that it seems impossible to prevent illegal and inexcusable abuses of power against the rights of the citizens. If all the quartermasters, commissaries, impressing agents, &c., were made subject to the authority of the major-general in command, there would be no difficulty in remedying many existing evils by an immediate co-operation between the officers of the State and Confederate Government. Under the circumstances it is impossible, and consequently there exists much dissatisfaction and serious distrust in the integrity and ability of the Confederate Government to protect the rights of citizens and to maintain constitutional liberty. I have just this moment heard that Major Cross was absent from this place on a visit to the blockading vessel off Saint Mark's to make arrangements to send the families of deserters to the vessel of the enemy, to be transported to their husbands, &c. Although my information is from a respectable source, I can scarcely credit it. If they desire to go, I presume they would not, under existing circumstances, be permitted to do so; and if they do not, there is no legal authority to force them to go. Is it not better to use the means to make them good and useful citizens, rather than to permit them to go or drive them to the enemy? I apprehend that efforts are being made or will be made by the enemy through emissaries to excite slaves to revolt and co-operate with the deserters and tories acting in concert with the enemy for the destruction of life and property throughout the State, and shall at the earliest moment, when I may have reason to believe forces can be spared from Virginia or Georgia, insist on a sufficient force for the protection of the State being ordered to report to you.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

JOHN MILTON,

Governor of Florida.

[35.]

HEADQUARTERS RESERVE FORCES SOUTH CAROLINA, Columbia, June 23, 1864.

His Excellency President DAVIS,
Richmond, Va.:

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to send you the following general statement of the condition of my command. I have organized thirty-seven companies, which I have formed into eight battalions. The election of a major to command each will take place to-morrow. Besides these, from the detailed men in work-shops and other places about Columbia I have organized for city defense ten full companies. They are well officered and constitute a good regiment, the field officers of which will be elected on Monday next. If I had proper arms and sufficient ammunition, with a single battery of light battery of light artillery, I think these local troops can easily defend the place against any raid which the enemy can now make or are likely hereafter to make. Of the reserve forces proper I have already ordered three companies to General Sam. Jones, two to the mountain districts, one to Marion, and one to Clarendon. For the maintenance of good order, the protection of person and property, and to aid the enrolling in the discharge of their duties it became necessary to send these forces to the districts mentioned. I hope soon, however, to be able to report good order and security established.

Of the condition of affairs around Charleston I have taken pains to inform myself as fully and as accurately as the nature of the case would admit of. It is the opinion, I believe, of officers and men in that district, without exception, from whom my information is derived, that the