river were taken in; that the entire force there consists of infantry; no cavalry heard of anywhere on this side of the river. There is an abundance of forage in this vicinity and in the direction of Stilesborough. I am informed that the enemy have a large number of cattle and hogs collected on farms on the Etowah River, this side, near Stilesborough. I shall learn more definitely as to that to-morrow.

Respectfully,

C. G. ARMISTEAD,

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

[39.]

HEADQUARTERS DIVISION,
October 7, 1864-1.45 o'clock.

Brigadier-General JACKSON,

Commanding Cavalry:

GENERAL: My command is at Duke's. No information since last dispatch from enemy at Manning's Mill. My scouts are watching them, and my pickets are just this side Powder Springs at this time. Send me the news. Has the Etowah bridge been burned and the garrison captured?

Respectfully, &c.,

L. S. ROSS,

Brigadier-General.

[39.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, October 8, 1864.

His Excellency J. E. BROWN,

Governor of Georgia, Milledgeville, Ga.:

SIR: Your letter of the 12th ultimo reached me some days since. Its tenor and spirit have caused painful surprise. It requires forbearance in reply to maintain the respect I would pay your station, and observe the official propriety you have so transcended. I shall seek to notive only such portions as appropriately pertain to an official communication. The Department, on the 30th of August, under the direction of the President, made a requisition upon you for the entire militia which had been or should be organized by you, that they might be employed to repel the "formidable invasion" of Georgia by the enemy, and to secure her from "destructive raids." The requisition was for militia in a state of organization. The appointment of the officers of militia is secured by the Constitution to the State from which they are drawn, and in proposing to accept organized militia the officers legally appointed would necessarily accompany their commands. The inducements to this call were several. You had in official communication stated that you had 10,000 militia organized, and you were known to be apparently busy in organizing others. Of those a portion, it was known, were with the Army of Tennessee in some auxiliary relation, and had rendered valuable service with that army in the defense of Georgia. Only a limited number, however, not believed to constitute half of the number reported by you to be actually organized, were so employed, and were, as has been announced by you, held there only at your pleasure and for such time and during such operations as you might approve. The services of these gallant defenders of their State were so appreciated as to render it desirable that the full number organized, or to be organized, should be secured to repel the formidable invasion threatening to overrun the State; and both to impart greater unity and efficiency to the and