partly with merchants and traders who consider all operations of commerce and gain as legitimate and proper, partly with persons who have always been openly or secretly disaffected to the Confederacy, and partly with others whose necessity or cupidity has induced them to trade with the enemy. But from whatever cause the deed has its origin, the fact of the enemy procuring our cotton is of serious injury and detriment to our cause, as the enemy is thereby enabled to support his rotten and sinking fiannces, and by that means to carry on his unprincipled war, which otherwise would be crushed under its own tottering insolvency. When I was in command of the department extending from below Vicksburg to Red River, on both sides of the Mississippi, cort of the cotton-growing region, I gave particular attention to that point. Upon the advent of the gun-boats of the enemy I removed or burned all cotton within a short distance of the river. Upon their throwing out a small force I extended the orders to five miles, and upon the advent of a larger force it was further increased to ten miles, and during the period of my command, which I resigned when General Lovell was placed over me, the enemy never procured a bale of cotton. I did not resort to burning the cotton, except as a last resort, by allowing the parties the privilege of removing the same beyond the interidcted line. Since the fall of Vicksburg I am not well acquaninted with the military condition of Mississippi, but presume a line could be drawn throwing out the portion controlled by the enemy, and all such cotton removed or burned, and then as our armies fall back the same operation could be increased, keeping pace with our retreat. Suppose at present Pearl River was the line of demarkation, extending to Jackson, Big Black, Greensborough, thence east to Alabama, and all north and west of that declared subject to depredations of the enemy, and cotton removed or burned, such order would follow the working of the mode adopted and used by myself. Of course in stating the above line I do not lay it down as the proper one, for I possess no knowledge of the military condition of your department. I only state it as explanatory. The cotton nor any other property of our citizens should be destroyed, if possible to be avoided, but cotton at least should be unhesitatingly destroyed before it should be suffered to strengthen our enemy or invigorate the prosecution of the war.

I am, general, your obedient servant,

C. G. DAHLGREN.

[31.]

BRISTOL, December 3, 1863.

President JEFFERSON DAVIS,

Richmond, Va.:

Yesterday I sent duplicate letters to Ransom and Longstreet. Ransom yesterday wrote to post quartermaster here that he was going off on distant service from camp below Rogersville. Shall I follow him?

Please reply.

WM. PRESTON JOHNSTON,

Colonel and Aide-de-Camp.

[31.]

RICHMOND, VA., December 3, 1863.

Colonel W. P. JOHNSTON,

Aide-de-Camp, Bristol, Va.:

A courier well acquainted with the country could go with more safety than youself. You had better send one with full advice of events in