term); 34,000 for desertions and missing in action (not returned or otherwise accounted for), and 6,000 to supply other losses specified and unspecified.

The 500,000 effective men are equivalent in number to the number of men in 573 regiments of the average numerical strength (that is 872 men each); and the 58,000 sic equivalent to 67 regiment of average numerical strength; the entire force of 558,000 men to be maintained being equivalent to 640 regiments of average strength.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, July 21, 1862.

Honorable REVERDY JOHNSON:

MY DEAR SIR: Permit me to iterate and reiterate again and again what you knew so well before, but which these deluded people seem determined never to believe, that no merchandise, whether cotton or sugar, will in any event be seized or confiscated by the U. S. authorities here.

I will assure safe conduct, open market, and prompt shipment of all such property sent to New Orleans, and the owner, were he Slidell himself, should have the pay for his cotton if sent here under this assurance.

I am, most truly, yours,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

NEW ORLEANS, July 21, 1862.

Major-General BUTLER:

MY DEAR GENERAL: I needed not your note of this morning to satisfy me on the subject to which it relates. The public mind should have been put right upon it by your proclamation of the 7th of May.

In these times, however, opinion is so centavo and misrepresentations so frequent upon all matters touching the unfortunate condition of the country, that I had glad to have your note, with the privilege to make it public. The restoration of commerce in and from this port is a result so important to the interest of this State, the United States, and the Governments of Europe that is seems strange that an intelligent man should have doubted your wish, as the representative of our Government, to do all that you could to bring it about.

If there be any really existing fear upon the point, your note (for which I thank you) cannot fail to remove it. The Confederate Government, as it calls itself, may burn and destroy the cotton and sugar of the people whom they claim to represent, and whose rights they pretend to be anxious to protect; they may, too, for a time succeed in keeping alive the delusion of their followers; but an intelligent Southern public and an intelligent European opinion will soon, if it has not already, discover the shallowness of the pretense, and see, unless soon arrested by the fostering power of the Government, the certain ruing to which it must lead.

With great respect, yours, sincerely,

REVERDY JOHNSON.