it. I am not satisfied with the muskets in the hands of a majority of King's late battalion. A great deal has to be done in the way of equipment to make these men efficient. Gray's company had no bridles. I have sent him of to procure them at Memphis. I am laboring to get all the reports necessary to know the condition of each company.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

TH. CLAIBORNE,

Colonel, Cavalry.

[10.]

APRIL 8, 1862/

To the SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA:

The great importance of the news just received from Tennessee induces me to depart from established usage, and to make to you this communication in advance of official reports:

From telegraphic dispatches received from official sources I am able to announce to you, with entire cofidence, that it has pleased Almighty God to crown the Confederate arms with a glorious and decisite victory over our invaders.

On the morning of the 6th instant the converiging columns of our army were combined by its commander in chief, General A. S. Johnston, in an assault on the Federal army, them encamped near Pittsurg, on the Tennessee River. After a hard-fought battle of ten hours the enemy was driven in disorder from his position and pursued to the Tennessee River, where, under cover of his gun-boats, he was at the last accounts endeavoring to effect his retreat by aid of his transports. The details of this great battle are yet too few and incomplete to enable me to distinguish with merited praise all of those who may have conspicuously earned the right to such distinction, and I prefer to delay my own gratification in recommending them to your special notice rather than incur the risk of wounding the feelings of any by failure to include them in the list. Where such a victory has been wom over troops as numerous, as well disciplined, armed, and appointed as those which have just been so signally, routed, we may well conclude that one common spirit of unflinching bravery an devotion to our country's cause must have animated every breast form that of commanding general to that of the humblest patriot who served in the ranks. There is enough in the continned presence of invaders on our soil to chasten our exultation over this brilliant sucess, and to remind us of the grave duty of continued exertion until we shall extort form a proud and vainglorious enemy the reluctant acknowledgment of our right to self government. But an all-wise Creator has been pleased, while vouchsafing to us His contenance in battle, to afflict us with a severe dispensation, to which we must bow in humble submission. The last lingering hope has disappeared, and it is but too true that General Albert Sidney Johnston is no more. The tale of his death is simply narrated in a dispatch jsut received from Colonel William Preston, in the following words:

General Johnston fell yesterday at 2,30 while leading a successful charge, turning the enemy's right, and gainingh brilliant victory. A minie-ball cut the artery of his leg, but he roade on till, from loss of blood, he fell exhnusted, and died without pain in a few moments. His body has been intrusted to me by General Beauregarde to be taken to New Orleans, and remain until directions are received from his family.

My long and close friendship with this department chieftain and patriot forbids me to trust myself giving vent to the feelings which this sad intelligence has evoked. Without doing injustice to the living, it may