when called upon by the officers in command of the military departments in the State to sustain them with State troops. And once more permit me respectfully to present the views entertained by the Executeve of the State to the War Department as to the most efficient and least expensive manner of defending Florida:

First. By having signals established upon the coast from the western boundary of the State to the eastern, in connection with signals on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina, these signals to be under the charge of, and to be kept up by, coast-guards seamen in boats of about thirty-five feet [in] length, manned with a number of men necessary to manage them with oars and sails, and the men of each boat armed with a 4-pounder, muskets or Enfield rifles, and cutlasses.

Second. At the most important points guns of large caliber should be in battery ready for use, and to be used only by the necessary complement of experienced artillerymen.

Third. Between thesse important points small bodies of infantry should be stationed. At each camp there should be at least two good horses, to be used only by expressmen to carry intelligence derived from the coast-guards or their own observations to headquarters of any imposing approach of tthe enemy.

Fourth. Companies of light artillery at convenient points to sustain the infantry, aided by the State forces. I mean by State forces infantry, artillery, and cavalry, armed, equipped, and drilled. Hence the objections urged by me to a regiment of cavalry being raised in the State for Confederate service. In its formaion men would be and were taken from the infantry, artillery, and cavalry companies of the State, all ready in efficient ortanization and without expense to the State to be incurred, or to the Confederate service. In its formation men would be and were taken from the infantry, artillery, and cavalry companies of the State, all ready in efficient organization and wothout expense to the State to be incurred, or to the Confederate Government, and yet always ready as minute-men to co-operate with the forces of the Confederate Government in defense of the State whenever necessary. The State had and has and will have at least cavalry enough armed, equipped, and well drilled fro the defense of the State against the insurrection of slaves or an invasion by the enemy, ready at any moment to co-operate with the an invasion by the enemy, ready at any moment to co-operate with the infantry and artillery in Confederate service, and for the purpose to the commanded when necessary by the gallant officers to whom the military departments of the State have been intrusted, and thereafore in my judgment there was no necessity then, is none now, or any circumstances existing to justify the interference with State organization s by mounting ten additonal companies with or without arms and equipments, entirrely ignorant of cavalry tactics. But, sir, as I have before stated, I considered and yet consider the matter settled by the correspondence between General Trapeir and myself, and would, if the State had the means, arm and equip Mr. Davis and every man of the regiment, and in respect to the good faith of the Confederatte authorities. But, sir, the State has not the means. I therefore appeal to you to arm and equip them as cavalry should be armed and equipped, with carbines, sabers, and pistols. They are a fine body of men, are good citizens, and if they shall be armed and equipped and properly drilled upon any occasion that may be presented will do credit to themselves and the country.

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully,

JOHN MILTON,

Governor of Florida.

[6.]

14 R R-VOLL LIII