The. companies coming into serviee at Victoria and Fort Brown are to P. O. Hebert, September 20, 1861
San Antonio, Tex., September 20, 1861.
-Brig. Gen. P. O. HEBERT:
. SIR: By request of your aide, Lieutenant Wilson. I make the following report of troops, arms, &c., as I understand them to be, in this department:
General Van Dorn made requisitions on the governor for three regi-
. ments of infantry, one each for Galveston, Victoria, and Fort Brown;
also for seven companies of artillery (one to be light), for Fort Brown, Saluria, San Luis, Galveston, and Sabine Pass; but I do not understand exactly how he intended to place them all. Also five companies of cavalry, one for Sabine Pass and the coast to Bolivar Point; three for Galveston, and one for the coast west of that place. I have directed the troops intended for Galveston and Sabine Pass to report to Colonel _ Moore, for muster and orders; those for Victoria to report at that place
to Maj. A. M. Haskell, for the same purpose; those for Saluria, to Capt. D. D. Shea, for the same purpose. At Saluria there are, or soon will
be, two companies of artillery. The troops for Fort Brown are to be mustered into service here. One company of artillery (Captain Marmion) has been mustered, and will be sent on in a-few days. Captain Kampmann’s company of infantry was mustered, in yesterday (19th), and will be sent in a few days to Camp Verde, and Captain Buquor’s
X company, now at that place, sent to Fort Brown. The governor has
selected Victoria and Millican as the points for the two camps of in- – struction for the twenty companies of the reserve army. Major Haskell has been ordered to Victoria to establish that depot, muster in and
supply the troops, and command them. Lieutenant Dinkins has been
. ordered there to assist him. He wants Lieut. J. Sparks (now at Houston on duty) also, but I do not see how I can let him have him, as there is
no other officer that I know of that I can send to muster in the troops
at Millican. ‘There is no quartermaster or commissary that can be sent
to Milliean at present to establish that depot and supply the troops ; but Major Maclin, chief quartermaster, &c., Department of Texas, will
j send an agent there for that purpose. I have designated no officer to command thatcamp. I know of nooneat all suitable, but shall instruct
Lieutenant Sparks to put them to drilling, under their captains, until a eommander be sent them. Colonel Forshey is in command at San Luis, at the mouth of the Brazos, but I do not know what troops or arms he has there. Several companies are now waiting at Victoria to be mustered in, so I learn. I have directed that one of the cavalry companies be mustered in at that place. General Sibley’s brigade is filling up rather slowly; twelve or thirteen companies are here and mustered in;
others are expected daily. He talks of taking three regiments with him from this point, under instructions from the adjutant-general and an
agreement between him and General Van Dorn. To aid him, this department will be entirely stripped of every tent, all the clothing of every kind, and nearly all other quartermasters’ stores. His transportation will have to be done by contract, or there would be none left in the de— partment. Col. John S. Ford is at Fort Brown, where he has three or
four companies of his own regiment (Second Texas Mounted Rifles), and
the othersix companies are under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Baylor, and seattered from Fort Olark to Fort Bliss, and probably much farther up into Arizona and New Mexico. I regret to say that there is considerable confusion throughout this regiment, and there is nothing
in the office here by which I can learn or know where all the companies —
are or know what they are doing; but I have directed Colonel Ford and Lieutenant-Colonel Baylor to inform me of their localities as early as possible. One company of regular cavalry, under Lieutenant Ingraham, C. S. Army, is at Fort Inge. My own regiment (First Texas Mounted Rifles) is stationed on the north and northwestern frontiers, from Fort McKavett to Red River ; but the camp of three companies ón Red River will be broken up and the troops removed in a short time to Fort Belknap, as General Pike desires them to be withdrawn from their present proximity to the Indian Territory, and they cannot very well winter where they are. Col. R. R. Garland, late of the Seventh U. S. Infantry, has been sent to Northern Texas (Dallas), to muster into the service the regiments of Colonels Stone and Johnson. Colonel Stone’s regiment has been, I have no doubt, mustered by this time, and will
be gone in a few days to join the troops in Western Missouri. I have –
heard nothing of Colonel Johnson’s movements, and cannot tell what his prospects are for getting off. Colonel Gregg, of the same section, has called on me for arms, &c. (
by order of the Secretary of War), for
his regiment, and, as they are not on hand, I of course could not comply with the order. Captain Mechling’s company of light artillery has
been ordered to Galveston, aud is only waiting the completion of his
caissons, which will be ready in two or three weeks, There is not more.
than enough (if enough) small-arms in the depot here to arm one regiment. There are sóme arms at Harrisburg, left there by Lieutenant
Haskell, and there are some small-arms at Fort Brown; but I am unable to give you a correct idea of the quantity or quality at eitber place.
The. companies coming into serviee at Victoria and Fort Brown are
poorly armed at best, and some of them have none at all ; and if you do
not need them at Harrisburg or Galveston, they had better be sent to