stores for a command leaving this department, but would do all he could to facilitate the march of the brigade. Whilst the quartermaster was doing all he could with limited means and no credit the Federals invaded Galveston. General Magruder ordered me to concentrate all the armed mean at Harrisburg, a point 6 miles below this city, on the route to Galveston, at the same time instructing me that the preparations to take up the line of march for Monroe in obedience to the orders of Lieutenant-General Holmes must not be discontinued. Similar instructions were given to the commanding officers of the regiments.

We were in a short time ordered to Galveston, but it was the volunteers on the cotton gunboats furnished by me to General Magruder, second by their equally gallant commander from this brigade on land, who contributed so materially to the success of that brilliant expedition.

Some time since I mailed you the order of General Magruder issued to the "officers and men of Sibley's brigade" when he gave us such praise.

I believe he appreciated the valor, courage, and patriotism of the brigade. It has exhibited to the world its ability to conquer both on land and sea and its readiness to take the risked of reaching the foes of our land wherever they may be-on sea or land.

The brigade has been under orders to take up the line of march with all possible haste, but owing to the scarcity of transportation, the bad condition of the mules, and absence until two days since of necessary funds the colonels have not had the power to but their regiments on the march.

Fiver of my companies took up the line of march on the 27th ultimo, and others will follow so soon as the transportation arrives.

The expedition to Galveston has not occasioned delay in the march of the brigade.

You are well advised of the destitute condition of the brigade when it reached El Paso and how much more destitute it became in all the materials necessary for military operations when it reached San Antonio. Nearly two months since I wrote to Lieutenant-General Holmes as to the condition of the brigade. I have advised in letters some time since the Adjutant-General, Quartermaster-General, and yourself of the fact that, although the troops had been in service, nearly eighteen months, the men had never received during all that time bounty, mileage, but little clothing, only $170 each pay, and that the First Regiment (Reily's Fourth Texas Mounted Volunteers), who had turned over their horses by your order at Socorro, in New Mexico, and had to remount themselves at their own expense, had never as yet been paid for their horses.

I must again call your attention to this matter, and request that you adopt such steps as will secure these brave and patriotic men the compensation for their property which they deserve.

After we received the last order to march to New Iberia and report to you, and having heard that Captain Harrison and gone to your headquarters and would not likely come here, and being pledged to see that the money advanced upon my pledge by General Magruder, and finding that the transportation could not be hired, I instructed Captain Loebnitz a few since to turn the funds over to Major Bloomfield, chief quartermaster on the staff of General Magruder. This he did before leaving Galveston, and since our return from there this portion of Texas has been flooded with the most immoderate rains, flooding the whole country and rendering the roads almost impassable and every stream swimming.