the place to give a strict account of themselves, and will detain all suspicious characters,so as to keep the place free from marauders and spies. If an opportunity offers, and his force be sufficient,he will penetrate the dens of thieves,jayhawkers, and runaway negro harborer, said to be in that neighborhood, and shot them down unless they surrender at discretion.

Upon being informed by Major-General Taylor of his intention to fall back on Niblett's Bluff - an actual falling back - he will immediately communicate the same by special messenger to yourself at Houston, or your chief quartermaster, telegraphic from Beaumont, if the line is working.

Upon receiving this intelligence, you will direct all the steamers (transports) on the waters of the Sabine to proceed forthwith to Niblett's Bluff, to transport to Orance Major-General Taylor's command, and the supplied from that place, and in the meantime orders will be given them Major Bloomfield to hold themselves in readiness to proceed at a moment's warning to Niblett's Bluff, as soon as called upon by the commanding officer at post.

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

EDMUND P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

P. S.-The general directs that your order the commanding, officer at Niblett's Bluff, besides sending the intelligence that the boats are needed by him to you and your chief quartermaster, to send it also to the agents of your chief quartermaster stationed at Orange and Beaumont,and who, on receiving this information,will at once cause the boats to report to him.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF TEXAS, &C., Near Millican, July 30, 1863.

His Excellency F. R. LURBOCK,
Governor of Texas:

SIR: Nothing but an earnest desire for the defense of the State would prompt me to make a suggestion to Your Excellency in reference to the call for 10,000 men; but regarding General Orders, No. 32, from adjutant and inspector-general of the State,as calculated to impair almost entirely the efficiency of the draft, I respectfully present to Your Excellency the importance of a reconsideration of the same.

From all the information I can gather,such has been the extent of exemptions on account of physical disability,that not one-half of the men called for will be drafted. I learn from the quartermaster at Chapel Hill, out of 70 persons enrolled, all obtained certificates of exemption on this account but 20. I had hoped that the certain and pressing necessity for the defense of the State would have been met by a prompt compliance with your call. If now there is to be added to this number all those whose services may be deemed necessary at home by the county courts, but few outside of the large cities and towns will be held to service. The means brought to bear upon the county courts to induce their indorsing applications for furlough will be such that most of the cases will meet with approval. I cannot but express the opinion that the best mode of protecting the families of the absent soldiers is for the men able to perform service to rally to the call of danger, and aid in repelling the foe who would desolate his hearthstone and despoil him of his property. If men are to be detailed from the army to provide