Honorable G. W. RANDOLPH,

Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

The British steamer Memphis ran the blockade and arrived in the city about 5 p. m. Her cargo consists of 112[,000] pounds of powder, 4,700 Enfield rifles, 700 Belgian rifles, ammunition for Enfield rifles (exat amount not known), 7,000 pairs of shoes, and 1,000,000 percussion caps, also 4tons of lead. I desire to retain 2,500 rifles, 50,000 pounds of powder, 100,000 percussion caps, and a fair pkroportion of Enfield cartridges for this department.

J. C. PEMBERTON,

Major-General, Commanding.

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STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,

Columbia, S. C., June 23, l862.

Colonel S. BASSETT FRENCH, Aide-de-Camp:

DEAR SIR: I received last night yours dated the 19th instant, and hasten to say that unless and efficien part of Beauregard's army is immediately ordered to support the left of Kirby Smith's line of defense we re in great danger of being overrun through East Tennessee. Beauregard is too near to the valley of the Mississippi. The river is already opened, and Halleck has no object in pursuing him with his army, for the main object of Halleck's great army was to open up the Mississippi by going down upon Memphis, &c., but it is now opened from the mouth; therefore a large and active part of it will be directed toward North Alabama, North Georgia, and to bear through Chattanooga on East Tennessee, and if the enemy ever get a strong foothold in East Tennessee we can never get them out of it, for it is so mountainous and so many Union men are there.

This, too, will give them control of Southwestern Virginia to Abingdon.

Beauregard's army must be inactive where it is, and a portion of his large force ought to be immediately ordered to support Kirby Smith, as we are in great danger. General Pkrice ought to be allowed to recross the Mississippi and enter Southern Missouri. He and his men will do far more for us there in an independent position than to be kept in an intrenched camp, for his brave ad hardy men to languish and die in inactivity.

Floyd and Pillow ought to be restored to command even if only temporarily, until Buckner can make his report, and a court of inqury could then be held, but we are in the midst of a great revolution, where the whole population are in arms, and we must, to a certain extent, relax the rigid rules of strict army government, in order to use all our men in their proper places. Floyd will give great strength to us in Western Virginia and Pillow in Tennessee. An independent command for Floyd will finally produce division and ill feelings, when we ought to be united. I trust, if you know of any high military man who has access to President Davis, that he may be is influence to urge in a private and quiet way these measures for immediate adoption. It will do much to strengthen our service and our defenses.

I return my thanks to the Governor for his kind remembrance, and most heartily give him all my cordial szmpathies. They have weakened us too much by drawing off regimets from the defense of Charleston. Now that all our sea/coast tovns have fallen, it is of the last importance to defend Charleston.

In great hste, but very respectfully and trullym

F. W. PICKENS.

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