all arms). I further beg leave to urge upon the commanding general the necessity of supplying me with 300 or 400 Enfield rifles and necessary ammunition for new recruits and new companies.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. FINEGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District of Florida.

Brigadier General THOMAS JORDAN, Chief of Staff.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA,
Camp near Jacksonville, Fla., March 13, 1863.

I feet it my duty as brigadier-general commanding this district to inform the people of the district and of the State that our unscrupulous enemy has landed a large force of negroes, under command of white officers, at Jacksonville, under cover of gunboats. He is attempting to fortify the place so as to make it secure against attacks. The purpose of this movement is obvious and need not be mentioned in direct terms. It is sufficient to inspire the whole body of the people with a renewed and sterner purpose of resistance. I therefore call on such of the citizens as can possibly leave their homes to arm and organize themselves into companies without delay and to report to me. Ammunition, subsistence, and transportation will be furnished them while they remain in service. I further ask the zealous co-operation of the whole people in forcing into service all persons within the conscript age who yet remain out. With the blessing of the Almighty, the zealous support of the people and the Government, I doubt not that the detestable foe will soon be driven from their cover.

JOS. FINEGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA, Numbers -.
Camp near Jacksonville, March 11, 1863.

The brigadier-general commanding desires to notice in general orders the coolness and daring exhibited by the officers and men of this command of detachments of the companies of Captain W. E. Chambers and Captain Winston Stephens, of Second Florida Cavalry, and of the companies of Capts. S. W. Mays, P. B. Bird, J. Q. Stewart, and Asa Stewart, under the command of Major T. W. Brevard, First Battalion Partisan Rangers, in two separate skirmishes with the enemy in the suburbs of Jacksonville on this day. These troops advanced with steadfast bravery while within range of his gunboats and attacked and drove him from his cover. The brigadier-general commanding commends the gallant and meritorious conduct in this affair of Lieutenant-Colonel McCormick, Second Florida Cavalry, commanding cavalry force, and Capts. W. E. Chambers and W. Stephens, of Second Cavalry, and their officers and men, and of Major T. W. Brevard, First Battalion Partisan Rangers, commanding infantry force, and his captains, S. W. Mays, P. B. Bird, J. Q. Stewart, and Asa Stewart, and their officers and men.

The command mourns the loss of Surgeon Meredith, who fell by nobly discharging his duty.

By order of Brigadier-General Finegan, commanding:

W. CALL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.