Hardeman commanding): Fourth Texas Cavalry (Colonel Hardeman), Thirtieth Texas Cavalry (Colonel Gurley), Nineteenth Texas Cavalry (Colonel Watson), Morgan's Texas cavalry.

Should causes arise which would make it desirable to do so, you are authorized to make changes in regiments to be dismounted and consequent changes in the organizations, reporting these changes to these headquarters that the final organizations may be determined upon and announced. Under no circumstances will the dismounting of the nine regiments finally selected by you be delayed. The infantry division formed will be ordered to report forthwith to Major-General Walker, and you, will upon the completion of the organization of your corps report by letter or telegraph to these headquarters for instructions.

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

W. R. BOGGS,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

RICHMOND, VA., February 18, 1865.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General, Confederate States of America:

GENERAL: The existing crisis seems to invite the expression of our opinion touching the combination of those elements of strength which remain in a measure undeveloped in our Trans-Mississippi domains. I have therefore the honor to propose: First. That prompt and energetic measures be taken to bring into the field such warriors as the civilized and semi-barbarous Indian nations, viz, the Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Seminoles, may be still enabled to furnish us the complements of their effective strength, thus adding a probable contingent of between 15,000 and 20,000 warriors to our armies. Second. That measures be promptly taken to employ the Comanche Nation and other cognate tribes, viz, the Sioux, Blackfeet, Pawnees, &c., now hostile to the Federal power, as an appropriate and energetic contingent numbering probably some 20,000 warriors, who, when stimulated by adroit emissaries, would carry terror throughout the western border as far as the Canadian frontier. Third. That measures be promptly taken to induce the Mormons (ever strong adherents to States' rights doctrines) to initiate predatory warfare along the Pacific border, stimulating the trans-mountain Indians to active co-operation, thus neutralizing the military resources of those distant States known to be luke-warm in the present aggressive warfare, and thereby gaining time, which is to us an important element of defense. Fourth. That encouragement be given by prompt and efficient diplomacy to emigration from the neighboring Mexican States for enrollment as an active contingent for field service. This should embrace the valley of the Rio Grande, including New Mexico. The present condition of Mexico favors this important object, enabling us, probably, to draw largely from those disaffected political elements hostile to the present dominant power, especially if we pursue some well-considered and systematic policy on the question of the Monroe doctrine. Fifth. That measures be immediately taken to organize and take into the field one-fifth of the effective slave population of that department, changing the tenure of their service from slavery to peonage, thus protecting the slave and industrial interests and meeting the existing military necessities of the country.

88 R R-VOL XLVIII, PT I