as it should be without making the lines too extended, but the work shall be pushed with all energy.

The gunboat Essex reconnoitered us this morning without coming within range and immediately returned. Reliable information from Baton Rouge puts the strength of the enemy at that place at eighteen regiments of infantry, with about 300 cavalry, in all estimated at about 12,000 men, under the command of Brigadier General C. Grover. The troops are all new levies, except about three regiments, and the regiments are well filled up. The gunboats and transports have all returned to New Orleans, except a sloopt of war and the Essex. About 200 infantry and 100 cavalry advanced about 12 miles on the Clinton road this morning and had a skirmish with my cavalry, in which the enemy's cavalry were driven back on their infantry with a few killed and a few wounded.

I would respectfully urge that more heavy guns be sent here as soon as possible, and a larger supply of ammunition is urgently needed for all the river guns.

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

FRANK. GARDNER,

Major-General.

ORDERS, HDQRS. LOUISIANA MILITIA, ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, No. 911.
Opelousas, December 29, 1862.

I. Brigadier General R. B. Todd, commanding Eleventh Brigade, will, immediately on the receipt of this order, call into active service the militia of his brigade, armed with such arms as they may possess, and report at once at Monroe to Brigadier General A. G. Blanchard, C. S. Army, for duty and for the defense of that portion of the State bounding the Mississippi River.

* * * * * * *

By order of Thomas O. Moore, Governor and commander-in-chief.

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HOUSTON, TEX., December 29, 1862.

Major General J. B. MAGRUDER,

Commanding District of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona:

GENERAL: In compliance with your instructions I have the honor to submit the following remarks in justification of an order issued by me several months ago for the extermination of a party of Apache Indians in the Territory of Arizona:*

I beg leave to premise by saying that I have lived from childhood on the frontier of Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas, and am familiar with the Indians and their habits, both in war and peace. I have witnessed repeated outrages and barbarities almost beyond conception committed by the various savage tribes upon the frontier people of this State. Such scenes of horror and revolting cruelty were well calculated to make any man act and feel toward their authors in a manner that may seem strange to those who have no conception of the Indian character except from the very imperfect delineations of it by novelists; but which to the hardy frontiersmen, who have year after year suffered

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* See Randolph to Magruder November 7, 1862, and McWillie to Secretary of War January 10, 1863.

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