With renewed congratulations upon the martial force of your State and considerations of high personal regard, I remain, your excellency's obedient servant,

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

HDQRS. MIL. DEPT. MIDDLE AND EAST FLORIDA,
Fernandina, September 13, 1861

Honorable L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War, C. S., Richmond:

SIR: The whole population of Florida may well unite with me, as they do in deploring the condition of the State. I have been in the State nine days and have been at this place for five days. I have pulled down much of the battery and magazine, and when completed (I hope in two weeks) the harbor will be guarded and protected. An alarm existed a few days since, and the governor promptly called out a large force of volunteers, and a strong resistance could have been made, but without aid from Fort Clinch and the battery it would have been useless to expect it. As soon as the sun rises, unless cannon, powder, &c., be sent to Florida in the next thirty days, she will fall into the hands of the North. Nothing human can prevent it. There are not 4,000 pounds of powder at every post combined. The batteries are incorrectly put up and not finished. The enemy can land where they please. Guns and chassis are lying on the beach, though that I have remedied. There is not an officer to put up the guns or an officer to superintend their instruction when put up. There is not an officer to receive the supplies when they arrive I have no assistant adjutant-general nor an assistant commissary, nor an assistant quartermaster, nor an aide-de-camp. Mr. Wood, if appointed a lieutenant, was applied for as aide, Mr. I'Anson as assistant quartermaster. Captain Gott was applied for, and received orders, which were revoked; I applied for no one else, as I knew no one to apply for. I applied to General Cooper for Lieutenant Thomas, adjutant of Colonel Ward's regiment Florida volunteers, who was dissatisfied with his position. Colonel Ward, Lieutenant Thomas informs me, will object to the transfer. I trust, Mr. Secretary, that you will take this communication under your immediate notice, and have the ordnance stores and the various officers sent at once. I send a list of guns and ammunition wanted forthwith. Florida will become a Yankee province unless measures for the relief are promptly made. I heave to-morrow for Tallahassee, and shall, with all dispatch, visit Saint Mark's, Apalachicola, Cedar Keys, and Tampa. I will communicate my movements from time to time. I send a copy of my requisition for ordnance; also a circular found,with many others, posted about this city.

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

JOHN B. GRAYSON,

Brigadier-General, C. A., Commanding Middle and East Florida.

[Inclosures.]

Requisition for ordnance and ordnance stores required to be filled at the earliest moment for the Military Department of Middle and East Florida, and to be consigned to Captain William Hickman, assistant quartermaster, Fernandina, East Florida:

14 32-pounder cannon; six to be rifled, if possible.

4 42-pounders, if possible, and rifled, with chassis. The chassis for the 32-pounders are promised from Charleston.