[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

HEADQUARTERS EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Macon, August 11, 1864.

Major General L. McLAWS,

Savannah:

GENERAL: I am instructed to His Excellency Governor Brown to acknowledge your favor of the 9th instant, and in reply to say that he received your telegram in relation to suspending his proclamation in certain counties on the coast and southe of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad, and he at once directred a reply to be sent to you from General Wayne, granting the request so far as concerns the counties of Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn, Camden, charlton, and the overseers of plantations in Chatham County, and until yesterday His Excellency had supposed you were in receipt of his answer. He regrets much that General W., who is now absent, either in the multitude of his engagements omitted to write it, ir it has miscarried, or possibly taken by the raiders who got one of our mails going to Savannah, as we learn. The militia of the above-named counties, so far as they are not now at the front, are hereby placed at your disposal for the purposes asked for by you, of course subject to the right of His Excellency to withdraw them whenever he may require them. He instructs me further to say that he will write Major General G. W. Wmith to-day, asking him to return to their several counties, embraced in this list, all the militia officers to command these militia, except the officers of Chatham County. He feels constrained to say that he cannot, in view of the extreme peril at the front, extend this arrangement with you to any counties other than those already designated. He consents to the modification of General Wayne's letter of the 23rd of July, and themen will not be restricted in service to their own counties, but in your discretion be employed as you suggest.

The Governor has instructed me to direct Colonel Caulding to report to you so that his operations may be subject to your orders. His Excellency is fully sensible of the exposed and destitute condition of our sea-board counties and most deeply regrets his inability to afford them ample protection, but such is the imperative demand for men at Atlanta and so great the results that must ensue a general engagement there, and so extremely urgent is General Hood for every man we can possibly send him, that the Governor is forced to decline ordering home from the front any man except the militia officers mentioned; these he feels ought to be sent to their homes to command such militia as may be there, for they are the elected and commissioned officers of those men. He thinks the grave question presented by you, "Whether the State organizations will be respected in case of capture?" will be avoided by the fact that these troops will be for the time in C. S. servince under you. Don't you think so? If you concur you are authorized to give such publicity to the opinion of His Excellency as you many deem best. The Governor has no arms nor ammunition, and the Confederate States arm and equip all these orgainzations. They have done so thus far, and he hopes and expects that it is in their power and will be their pleasure to continue to do so. I am directed, general, by His Excellency to tender you assurances of the high esteem and implicit confidence entertained by him, and to assure you of his cordial co-operation to the utmost of his ability.

With great respect, I have the honor to remain, your most obedient servant,

ANDREW J. HANSELL,

Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.