stands, therefore, as before and under the same authority. I hope this will lead to no conflict between the State and Confederate authorities. Allow me to suggest to you, as a matter of policy, that this organization should not be interfered with by the Confederate military authorities until the future action of Congress upon the subject shall be known, as the Senators in Congress from this State have promised to have this subject definitely settled during the present session.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

P. MURRAH,

[Inclosure Numbers 7.]

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, La., December 17, 1864.

Brigadier General E. GREER,

Chief of Bureau of Conscription:

GENERAL: I inclose you two letters on the subject of the frontier organization, which I wish you would return with your remarks. Also send me the digest of the orders, instructions, and State laws on the subject. You will immediately countermand any orders given for the enrollment and conscription of the men in the frontier organization. The order was not made with my knowledge or sanction, and to the governor has the appearance of a want of candor and good faith on my part.

I am, general, your obedient servant

E. KIRBY SMITH.

General.

HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT,
Shreveport, February 10, 1865.

General FLORENTINO LOPEZ,

Commander in Chief:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of November 5, 1864. It afforded me great gratification to learn that our coterminous frontier on the Rio Grande was to be commanded by so gallant and enlightened a soldier as yourself. Permit me in the sincerest manner to assure you that the kind and liberal sentiments which you have been pleased to express in favor of our struggling nation are in the highest degree gratifying to the authorities of our Government and I have had the honor of forwarding to His Excellency the President your communication to myself, knowing how earnestly he desire to cultivate the most agreeable and friendly relations with the Imperial Government of Mexico and how fully he as the supreme head of our Confederation, reciprocates the sentiments you have so kindly expressed. I have not the power, under our laws, of constituting Major F. Ducayet an agent to act fully in the capacity which you indicate, but I have performed every act in my power to secure his selection by placing his name before His Excellency the President with the strongest recommendations in his behalf. It is due to you that I should here offer to you my excuses for the apparent neglect with which you kind communication has been treated until this time. This neglect, however, existed only in appearance; it had no foundation in water-courses, and the great uncertainty of the routes of travel between this point and the city of Monterey, did not reach me until many weeks