Accept assurances of the high consideration and esteem with which I have the honor to be, Your Excellency' obedient servant,

JAMES A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

[15.]

RICHMOND, VA., December 1, 1862.

Governor JOHN J. PETTUS,

Jackson, Miss.:

Directed the orders to be sent several days sicne, as soon as you annouced your arrangements made. Regret the delay, and hope it may not be injurious. More arms have been ordered to General Pemberton, for the use of which I have counted on your bringing out men not subject to duty, but who could serve for short terms. Your past efforts lead me to except much of you.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

[15.]

JACKSON, December 1, 1862.

Honorable SECRETARY OF WAR:

DEAR SIR: Wheather the suggestion be worth consideration by the Government or not, I feel it to be a duty to express to conviction that unless we yield the sea-board cities, or at least risk them with small garrisons, so as to give the greater part of the troops now defending them to the army in the West, the Valley of the Mississippi will certainly pass from our hands. We cannot hald East Tennessee, the sea-board, and the Mississippi Valley with the forces available. I have on a former occasion advised, and now advise, that the sea-board, and East Tennessee, even, be given up rather than allow the enemy the overwhelming advatage which his possession of the valley will give him. It is equivalent to give up the cause. The Norhwest once in possession of the river will never surrender it. You will find in the Northwest a stubborn resistance to all terms of peace which involve the surrender of the river to an independent power. Could we ratake it? I do not think we could. The cities of the sea-board would be yielded, for their possession would be of little account provided we held the great river. There is no force here to prevent the enemy from doing very much as he pleases. Bragg's army is out the ring, hors de combat by its position, and the troops of this department do not exceed 30,000 for three points-Port Hudson, Vicksburg, and the Tallahatchie.

Very truly and respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. P. HARRIS.

[17.]

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE,
La Vergne, Tenn., December 1, 1862.

[Colonel GEO. WM. BRENT:]

COLONEL: I have the honor to state that the enemy have been for the last month burninig all unoccupied houses between La Vergne and Nashville. Up to this time they have, to my knowledge, burned more than tweny houses. At and near La Vergne, last Thursday, they