HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Little Rock, Ark., October 13, 1862.

Major General T. C. HINDMAN,

Commanding First Army Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department:

GENERAL: Major-General Holmes, commanding Trans-Mississippi Department, directs me to send you the following extract of a letter from the honorable Secretary of War for your information and guidance:

You will use your own discretion in organizing the forces that may join you from Missouri. Permits to raise regiments in that State are always given subject, to your approval. Before your arrival such permits were subject to General Price's approval, and he has been directed to communicate with you on the subject. All new regiments raised in Missouri must conform to the organization of the Provisional Army. If the companies come in independently field officers will be appointed by the President, but if organized regiments tender their services all the officers are elected.

I am, general, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

S. S. ANDERSON,

Lieutenant-Colonel, C. S. A., and Assistant Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Richmond, Va., October 15, 1862.

General T. H. HOLMES, Little Rock, Ark.:

Send seven Texas regiments from your department to the army in Virginia. They may be unarmed, and need not be sent until your immediate operations are concluded.

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

LITTLE ROCK, ARK., October 18, 1862.

General T. C. HINDMAN,

Commanding First Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army:

GENERAL: Your two letters are received,* and I shall look with anxious solicitude for one from you after your arrival at Fayetteville. It is exceedingly strange that General Rains should have taken so important and disastrous a step as to fall back to Fayetteville without reporting it. Please direct Major Pearce to explain why be failed to turn over to Major Crump the $1,000,000 he received from Mr. Johnson. I am very much dissatisfied with him. I will cause $500,000 to be forwarded to Crump, though it will weaken me very much. I returned this evening from Austin. The division there is very much crippled by disease, though I think it will be ready to march as soon as we can get guns, or immediately, if you are hard pressed. I think there is nothing to be apprehended from Helena even though they are withdrawn. Van Dorn and Price have been badly defeated, and report says the former has been superseded by Pemberton, which in my judgment will not mend matters, as Pemberton has many ways of making people hate him and nine to inspire confidence. The army is at Holly Springs. I am too much out of temper to write about the defeat, or I would give you an account of mismanagement and stupidity that would make you grieve for the cause intrusted to such heads.

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* Not found.

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