The center is opposite Galveston. Magruder has divided the State of Texas into five districts, having for their center San Antonio, Gonzales, Houston, Austin, and Edward's Ferry. He has ordered each of these places to be fortified on purpose to gather all the ablebodied negroes together, in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Federals.

As he conscripted all between eighteen and forty, nine-tenths of the people southwestward of the Gualdalupe are only praying for the Yankees to come on, even those that were heretofore secesh. They have lost their negroes, wagons, cattle, horses, and provisions, and their families are nearly destitute.

Those two young men who start from here to your headquarters you can place the utmost confidence in them. They are shrewd and intelligent. Please on their return give them a little specie to enable them to return. If you wish to send and order to Colonel Haynes, one of these men will bear the dispatch and the other com e to me. Please change horses for them on their returning.

I wish you would give me permission to raise and enlist for the Texas campaign a battalion or regiment at this point, and to be but subject to the orders of the first division commander to whom it might be stationed, and when in the field to the general in command. Such a battalion or regiment wold relieve the courts of Texas from many a painful investigation hereafter.

Law meted out to the hangmen of Texas never can or will be deservedly without resorting to means of this kind. I have got no heart now capable of forgiving. Right under my notice the other day two men came to the river on the other side. They wanted to cross some sheep. They were both arrested and the rebel soldiers took the sheep. In a few moments afterward these men tried again to cross the river, but the rebel soldiers hunted them through the cotton bales and shot them both.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. P. McMANUS.

P. S.-This young man, C. W. Winn, has suffered much at the hands of the Federal army, very wrongfully indeed, as he was not known. If you require him he will relate all. I know him to be loyal, and ever was so, and a valiant young man.

T. P. McMANUS.

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. 2nd DIV.. 7TH ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS, Numbers 1.
Little Rock, Ark., February 13, 1864.

I. In obedience to Special Orders, Numbers 13, extract IX, dated headquarters Seventh Army Corps, Department of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark., February 11, 1864, the undersigned assumes command of this division.

II. The following staff officers at these headquarters are announced: Captain E. D. Mason, assistant adjutant-general; First Lieutenant John G. Burrill, aide-de-camp.

N. KIMBALL,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.