ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Montgomery, Ala., December 25, 1862.

Colonel ALLEN C. JONES,

Greensborough:

SIR: I herewith inclose you your appointment of special aide-de-camp to the Governor, with the rank and pay of a colonel of dragoons while in actuall service. The principal object of your appointement is to secure a fit representative of the Executive at Oven Bluff, on the Bigbee, where a second line of defenses is in process of construction. It is impossible to define with anything like accuracy your duties. The works are in charge of Confederate officers, who exercise a general superintendence over them and direct the commissary, quatermaster's, and medical departments, while mechanics and hands furnished by the State execute the details as to the obstructions. At both Oven and Choctaw Bluffs the State has a head mechanic as constructor, with several white mechanics under him, a timber agent charged with the cutting, hewing, &c., and wagons master charged with the supervision of the teams, receiving the forage from the quatermaster, and the transportation of the timber to the proper points. A man of position, character, and practical good sense is wanted to keep [down] difficulties, prevent and correct abuses operating directly or inderectly upon the slaves, and generally to exercise his discertion in protecting an advancing the interests of the State connected mediately or immediately with these defenses. Governor Moore has been and is still acting as special aide de Choctaw Bluffs, and you can obtain from him in a few hours all the informatin which in necessary for you to act understandingly. Tho Governor insists on your acceptance, and it is important you shoudl be at the point designated as early as possible, as there will be some 400 hands and a number of wagons, teams, &c., before you can reach there were you to leave immeditatly on the receipt of this.

Trusting that the importance of the duties confided to you, and the urget necessity for the early completion of these works, not to advert to the difficulty an delay of obtaining any other man who can fill the position as it should be fille, will be sufficient inducements for you to accept, and at somennience and sacrifice, I am, &c., very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. GOLDTHWAITE,

[15.] Adjutant and Inspector General.

CHATTANOOGA, December 27, 1862.

General JOHNSTON,

Jackson, Miss.:

The following dispatch just receipt from General Bragg:

Enemy advancing in heavy force. Send forward all troops notify officers on trains to return by first cars.

B. BRAGG.

Send orders*.

BENJ. S. EWELL,

[20.] Assistant Adjutant-General.

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* For reply, see Johnston's first dispatch, VOL. XX, Part II, p. 463.

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