The condition of this country is and has been pitiable in the extreme; Confederate soldier in nothing save the name, robbers, and jayhawkers have vied the Federals in plundering, devouring, and wasting the substance of loyal Southerners, and new cruelties have been devised to torture from unwilling lips the secret of some hidden treasure. The entire valley is swept bare of forage and subsistence, and there are hundred of families that must suffer for bread. I am forced for the first in the history of the war to graze my horses and feed my men on meat alone. In three weeks the wheat crop will be ready for use; but until time we shall be compelled to live on meat alone. The condition of the so-called Confederate forces here was horrible, no law, no leader, no organization, no concentration, no discipline, no law, no leader, no anything. The seeds of cotton speculating, horse stealing, illicit and pernicious trading with the Federal was carried on with a high hand, thereby debauching the officers and demoralizing the men. They were scattered from Yellville to Helena, from the Missouri line to the Arkansas River, 5 and 6 at a house, sweltering in the hot fumes of Memphis whisky, and riding rough-shot over defenseless families on stolen horses, while predary bands of Federals, unmolested and unsought, roamed about like devouring wolves and swept whole neighborhoods at a breath. Many good Southern families field to the various posts for protection, and they were not to blame. Thus was the country devoured; and when a regular Confederate force comes up to their help they find an enemy worse than armed men-starvation.

I have entered upon the duties before me with a fall knowledge of the difficulties, but with a consciousness of the rectitude of my intentions and the good of my country. I have, in obedience to orders from General Price, proclaimed my instructions, exhorted the men by a common brotherhood and our glorious victories to come up now to our triumphant banner, and promised them arms and ammunition. I have ordered Rutherford, Freeman, McCray, Adams, and Dobbin to report to me immediately, when I shall lay the programme before them and exhort them to energy and determination in the new line of policy. Already a great reformation is going on. I have told the men and officers that the time for trading with the Federals, lying out and dodging the service, and plundering the country is over. I have told them that we came to help them organize; help them drive out the Federals, and that they must and should put their shoulders to the wheel; and I told them; finally, calmly, and sober good earned, that all who refused to come and still evinced a desire to desolate their country and their friends, I would either drive them to the Federals or I would kill them like excommunicated felons, and by the help of God I shall de either one or the other. It will be a blessing to our cause.

Three hundred recruits have already come in, and I believe in two weeks more I can organize 3,000. Jackman goes bravely on recruiting, and Coffee will have a full regiment in a short time. Major Rutherford, the only fighting man in all this country, will have a splendid battalion in a few days. They all have horses, but arms are badly needed, which I shell try hard to take for them when my command gets on its feet again. It will be ten or fifteen days before I can make any demonstrations against the railroad, for the reasons that my horses are completely wont out, unshod, unfed,