have with me 1,400 infantry, and will this evening have 500 mounted rifles and seven 6-pounder guns on the opposite bank. I would ask permission to take my infantry over there, to occupy the pass from Bird's Point southward, holding myself subject to your order.

I remain, respectfully,

M. JEFF. THOMPSON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

GENERAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT NO. 2, Numbers 19.
Columbus, Ky., September 7, 1861.

In organizing the Confederate forces now at Columbus, Ky., into field brigade, the major-general orders and directs the following:

The First Brigade will be composed of the regiment of Colonel P. Smith, Colonel W. E. Travis, Colonel T. J. Freeman, Co. Charles Carrol, and the battalion of Lieutenant-Colonel Blythge, and will be commanded by Brigadier General B.. F. Cheatham.

The Second Brigade will be composed of the regiments of Colonels Bowen, Marks, Scott, and Neely, and will be commanded by Colonel John P. McCown.

The Third Brigade, composed of the regiments of Cols. R. M. Russell, Wright, and Pickett, will be commanded by Colonel Russell.

The Fourth Brigade will be composed of the regiment of Colonels Stephens and Douglas, and will be commanded by Colonel W. H. Stephens.

The field batteries of Captains Hundson and Smith will compose a part of the First Brigade. Those officers will report accordingly.

The field batteries of Captains Bankhead and Stewart will compose a part of the Second Brigade, and those officers will report accordingly.

The field battery of Captain Jackson will compose a part of the Third Brigade. He will report accordingly.

The field battery of Captain Polk will compose a part of the Fourth Brigade, and he will report accordingly.

The field of siege artillery of Captain Hamilton will be under the immediate orders of Brigadier-General Pillow, who will command the whole column.

Major Miller's battalion of cavalry, and the separate companies of cavalry commanded by Captains Hundson, Cole, and Klein, will be organized into one battalion, and will, in addition to its major, elect a lieutenant-colonel.

The six companies of Tennessee cavalry, commanded by Captains Logwood, White, Neely, Haywood, Hill, and Ballentine, and two companies of Alabama cavalry, commanded by Captains Bowie and Faulkner, will be organized into a battalion by the election of a major and lieutenant-colonel. The election for field officers of the Tennessee battalion having been suspended by appeal and the necessity of the public service demanding battalion organization, this organization becomes a necessity.

By command of Major-General Polk:

E. D. BLAKE,

Captain, C. S. Army, Acting Asst. Adjt. General