see the general in the field, the dispatches sent for him were telegraphed to Colonel Rainey at Galveston, and shown to Colonel Sulakowski, who is here.

Colonel Bankhead, Messrs. Yancey, Smith, Mason, Bloomfield, Pendleton, and all but poor me, leave to- morrow. Messrs. Sligh and Morgan will strengthen your clerical force. I sleep in the office, and will keep your dispatches moving.

You will have heard of Major Fontaine and Jones' battery before this reaches you.

The courier is waiting, and I must "dry up."

In haste, yours, &c.,

KING.

HEADQUARTERS FORCES MOUTH OF BRAZOS,
Velasco, Tex., December 8, 1863.

Captain EDMUND P. TURNER, Assistant Adjutant- General:

SIR: I send you all the dispatches I have received since yesterday. I think they are reliable; and, if so, Colonel Brown's regiment could move, say, in the afternoon, and before daylight surprise, which, and capture their land forces, and get them beyond the gunboats before daylight.

The commanding general being near, I do not feel disposed to issue an order to carry out the above without the general's approbation, but I confess I feel sanguine about the result.

No vessels in sight. Heavy guns heard this morning at sea in the direction of Galveston.

The Second and Third Texas Regiments, and a portion of Waul's Legion and of Gould's regiment arrived last night; in all, about 1,000 men. Many more troops are, I understand, near at hand, all of which makes me feel not only hopeful but confident that we will not be whipped.

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

J. BATES,

Colonel, Commanding.

COLUMBIA, TEX.,

December 8, 1863.

Captain EDMUND P. TURNER, Assistant Adjutant- General:

CAPTAIN: I am under the painful necessity of reporting to you that soldiers belonging to various commands are straggling about the country committing depredations on the property of citizens. As I cannot point out these men, and they belong to various commands, I hope a stringent order will be published to prevent straggling and protect the property of citizens.

I remain, captain, your most obedient servant,

J. W. WIGGINS,

Quartermaster's Agent.

CAMP AT SANBORN'S PLANTATION, December 8, 1863.

[General MAGRUDER:]

SIR: A paper purporting to be your Special Orders, Numbers [334], dated December 8,, 1863, charging Woods', Terrell's, and Pyron's regiments with"robbing, and the contemptible crime of theft," with other odious