[THIRD indorsement.]

ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

November 2, 1864.

Respectfully referred to Major-General Maury, whose attention is invited to the indorsement of the Secretary of War.

By order of Adjutant and Inspector General:

JOHN W. RIELY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[Fourth indorsement.]

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE GULF,
Mobile, Ala., November 17, 1864.

Respectfully returned through department headquarters.

The facts, as I remembered them, are as follows: Lieutenant- General Lee stopped 3,000 Enfield rifles en route to the Trans- MISSISSIPPI Department. General Braxton Bragg approved of their detention for use of troops in this department, and so instructed me when I was placed in command of this department. I received several dispatches urging their release, one from Colonel Gorgas not to stop them "if you can help it," another from the War Department informing me that they were pressingly needed, either to arm unarmed troops General Kirby Smith would thrown across the MISSISSIPPI or to replace in his department the arms the troops would bring over with them. Therefore I ordered the release of the arms and urged them forwarded to the MISSISSIPPI River. See inclosed dispatches to General Adams. Mean time a column of 25,000 men advanced into MISSISSIPPI as far as Oxford. I had not troops to oppose them, except Forrest and his 5,000. The Governor of MISSISSIPPI brought out his State troops to aid me. Three were many of these rendezvous at Brandon without arms; unless armed at once they would either disband and go home or would be unable to aid in meeting the invasion. There being no other arms at all within my reach, I directed these to be issued to them. At this time I learned also the General Smith would send no troops over the river, either armed or unarmed. I think Colonel Gorgas is mistaken in his view that the result "proved this seizure unnecessary. " He has overlooked the fact that Forrest, by his movement on memphis, caused the enemy to retreat out of Mississippi, and therefore the militia went home without using the arms. If the secretary of War Will read this over, in connection with the history of the events referred to, I think he will perceive that I used a sound discretion on this occasion, and that the act of my administration, by which the State of MISSISSIPPI was saved from invasion, should not be turned against me in reprehension. The inclosed dispatch to General Adams, of September 5, was issued by direction of Lieutenant-General Taylor, who had arrived at Meridian, knew that arms were not required beyond the Mississippi, and that armed troops were immediately needed in this department.

DABNEY H. MAURY,

Major-General, Commanding.

[Fifth indorsement.]

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA.,
Selma, November 22, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded.

For and in absence of Lieutenant-General Taylor:

A. J. WATT,

Assistant Adjutant-General.