OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [Chap.XII.

RICHMOND, September 27, 1861.

General A. SIDNEY JOHNSTON, Columbus, Ky.:

SIR: The President has communicated to me your request for small-arms, supposed by you to have arrived per Bermuda at Savannah.

The whole number received by us was 1,800, and we purchased of the owners 1,700, making in all 3,500 Enfield rifles, of which we have been compelled to allow the governor of Georgia to have 1,000 for arming troops to repel an attack now hourly threatened at Brunswick, Ga. Of the remaining 2,500 I have ordered 1,000 sent to you, leaving us but 1,500 for arming several regiments now encamped here, and who have been awaiting their arms for several months. I state these facts to evince our solicitude to furnish you every aid in our power and our disposition to share with you all our resources.

We are hourly in hope of hearing of the arrival of small-arms, and the arsenal here is now turning them out at the rate of 1,000 per month. We will receive the first delivery in about ten days. I have ordered 1,200 Texan Rangers under Terry and Lubbock, fully armed and equipped, to report to you for service, understanding from them that you can furnish horses, which is out of our power.

We have not an engineer to send you. The whole Engineer Corps comprises only 6 captains, together with 3 majors, of whom 1 is on bureau duty. You will be compelled to employ the best material within your reach by detailing officers from other corps and by employing civil engineers, for whom pay will be allowed.

Your obedient servant, J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War.

COLUMBUS, September 27, 1861.

Colonel TRABUE, Nashville:

I sent a telegraph to Colonel Tilghman to-day to the following effect:

General Johnston directs you to proceed to Camp Trousdale and all your armed force. Call on the quartermaster, commissary, and ordnance officer for supplies, and show this as your authority. Report by telegraph the force you take here, and to General Buckner your arrival.

Learning now that he is in Memphis, the general directs you to execute the order. Call on the ordnance officer, who will be instructed to give you arms as fast as he can get them.

Did you get 800 arms for the Kentucky troops in Nashville? As fast as a company is armed, send it to Trousdale and report to General Buckner.

W. W. MACKALL, Assistant Adjutant-General.

COLUMBUS, KY., September 27, 1861.

Colonel BONHAM, Union City:

I have information that the enemy are repairing the railroad bridge that was destroyed by our troops on the Fulton and Paducah Railroad, with a view to a forward movement on Fulton. You will immediately on the receipt of this put your own and the Arkansas regiments in motion towards Fulton, leaving your tents to be sent after you, and taking with you only ammunition and supplies in your haversacks for two days. Your baggage will be sent after you to the State line on the railroad,