HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
Bowling Green, January 27, 1862.

Colonel GORGAS, Chief of Ordnance, Richmond, Va.:

Wanted at once for Fort Henry, Tennessee River, two 10-inch columbiads, with carriages, chassis, and implements complete.

For defense of Nashville, as soon as practicable: Three field batteries of Anderson's guns, if possible; twenty-five 12-pounders, siege carriages; twenty 18-pounders, siege carriages; twenty 24-pounders, siege carriages; six columbiads, 10-inch, and six 32-pounder guns, with barbette carriages, chassis, and implements complete for all.

For defense of Clarksville, Tenn.: Two columbiads, 10 or 8 inch, and two 32-pounders, with barbette carriages, and all complete; one field battery, six 12-pounders, six 18-pounders, and four 24-pounders, with siege carriages, complete; a field battery of Anderson guns to full the place of those lost by General Crittenden.

Can you supply carriages for the eight 24-pounder carronades sent to Nashville and for the five 42-pounders sent to Clarksville, Tenn.?

A. S. JOHNSTON,

General.

KNOXVILLE, TENN., January 27, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President Confederate States of America:

SIR: The Army of the Cumberland is utterly routed and demoralized. The result is regarded with the profoundest solicitude. Confidence is gone in the ranks and among the people. It must be restored. I am confident it cannot be done under Generals Crittenden and Carroll. There is now no impediment whatever but bad roads and natural obstacles to prevent the enemy from entering East Tennessee and destroying the railroad and putting East Tennessee in a flame of revolution.

Nothing but the appointment to the command of a brave, skillful, and able general, who has the popular confidence, will restore tone and discipline to the army, and confidence to the people. I do not propose to inquire whether the loss of public confidence in Generals Crittenden and Carroll is ill or well founded. It is sufficient that all is lost.

General Humphrey Marshall, General Floyd, General Pillow, General Smith, or General Loring would restore tone to the army and reinspire the public confidence. I must think, as everybody else does, that there has been a great mistake made. Every movement is important. Can not you, Mr. President, right the wrong by the immediate presence of a new and able man?

Yours, truly,

LANDON C. HAYNES.

NASHVILLE, January 27, 1862.

J. D. C. ATKINS, Member Congress:

Crittenden can never rally troops [in] East Tennessee. Some other general must be sent there. Federals advanced from Murray on Fort Henry. Before reaching Henry they retreated back to Paducah. All safe in that country.

ISHAM G. HARRIS.

54 R R-VOL VII