OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [CHAP.XII.

regiments more, thus forming a force sufficient to prevent the enemy from passing into Southwestern Virginia by the Pound Gap. General Marshall will, of course, report to you. I forgot to say that we have given him also a battery of six field pieces. The President has also given to HonorableJ. C. Breckinridge a commission as brigadier-general, with orders to report to you, so that he may take command of one of your two brigades of Kentuckians at Bowling Green. Colonel Preston has not been appointed a general. He may be taken on your staff, if you wish, or he will be appointed colonel to raise a regiment, or will be assigned as colonel to a regiment if you have companies enough to be now organized into a regiment.

I hope you have not brought the horses you speak of for Terry's regiment with the public money. There is no act of Congress allowing it, and the accounts cannot be passed without a special law for that purpose. When Terry end to Texas to collect his regiment he was informed by the President in the most explicit manner that no cavalry could be accepted without their furnishing their own horses. Congress allows forty cents a day for the use and risk of a horse and pays for such as are killed, but had invariably refused to furnish horses for cavalry. When Terry's regiment received leave to go to you instead of coming to Virginia, it was because we were led to believe that horses would be furnished them by subscriptions in Tennessee; but the expression of your letter makes me fear that you have ordered the purchase with public funds, and this could be very unfortunate. The money for your supplies shall be, as you desire, deposited in bank in Nashville, but we cannot shall be, as you desire, deposited in bank in Nashville but we cannot for the present send you gold.

In regard to your suggestions about some relaxation of the commercial restrictions on the interchange of products with Kentucky, I beg to say that the subject has already engaged the attention of the administration, but it is one on which there exists so much diversity of opinion and so much doubt in relation to the views of Congress, that we prefer to wait a few weeks and receive our instructions from the wisdom of our lawgivers.

Your views in relation to the present condition of Kentucky and to the course to be pursued in relation to the taxes by her legislature appear to me eminently just; but this letter has already reached such an extreme length, and the pressure on my time and attention is such, that I must defer further remark, as well as a reply to your suggestions about the appointment of officers, to another occasion, and remain, your obedient servant,

J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War.

P. S.-If you can use secret-service money to sufficient advantage to justify its expenditure, I will place to your credit in the Treasury, and subject to your check, such moderate amount as you may deem necessary.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, WESTERN DEPARTMENT, Columbus, Ky., November 3, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS:

Finding there was just so much wheat and other provisions in the country and no more; being impressed with the indispensable necessity of having the army under the commanding supplied for the next twelve months beyond peradventure, I have caused a restriction to be