E. Pickett had drawn 1,000 muskets, State arms, for his regiment of home guards. Home guards are not entitled to draw arms, and Colonel Pickett promised me to return the arms to Colonel W. R. Hunt, ordnance officer. I hope you will see that this is done without delay. The arms must be returned. Colonel Walkeer drew the same number of muskets, and afterward tendered his regiment for active service. I hope you will see that in reorganizing his regiment that none of the muskets be lost. See Walker and urge him to hold on to all his muskets for acctiveservice men. Captain Somervilledrew 100 muskets for his company, and you will do well to urge him to take good care of them until he is called into service. Captain Hunt drew 100 muskets, and since my departure from Memphis changed theeir purpose, and [they] are now in this city on their way to Virginia. These guns will be returned by Adams Express, in charge of Colonel W. R. Hunt, of your city. The only remaining company to whom I delivered arms was Captain Martin's, now in active service in Colonel Smith's regiment. I deemed it proper to give you these suggestions. I have every confidence in your sound discretion in managing all these matters. Be sure to take care of the arms until the men are placed in camp for regular training. The military fire is burning finely here, and a number of regiments are being organized for active service. I am satisfied more men will be offered than will be neede. the bill is still before the Legislature, and everything is secret. It is believed that the action of the legislature will be made public by Tuesday next. Let me hear from you.

Yours, very respectfully,

S. R. ANDESON.

[4.]

MONTGOMERY, May 5, 1861.

Honorable L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War:

DEAR SIR: The tenor and source of my communications from Mobile leave no doubt but the dangers of an attack upon that city in its present defenseless condition are such as should demand the speedy and earnest attention of your Department. That Mobile would be embraced amme of Mr. Lincoln's operations is manifest from the fact that the custom-house there and Mount Vernon Arsenal have been seized by Alabama and are held by the Confederate States. That there is no lack of desire to punish Mobile is alike evident. If so, the apprehensions of our best men-those who are not easily alarmed-are well founded. The capture of Mobile would, of course, be a heavy blow on the Confederate States. Our people are unprotected from an attack, and any one at all acquainted with the approaches to the city knows a cuccessful one can be made. Without repeating what I have more than once repeated, I beg to earnestly draw the attention of the Department to this matte, and to ask for such efficient preparations as shall hold out to our people at Mobile some reasonable prospect of resisting an attempted invasion.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

R. H. SMITH.

P. S.-I should be pleased to learn the decision of the Department at an early day, that I may communicate it to our people that they may be relieved from anxiety and suspense, which is far greater than you may suppose, which is far greater than you may suppose.

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