service in this department impertatively require the raising of an additional company and the formation of the Ninth Infantry Regiment, and I respectfully request authority to do so.

Captain Martin's company was ordered by the Adjutant-General, in telegram dated June 14, to proceed to Dalton, Ga., in supporting distance of Chattanooga. This company has been longer in the Confederate service than Captain Dunham's, having entered the service in November, 1861, and Captain Dunham's on the 10th of March, 1862. Besides, I had no authority to alter the order of the Adjutant-General. The company was sent into the field fully equipped, and for his purpose some of the horses in the control of the quatermaster, and never receipted for by Captain Duham, were turned over to Captain Martin, and their places supplied in a few days, and Captainn Duham's battery put in complete order for service in the field. Neither Governor Milton nor any other person was informed of the necessity that existed for sending Captain Duham's battery into East Florida. As soon as the water feel in the Apalachicola River so low as to prevent the probablity of the enemy ascending that river in boats, I determined to move the battery in the Saint John's, where the enemy were in full possession, and use it to cover the erection of a battery on the Saint John's Bluff's, five miles from the bar, to provent the enemy ascending the river higher than that point. This has been accomplished-the battery put up-the enemy replused after four hour's hard fighting. We are now in possession of the Saint John's River from that point up, and Captain Dunham and his battery, as will be seen by my reports, profermed an important part in the engagement. The Eighth Regiment was ordered by the Secretary of War to proceed immediately to Richmond, and I accordingly sent it out of the State with all possible expedition, not, however, without paying the men all that the Government owed them, both bounty, pay, and allowances, and ordering a trustworthy man from each company to be sent to other several neighboroughs to carry to their friends and relatives portion of their money as they thought propert to send; all of which has been done with every other regiment which I have sent out of the department. There may have been some dissatisfaction in the regiment caused by miserpresentations of the capatain, or some of them, while raising their companies, and by candidates before and after the election for field officers. Thees influences I carafully endeavored to prevent and to repair, and I believe the regiment finally left with but little regret on the part of the men or their friends. The Fifth Regiment was also sent, in accordance with telegram from the War Department asking if I could spare a regiment of infantry. Kowing that during the summer and autumn they could well be spared, I so stated, and they were accordingly ordered to proceed to Richmond and report to the Adjutant-General.

When I assumed command Colonel Davis was under orders from General Lee to move with his command to Chattanooga. This order emanting from superior authority, I did not consider that I had a right to arrest his progress. I telegraphed the Adjutant and Inspector General, informing him that I thought Colonel Davis' horses were unfit for service in the West. He replied hat I could retain the regiment in Florida, reorganize them, and send an infantry regiment in their place. When this dispatch was received it was shown to Colonel Davis. He informed me that seven companies of his regiment were moving from Madison as infantry, and them almost beyond the department, and three from Tallahassee as cavalry. I had no regiment of infanatry which could be immediately moved, and so telegraphed the Adjutant-General,