H..h. Sibley to Samuel Cooper, November 16, 1861

November 16, 1861.

. Kam Antonio, Tex., November 16, 1861. Adjutant and Inspector- General, C. S. Army:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that on Monday next, the 18th instant, I shall move with my headquarters to assume in person the command of our forces in the Territory of Arizona, and to conduct the military operations there and in New Mexico.

Before proceeding on this distant field of duty it appears proper that I should briefly communicate to you such facts concerning my official

_transactions here and touching the present condition of my forces as

may be necessary for the information of your offiee. On my arrival here, about the middle of August last, I confidently expected to be able to raise and organize my brigade within a very brief space of time, and to have been enabled by this date to have it actively employed in the accomplishment of the objects for which it was raised. Many unexpected circumstances, however, have occurred to defeat this expectation. In the first place, I was disappointed in not receiving from the executive of this State as efficient a co-operation as was desirable. This arose from no want of disposition or zeal on the part of Governor Clark to render every facility in his power for the rapid organization of the force called for. It was the consequence simply of the very inefficient system of the State military organization to which the governor had recourse to supply the troops. He ordered a sufficiet number of companies which had reported to him as organized to report to me for the service of this brigade, but the most of these companies had, as it appeared, either entirely disbanded, or their numbers had become diminished below the minimum of the Confederate service. The reliance, therefore, which was placed in this mode of raising the men caused the first serious delay.

In the second place, the designation by the governor of companies organized under the State law operated to deter other companies not so organized from offering their services to me, which many would have done at once but for the opinion, very generally prevalent, that the brigade would be filled by the companies ordered out by the governor. Although at the very earliest day that it became apparent that the . companies ordered out by the governor could not be relied on, I at once resorted direct to the people themselves, yet it required some time to counteract the effects of the misplaced reliance upon the State system.

Another source of delay arose from the competition for men whieh grew out of the calls for the several regiments required for the service east of the Mississippi. — E

I enumerate these sources of delay simply to explain the unexpected detentions which I have encountered, and not as implying any imputa tions upon any one whatever.

Although I am advancing to the field of duty assigned me with the confident hope of being able to accomplish everything designed there , by his excellency the President, yet it is proper that I should state _

that very great deficiencies still exist in the arms of my troops, notwithstanding every effort on my part to obviate them. Every company : . reported itself short of arms, and gave the sufficient reason that they `

were not to be procured in their respective sections, partly in consequence of the great reluetance of the people to allow the serviceable arms to be removed from the State, for the defense of whose coast it was generally believed they would shortly be required. . The difficulty thus arising had to be surmounted in some manner. Wherefore, in virtue of the authority delegated to me in the written instructions of his excellency the President, I directed the purchase of serviceable fire-arms and the construction of lances. There not being a dollar in the hands of any of the disbursing officers of my command, I was necessitated to resort to the credit of the Government for these purchases. These liabilities are outstanding, and on the 13th of the present month I inclosed to the Chief of Ordnance the estimates of the funds necessary for their liquidation. .

To another matter I desire to invite your attention. Shortly after my arrival here General Van Dorn was relieved from duty as com- -mander of this department, and Col. Henry E. McCulloch was left in – that position. Brigadier-General Hébert eame within the limits of this department, but did not come on to its headquarters and assume the command, but up to very recently left Colonel McCulloch to act in that

capacity, so far at least as the depots and military affairs of this place and section were concerned. Major Maclin, assistant quartermaster and acting ordnance officer of this department, left this place to meet General Hébert at Galveston, and still remains there. Colonel MeCulloch shortly afterwards also left for the same purpose, and the intellisence was soon returned that he had been relieved of the command of the department by the general. The general has not yet come on here. The consequence of all this is that there is, and for the last two or three

DURS aru x a d weeks has l een, no officer within my reach to whom I could apply for the issues of ordnance stores absolutely necessary for my command. In this situation I assumed the responsibility of ordering and requiring from the subordinates in charge of the ordnance stores here the issuance of such ordnance stores as were indispensable to my command and as could be spared from the service of the department itself. On assuming this responsibility I immediately communicated the faet to General Hébert, at Galveston, with the reasons and motives for my actions, but have as yet received no reply from him. Not to have taken this respon-

` sibility would have been to incur another and an indefinite delay, which would have probably paralyzed my command for the winter, and would certainly have disabled me from arriving at El Paso, as Lhope to do, in time to succor the small force there under Colonel Baylor, whose communication regarding an immediate attack by a greatly superior force I forwarded to you on the 8th instant.*

These facts will, I trust, vindicate me from any imputation of unwarrantable intrusion upon the powers of the department commander, which I have been serupulous to avoid.

The Fourth Regiment (Colonel Reily’s), being the first of this brigade, took up the line of march on the 22d of last month, and at last advices was making rapid progress. The Fifth Regiment (Colenel Green’s), being my second, took up the march on the 2d instant, and will make all possible dispatch. I hope to arrive at El Paso in time to overtake my advance corps. Colonel Steele’s regiment is just now completely organized, and will probably be able to march by the 20th instant.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient

servant, :

Brigadier- General, P. A. C. K.