HEAQUARTERS,

Montgomery, January 19, 1861.

Colonel T. LOMAX,

Second Regiment Alabama Volunteers, Penscola, Fla.:

COLOMEL: Your letters up to the 15th, inclusive, have been duly received. The Governor instructs me to say to you that he fully appreciates your position and that of our brave troops under you command; that he is anxious to do everything in his power to render your condition less irksome and more agreable. The importance of Pensacola to Alabama in a military point of view was of course the main cause of your expedition; but to accomplish the object properly it became necessary that the Governor of Florida should control it, and therefore the disposition of troops could not be changed without his order and consent. Unless, therefore, he should signify a willingness to assume the entire defense of Pensacola by the troops of that State, and exhibit a force necessary to do, so, it would not be practicable or safe to withdraw the volunteers from Alabama at present there until they could be replaced by others. Although the expedition may have fauled in its object so far as the actual possession of all the forts is concerned, still it is not the less indispensable that a strong military force should be present to prevent the iformation of a great military depot at that point, from which none of the Gulf States would have been free from annoyance, if indeed from actual danger, and especially the large cities of Mobile and New Orleans. The former is not more than fifty miles distant, is entirely defenseless, and if taken Fort Morgan would fall an easy prey to the enemy. Confined to Fort Pickens, if the Federal Government should make war upon us, they could not concentrate any considetable body of troops there, and even though the other forts and navy - yard might be commanded by it, still they themselves could not venture to occupy them while we were present in sufficient numbers. At all events they could not fit out an expedition there for operations upon other points.

In view of there facts the Governor hopes you and Major Chase will not lose sight of the importance of works of defense and offense in the immediate vicinity of those forts, in case they should be rendered untenable by the guns of Fort Pickens. It is a question, therefore, submitted to the consideration of yourself and Major Chase, whether or not it might not be better to erect earth - works at a suitable distance inland, and in a great measure out of the range of Fort Pickens, and remove all the guns and material out of Fort Barrancas and the navy - yard. If these places are commanded by Fort Pickens it is not safe to allow important stores and material to remain within their walls, and their removal to a more secure and defensible spot should be speedily provided for. So soon as the necessary appropriations are made and it shall be furnished you. Until this shall be ascertained the Governor feels sure that you and the gallant men under your command will endure whatever privations and danger the exigencies of the services may call for with the same alacrity, gallantry, and self - sacrificing devotion that has already charecterized your conduct. Doctor Ballenged was dispatched to Pensacola on the 17th with what cartridges he had nade, with instructions to remain there under your orderes for that purpose. The four pieces of ordnance were shipped by railroad this morning.

Very respectfully,

J. J. SEIBELS,

Colonel and Aide - de - Camp.

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