ton available for your purpose. Apply to him for one. I do not know whether it will be ssafe for a steamer to venture into the StoNumbers Of this you must judge, and make such disposition of her as that she will not be captured. Should scows or flats answer your purpose better, General Ripley can probably furnish you. I have also requested Geneeral Ripley to forward to you as soon as possible Colonels Means' and Elford's regiments and James' battalion. I do not understand how, with the regiments of Colonels De Treville and Branch and the battalin of Lieutenant-Colonel Black and the batteries of Captains Walter and McCord, you should only have 610 men.

I have the honor, &c.,

R. E. LEE,

General, Commanding.

[6.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, December 24, 1861.

Brigadier General J. H. TRAPIER,

Tallahassee, Fla.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 7th instant on the subject of certain mounted troops in Florida.* My predecessor in office gave written assurance to Colonel Davis that a regiment of mounted men to be raised by him, if fully armed and equipped, would be received into the service of the Confederate States. This promise is binding on the good faith of the Administration and cannot be disregarded. It is true that the President was not aware of what had been done, and wrote to Governor Milton under the impression that there was some error in the matter; but, although he thinks the policy of raising mounted [troops] in Florida a bad one, and does not wish it continued, I am not aware that he even for a moment thought of revoking the promise made by his Secretary, or of disappointing Colonel Davis in his anticipation of commanding his regiment after all the labor and expense of recruiting and organizing it had been undergone. Under the assurance given to Colonel Davis not only have eight companies been mustered into service, but they have been organized into a battalion and a lieutenant-colonel has been appointed to them by my co operation, given in consequence of my predecessor's engagement. It is now too late to recall this. I regret exceedingly that anything should have been done in the way of raising or organizing troops in Florida at all distasteful to Governor Milton, the more so as both the President and muyself concur in his views of the impolicy of raising cavalry in Florida; but the Department was too far committed to permit withdrawal without great injustice, and I am confident that governor Milton on being informed of the facts will concur in opinion that tthe regiment has to be organized. You will therefore complete its organization as early as possible and inform the Department. If these troops are not needed in Florida, order the regiment at once tto Bowling Green to report to General A. S. Johnston, and we will try to re-enforce you with infantry as far as you may need aid.

Your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN,

Secretary of War.

[6.]

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*See inclosure Numbers 2 to communication from Baker to Secretary of War, January 11, 1862, p. 211.

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