CHAP.XII.] CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-CONFEDERATE.

place. Let me know it the transportation can be supplied; also General Read's route.

I sent a considerable detachment yesterday 10 miles beyond Glasgow to surprise before daylight this morning a force of the enemy said to be in that direction. I have no tidings of the result.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. J. HARDEE, Major-General.

[Indorsement.]

No orders have said that it was not intended to defend Green River, but the orders to General Hardee direct him to suggest to the enemy by his movements our intention to cross that river.

W. W. M. [MACKALL].

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,

Bowling Green, Ky., October 24, 1861.

General HARDEE:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, and a report of troops, signed by your staff officer alone. In reply to the letter I send as many blanks as I can spare, and to the formed I make the following reply for General Johnston: Your are mistaken in supposing that it was not and is not intended to defend Green River. Unless attacked by a superior force, you ill defend it. It attacked by a superior force, you will then be in the position of an advanced guard, and fall back as the enemy advances. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. W. MACKALL, Assistant Adjutant-General.

[For the organization of the First (Polk's) Division of the Western Department, October 24, 1861, see Vol. III of this series, p. 723.

RICHMOND, VA., October 25, 1861.

Brigadier General GEORGE B. CRITTENDEN:

DEAR GENERAL: I have thought of you as my first choice to command a column of ten regiments, to advance from Cumberland Gap towards the center of Kentucky, and elsewhere, as circumstances will permit. It has occurred to me that personal considerations might render the service undesirable to you, and I write this unofficial note to request the free expression of your wishes in the matter.

Very truly, your friend,

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

WAS DEPARTMENT, C. S. A., Richmond, October 25, 1861.

General A. SIDNEY JOHNSTON, Bowling Green, Ky.:

MY DEAR GENERAL: I wrote you officially some time ago about your mustering into service brigades as such, pointing out that our policy had been to accept no higher unit than a regiment, so as to retain