sons, and brothers, and scoff with shame him who would prove recreant in his duty to you, his country, and his God.

BRAXTON BRAGG,

General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT No. 2,
Glasgow, Ky., September 14, 1862.

To the Home Guards of Kentucky:

The officers and members of the Home Guards are hereby required to report and deliver up to the nearest commanding officer of this army all arms in their hands. Those complying with this order will be regarded as non-combatants; all failing to do so will be considered as enemies and treated accordingly. Captains of companies will be held responsible for the execution of this order, and will report to these headquarters all who refuse to comply therewith.

BRAXTON BRAGG,

General, Commanding.

KNOXVILLE, TENN., September 14, 1862.

(Received September 15, 1862.)

Honorable GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

Aside from the forces of General [C. L.] Stevenson in front of Cumberland Gap and the bridge and depot guards, I have Smith's Legion of Partisans, under orders from General Bragg, 1,800 convalescents, organized and ready to march to escort money to General E. Kirby Smith, and about 1,000 men besides. If I was allowed to use this force and could get two or three regiments from General Jones, commanding General Bragg's base of operations at Chattanooga, I could reinvest Cumberland Gap on the north side; I believe it would fall in less than ten days. If I obey requisitions of Generals Bragg and Smith all I can do will be to protect the railroad bridges and invest this side of the Gap. If the Gap is not soon invested on the north side Morgan will supply it with provisions. The possession of the Gap is necessary to the peace of East Tennessee. What shall I do? Please answer at once.

J. P. McCOWN,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Knoxville, Tenn., September 14, 1862.

Brigadier General C. L. STEVENSON,

Commanding First Division, Army of East Tennessee:

GENERAL: Yours of to-day has been received.* The major-general commanding approves of the course you took in regard to the exchange of the prisoners, and further directs that you retaliate to the fullest extent should General Morgan inflict punishment on a single one of them. You will see from the accompanying muster-roll of Jesse's company that the organization was lawful, though not full; they had authority to

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* Not found.

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