and adjutant-general, and forwarded by you to me. In reply thereto, I have to state that on the morning of the 2nd of May, 1863, near Anderson, Grimes County, Texas, on our march to Louisiana, I was informed by Lieutenant Walker, first lieutenant Company C, Third Regiment Arizona Brigade, that a meeting had been held in the regiment the night previous, and that some of the company officers had determined to have an election for field officers to command the regiment out of the State of Texas. At camp the following evening I pointed out to two of the aforesaid officers (whom I knew to be the instigators of the affair) the seventh and eighth Articles of War, and warned them that upon a similar occurrence I should have them arrested and charged with mutiny. This seemed to have quieted the whole disturbance until we neared the Sabine River, the line between Texas and Louisiana. At camp on the evening of the 9th of May, 1863, I was apprised by several of the company officers under my command that the aforesaid disaffected officers had notified them that there would be another meeting in the regiment that night, and invited them to attend and participate therein, and asked me what course to pursue. I ordered them (the men giving me the information) to attend said meeting and report to they (the disaffected officers) still expressed dissatisfaction at being ordered out of Texas, and with the field officers commanding the regiment, not wishing to be commanded by any but Texas. In said meeting Lieutenant A. W. Noble, commanding Company A in the regiment, went so far as to say his company should not cross the Sabine River until the thing was settled. Captain George W. Durant, of Company B of the regiment (in my opinion the prime mover and originator of all the aforesaid disaffection), waited upon me that night, and wished to go with me to see Lieutenant-General Smith, to whom, I was going to report, representing himself as being sent by a committee sending him consisted of himself and the aforesaid Lieutenant A. W. Noble. I gave said Captain George W. Durant permission to go, but, meeting with Lieutenant-General Smith's inspector-general (Colonel [Ben.] Allston), I submitted the matter to his consideration. Colonel Allston reproved Captain George W. Durant for his conduct, and told him he was guilty of mutiny. I then had a private interview with Colonel Allston, and sought his advice in the premises. He advised not to arrest Captain Durant and Lieutenant Noble unless I found it impossible to avoid the arrest, but when I got to Natchitoches, where there were armed troops, I could then, if I chose, arrest them . On Captain Durant's return to his company, he seemed to regret his course, acknowledged himself in the wrong, and promised it should never occur again. I have had no conversation with Lieutenant Noble upon the subject, but have kept vigilant watch upon all his movements, and have no reason to find fault with his conduct since.

In justice to other officers under my command, I will state that although to some extent participating in the first meeting mentioned, I think they had no evil intention, and, on being referred to the seventh and eighth Articles of War, disavowed any intent of violating the same, and subsequently kept me informed kept me informed of what was going on. There was at one time considerable dissatisfaction among the privates, principally in Companies A and B, commanded by Lieutenant Noble and Captain Durant, but such dissatisfaction I deem the fault of their officers and not of themselves. The men (rank and file) have obeyed every order given them, and, in my opinion, are an orderly, quiet set of soldiers.