but devastate the country around them, treating our citizens and prisoners more barbarously than Pope or Butler. Rosecrans has violated our white flag and arrested the bearer and guard as spies, notifying General Morgan he will try and execute them. I shall retaliate on his commissioned officers two for one. My orders will show a rigid system for the enforcement of the conscript law and collection of stragglers. One-half the latter absent from this army. If present in one battle would have destroyed the enemy. Martial law in North Alabama and East Tennessee, with a proper control over the telegraph to prevent traitors from giving information to the enemy, absolutely necessary.

BRAXTON BRAGG.

[20.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Richmond, January 19, 1863.

General JOSEPH E. JOHNSON,

Jackson, Miss.:

Orders have been sent from the Bureau of Conscription for the conscripts in Mississippi to be sent to General Bragg conformably to your telegram. You can give similar orders if necessary.

For the Secretary of War:

J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Secretary of War.

RICHMOND, VA., January 21, 1863.

General J. E. JOHNSON,

Jackson, Miss.:

I wish you, with the least delay, to proceed to the headquarters of General Bragg's army. You will find explanatory letter at Chattanooga.*

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[24.]

HEADQUARTERS MAURY'S DIVISION, Vicksburg, January 21, 1863.

Major-General STEVENSON:

GENERAL: I think it is desirable, perhaps important, to have Chickasaw Bayou obstructed, so that when the water rises the gun-boats cannot move on it. There are negroes now engaged in felling timber in the vicinity. I respectfully suggest that they be required to fell the timber along the banks of that bayou so as to obstruct it, and that an engineer officer with a proper force of laborers be at once set to work to make effectual obstructions in that bayou. Should at raft be decided on as the proper means of obstruction it should be made between Mrs. Lake's house and our batteries. I recommend also that the timber be at once cut away which obstructs a view of the boats passing on Yazoo River along Mrs. Lake's plantation. They will then be within range of our artillery, which can annoy them while in that vicinity.

Respectfully, yours,
DABNEY H. MAURY.

[24.]

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*For reply, see Johnson to Davis, VOL. XXIV, Part III, p.602.

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