SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 132.
Austin, Tex., September 30, 1862.

Such State troops as may have been or may be called into active service by Brigadier General W. Hudson, Texas State Troops, in the Twenty-first Brigade, for the protection of the northwestern frontier, will be reported immediately to the general commanding this military department, and such troops from the date of their entry into such service will be subject to the orders of the department commander until further orders.

By order of Gov. F. R. Lubbock:

J. Y. DASHIELL,
Adjutant and Inspector General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DIST. TEX., NEW MEX., AND ARIZ., No. 264.*
Sabine Pass, September 30, 1863.

II. Information having reached the major-general commanding that it was the intention of a small portion of this garrison to leave their colors and go to their homes because they had heard of the invasion of the northern frontier of the State by the Federals and Indians, the major-general commanding announces that no such invasion has taken place, but, on the contrary, that he has received information, much more rapid and direct than could possibly have been obtained by any one else, to the effect that the enemy has been driven back toward Frots Smith and Gibson, and that there is no cause of uneasiness whatever at this moment.

He takes this occasion, however, to say to the good men of this command that they must not be misled by the base cowards, who use these means but as a pretext to induce brave men to cover their cowardice on the plea of relieving their families at home.

When a country is invaded if every man left his regiment to go home to protect his familiar the Army would soon be dissolved and the country and every family in it would become an easy prey to a foe who openly declares that you shall not inhabit the land on which you dwell except as slaves. That such a base and despicable deign should have been entertained at all, and especially on the spot made sacred and historic by the most brilliant achievement of the war, is almost past belief, and that any considerable portion of his troops would hesitate to inflict the most dire and summary punishment on the dastards and traitors that would attempt to carry out such a deign the major-general commanding scorns to believe. Those who dare, on this or any other pretext whatever, to leave their colors shall be shot without mercy, and the commanding general will not insult the patriotism and loyalty, the intelligence and the bravery, of his men by entertaining a doubt of their readiness to obey his orders for the execution of such miscreants.

It is also represented that some craven-hearted officers have spoken disparagingly of the war, and that a few cowardly traitors in the ranks have said the only way to end it is for the soldiers to go home. None but those who feel that they are the basset of cowards and fear that it will be known to their comrades in the day of battler ever feel or express such sentiments.

The commanding general calls upon officers and men of this army ---

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*Misplaced.

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