III. Major Brigadier J. L. Lewis will cause all the Militia in the Fifth Brigade to be placed in actual service and sent to Camp Martin.

* * * * *

By order of Thomas-O. Moore, Governor and commander-in-chief:

Adjutant and Inspector General Louisiana.

BLADEN, ALA., August 15, 1862.

Mr. Ed. GOTHELL, Richmond, Va.:

DEAR SIR: Your favor of the 2nd instant * has been received. I think you for all the information iot contains with regard to the contemplated operations in Louisiana. My brother-in-law, the Hon. Charles J. Vilere, of the house, will give you my answer, and will show you my letter on the same subject to Mr. John M. Huger, of New Orleans. Of course I should be both proud and happy to drive from my native State the Abolitionist who are now desecrating it soil. It is a task easily accomplished away from their gunboats. Near these it cannot be done with our present means. We can retake New Orleans, but we cannot hold without subjecting it to destruction, for it occupies a different position from glorious Vicksburg, and its destruction would be attended with a degree of human misery frightful to contemplate, without a proper return of evil to the enemy. The Russians destroyed Moscow because they knew that its destruction would annihilate Napoleon's army and free their country forever from his iron grasp, but the destruction of New Orleans would not even give us the command of a single foot of ground along the Mississippi, much less of the river itself; hence why make this sacrifice? But we must hold the State, I. E., all not immediately under the protection of his gunboat. The great error was no have allowed him to take the river. New we must suffer patiently the great evils resulting from our negligence. Meanwhile, instead of bewailing our misfortune, we must gird on our armor and strike our dastardly enemy with rendered vigor and energy wherever he is vulnerable. God will surely lend us his protecting and avenging arm.

I have requested Mr. Vilere to endeavor to effect the exchange of Mr. Soule. If I return to the command of my department I will endeavor to take, by means of Forrest and Morgan, a civilian for his exchange.

Yours, very truly,

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

PONCHATOULA, LA.,

Friday, August 15, 1862-9 p. m.

Major General J. C. BRECKINRIDGE, C. S. A.,

Near Baton Rouge, La.:

General: I have just returned from Jackson (and a consultation with General Van Dorn) and find your favor of the 13th instant. I believe that I now understand the programma, and will endeavor to carry out my part of it. I would be pleased to have the French Zouave company

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* Not found.

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