this hour of danger for one heroic effort, and the feels consciously pound that he will not call in vain. Let not a solitary bale of cotton be left as spoil for the invader and all will be well.

By order of Major-General Lovell:

J. G. PICKETT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT NO. 1, C. S. A., Camp Moore, La., May 3, 1862.

Col. WILLIAM WREN:

SIR: In pursuance of the act of Congress and in obedience to instructions from the Secretary of War you are hereby authorized and directed to take such measures immediately as will insure the destruction of all the navigable rivers in this department and upon all railroads accessible to the public enemy. You will proceed upon this duty forthwith, destroying such cotton first as in your opinion may be in imminent danger of capture, and afterward giving your attention to that more remotely removed from the scene of their operations. The major-general commanding, while he has full confidence in your sound discretion and judgment and feels assureds that you will do not nothing unnecessarily affecting the material interest of any one, cannot too strongly enforce upon you the extreme importance and pressing necessity of putting it entirely out of the power of the enemy to obtain one single bale of the staple within the district in which you are ordered to operate. You will keep a careful account of the number of bales destroyed by your orders and give proper receipts and vouchers tot he owners, so that a full reparation may be made by the Confederate Government.

You will employ such assistance as you may require to carry out these instructions and all expenses will be paid by the Government.

By order of Major-General Lovell:

J. G. PICKETT,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Inclosure No. 2.]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, New Orleans, May 27, 1862.

Major GEORGE C. STRONG,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Gulf:

MAJOR: I have heard from pretty good authority that the steamer Calhoun, now on duty in Lake Pontchartrain, has been ordered to Pensacola, and this has compelled me to make the following statement of what I consider necessary for a thorough possession and defense of this place.

The land forces must thoroughly occupy the city and hold securely the lines above Carrollton. I consider the present force and its disposition sufficient for that purpose under present circumstances.

The naval forces must kept perfect control of the river and Lake Pontchartrain. The present disposition of the naval vessels is adequate to


Page 460 W. VA., S. ALA., S. MISS., LA., TEX. N. MEX. Chapter XXVII.