information concerning Colonel Brown's orders, &c., until furnished a day or two since with a rough copy in his possession by General Meiga.

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[NOVEMBER 9-19, 1862.-For Secretary of War to General Butler (November 9), in relation to transportation; General McClellan to Butler (November 15), calling for reports of strength and condition of command; Butler's reply of November 18, and order suspending the embarkation of the expedition, see Series III, Vo. I, pp. 542, 552, 555, 559.]

HDQRS. OF THE ARMY, ADJT. General 'S OFFICE,
Washington, December 20, 1861.

Colonel HARVEY BROWN, U. S. A.,

Commanding Department of Florida, Fort Pickens, Fla.:

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your highly important dispatches, as follows:

October 9 and 11, with inclosures, reporting the attack of the rebels and their disastrous repulse on the 9th October.

October 15, in relation to joint attack intended to be made by you with the naval force.

Three letters of November 25, and report, with enclosures, of December 2, in relation to the bombardment of the rebel forts and batteries around Pensacola by the fort and fleet of the United States on the 22nd and 23rd November.

Letter of December 3, remarking upon bravery and good conduct of officers and men of your command.

The brilliant and successful operations detailed in these dispatches have been read with lively satisfaction by the President, Secretary of War, and General-in Chief. The General will not forget to bring specially to notice the valuable services thus rendered by yourself, your officers, and your whole command, and to urge an appropriate recognition of them by the Government.

Your suggestions in relation to armament, &c., have already been brought to the attention of the Ordnance and also of the Navy Departments. The regiment sent or re-enforce you has doubtless arrived before this, and it is hoped that some if not all the absent officers of your regular companies have also joined by this time.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDA,
Fort Pickens, December 27, 1861.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: Nothing of special import has occurred at this fort since the bombardment. The Seventy-fifth New York Volunteers, whose arrival I duly reported, are encamped and industriously engaged in drilling. The Sixth [N. Y.] Regiment, I am sorry to say, so far as the officers are concerned, is in a state of disorganization; crimination,

recriminations, charges, and countercharge, between the officers, and

43 R R-VOL VI