MAY 12, 1864.

General S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General C. S. Army, richmond.:

GENERAL: His Excellency Governor Bonham, of this State, has forwarded to me several letteres addressed to him by citizens residing in the northwestern portion of this State, setting forth the depredations of desultory stragglers and disloyal people and the dangers to which that section of the State is exposed from raiding parties of the enemy coming from East Tennessee, and they call earnestly for protection. The force in this department has been recently so greatly reduced that I cannot give the protection asked for. I had hoped that the reserve force old have been organized by this time, and that a portion of it might be called into service and used to protect the northwestern portion of the State from raids; but I do not know if any portion of it has been organized or to whom its organization has been intrusted. I respectfully ask that if any portion of it has been organized it may be called into service to guard exposed points in the northwestern part of this State.

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

[35.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. MILITARY DIST. OF FLORIDA, No. 23.
Camp Milton, May 13, 1864.

I. Pursuant to General Orders, No. 101, dated Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, Richmond, April 30, 1864, the undersigned assumes command of the reserve forces of the State of Florida, enrolled in accordance with sections 5 and 6 of the "act of Congress to organize forces to serve during the war."

II. The following officers compose the staff: Captain William G. Barth, assistant adjutant-general; Major H. Goldthwaite, assistant inspector-general; Major E. C. Simkins, chief quartermaster; Captain T. E. Buckman, chief of ordnance; Surg. Carey B. Gamble, chief surgeon; First Lieutenant W. M. Davidson, aide-de-camp.

III. All official communications will be addressed to the appropriate staff officers.

IV. Brigadier Gens. W. M. Gardner and Joseph Finegan, commanding Sub-District Nos.1 and 2, will each point an examining board to consist of three commissioned officers not under the grade of captain, before which all newly-elected officers of the reserve in their respective sub-district will be required to appear. The reports of the proceedings of the examining boards will forwarded to these headquarters and such officers as may be pronounced competent by a board will be announced by orders from these headquarters and assigned to duty in the positions to which they were elected. In cases where elected officers fail to receive the favorable report of the board a new election will be held.

PATTON ANDERSON,

Major-General, commanding.

[35.]

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, Camp Milton, May 15, 1864.

Rev. J. M. MILLS, Chairman:

GENTLEMEN: Your communication of the 14th instant, in the shape of proceedings at a meeting of the citizens of Levy County, fla., held at Bronson on that day, was handed to me last night by Mr. John F. Jackson. Mr. Jackson being detained on account of there being no train on