HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF TEXAS, &C.,
Houston, October 14, 1863.

Brigadier General H. P. BEE,

Commanding Western Sub-District, Brownsville, Tex.:

GENERAL: I am instructed by the major-general commanding to express to you his deep disappointment that the arms which had been procured with such difficulty and expense, and had escaped the vigilance of the enemy and had arrived within your reach, and upon which the safety of our State if not the result of our cause depends, should not have been secured.

The State of Texas is now being invaded by a powerful army, and 7,000 of her troops are without arms to defend her, whilst the rest are poorly armed.

This disappointment cannot be increased excepting by a delay in sending forward to Houston, the 4,00 arms already received, with their appropriate ammunition, if any.

Major-General Magruder further directs that you retain not a single one of these arms on the Rio Grande, but send them all to Houston, where they are vitally necessary.

He also directs that you hasten forward the companies of Duff's regiment, as previously ordered, i. e., six companies, leaving one at Brownsville or vicinity or vicinity, of the mouth of the river, the two Benadives on the river above, and [J. B.] Weyman's company at San Antonio. [J. T.] Brackinridge's company will join its regiment on the march to Houston. You will have all the percussion caps that can be procured at Brownsville send forward to Lieutenant-General Smith, via Houston, and also such ordnance stores as were ordered by Lieutenant Sampson, under special instructions from Major Rhett, ordnance officer of Lieutenant-General Smith. Lieutenant Sampson went to Brownsville some time in August. It is presumed the arms above mentioned have left Brownsville long before this with a proper escort. If that be the case, you will send forward s special agent to push them along, and to lighten the loads by dividing them among additional wagons, to be procured by impressment, if necessary. After the lapse of five days, you will send another agent to see that the former one has done his duty.

The slowness with which teams loaded with Government stores come from the Rio Grande is disgraceful.

You will do all you can to stimulate them to great exertion. In this case of arms, no effort must be spared to get them to Houston in the shortest time possible.

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

EDMUND P. TURNER,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF TEXAS, &C.,
Houston, Tex., October 14, 1863.

Major GEORGE A. MAGRUDER, Jr.:

SIR: I am directed by the major-general commanding to order Brigadier-General Bee to send forward to Houston immediately all the arms and ammunition which came from the Love Bird, and in the most rapid. manner, sending forward an officer and an escort with them rapidly to this place. Inform General Bee that this place is being invaded by the enemy 25,000 strong, by Sabine Town and Burr's Ferry, and that the responsibility of the failure to get the arms ashore, and particularly