not yet fully established. It therefore occurred to me that as many of your citizens were known to be habituated to the use of the rifle, and that weapon was common among them, four regiments might be formed and armed from the country, each man furnishing his own instrument; and I must colfess I have never yielded implicit credence to the prevailing idea that the musket is a superior weapon to the rifle. Such may be the case with the improved minie gun, but even the ordinary rifle, in the hands of the brave Tennessee and Mississippians, saved and won the battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican war, as it did in the hands of Carolinias at the battle of King's Mountain during the Revolution - in both instances with sad havoc to the enemy. There can be little doubt, I apprehend, that with a large portion of our inhabitants among the mountains the rifle would always prove more fatal and successful on the field of battle, than the most improved muskets in any other hands than those of veterans.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

[4.]

GENERAL ORDERS,] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF MISSISSIPPI,

Jackson, May 21, 1861.

By order of the commander-in-chief the following companies, viz, Choctaw Guards, Captain J. W. Hemphill; Long Creek Rifles, Captain L. S. Terry; Shubuta Rifles, Captain R. J. Lawrence; Cherry Creek Rifles, Captain John B. Herring; McClung Rifles, Captain Edgar Sykes; Confederate Rifles, Captain Jos. M. Jayne; Winona Stars, Captain Thomas Booth; Magnolia Guards, Captain John M. Lyles; Water Valley Rifle Guards, Captain B. H. Collins; Burnsville Blues, Captain J. C. Walters; Grenada Rifles, Captain W. S. Statham; Gainesville Volunteers, Captain J. B. Deason; Summit Rifles, Captain J. D. Blincoe; Vicksburg Southrous, Captain D. N. Moody; Enterprise Guards, Captain R. Stuart Wier; Columbus Riflemen, Captain William E. Baldwin; Wigfall Rifles, Captain W. F. Brantly; Beauregard Rifles, Captain John W. Balfour; Madison Guards, Captain Thomas M. Griffin; Oktibbeha Rescue, Captain A. J. Maxwell; Benton Rifles, Captain W. H. Luse; Confederates, Captain O. R. Singleton; Confederate Guards, Captain W. S. Featherston; Westville Guards, Captain George J. D. Funchess; Yalobusha Rifles, Captain F. M. Aldridge; Quitman Rifles, Captain J. W. Wade; Hamer Rifles, Captain C. F. Hamer; Mississippi Rangers, Captain John McGuirk; Pettus Rifles, Captain Marmaduke Bell; Mississippi College Rifles, Captain John W. Welborn; Crystal Springs Southern Rights, Captain J. C. Davis; Adams Light Guard, No. 1, Captain Robert Clarke; Adams Light Guard, Numbers 2, Captain S. E. Baker; Quitman Invincibles, Captain John P. McGowan; Monroe Guards, Captain F. M. Rodgers; Benton Relief Rifle Guards, Captain B. G. Lawrence; Rough and Readies, Captain H. E. Williamson; Burt Rifles, Captain E. R. Burt; Beauregard Rifles, Captain A. S. Lee; Agency Rifles, Captain John M. Ware; Quitman Guards, Captain Samuel A. Matthews; Lexington Guards, Captain L. R. PAGE; Wilkinson Rifles, Captain C. Posey; Jasper Grays, Captain J. J. Shannon; Meridian Invincibles, Captain W. F. Crumpton; Claiborne Rangers, Captain J. Taylor Moore; Clayton Guards, Captain Vaughn; Rankin Rough and ReadiesRunnels; Panola Vindicators, Captain George P. Foote; Buena Vista Rifles, Captain T. L. Rogers, are hereby ordered into active service, and will proceed forthwith to Corinth, Miss., to the camp of instruction there established and report to Major General Charles Clark, commanding. They will take with them all arms and military property in their possession. All