Unknown to John B. Grayson, October 16, 1861
Tampa, Fla., October 16, 1861.
Brig. Gen. JOHN B. GRAYSON, Commanding Middle and East Florida:
DEAR SIR: After my complimentary regards, permit me to report for your orders 13 prisoners of war, captured under my command on the 10th and 11th of this month, being the crew of the sloops William Batty and Lyman Dudley, sailing under the American colors (Stars and Stripes), with papers from Key West, with license to engage in the fishery on the Florida coast, and supply the Key West market with the same. The sloops are of the first class, well rigged, and in good order. One measures 654% tons, the other 5682 tons.
Cuar. XV.) CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.âCONFEDERATE. 295
The sloops have been duly turned over to the prize commissloner as legal prizes to the Confederate States, and the prisoners are detained in safe custody for your disposal; and, in consequence of the inconvenience – and difficulty of subsisting troops at this post, I hope you will order the prisoners to be sent to some other place, or disposed of in some other manner as soon as practicable.
With a deep regret for your ill-health, aud with due regard to your orders, I am, sir, most respectfully, yours, &c.,
W. L. L. BOWEN, Major, Commanding Military Forces, Tampa Bay.
The sloops William Batty and Lyman Dudley are, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the property of William H. Wall & Co., of Key West. They have been seized at Tampa Bay by the military for sailing under the Federal colors and with papers from Key West. Having been in the employment of Messrs. William H. Wall & Co. for several years, I know them to betrue Southern men, and have largely aided the Confederate cause.
William Pinkney, one of the firm, has taken the United States oath under duress on the island, but signed the ordinanee of secession. The permission for their vessels to sail under the Federal flag is only to keep him from seizure and imprisonment.
RICHMOND, October 23, 1861. Gov. JoHN MILTON, Tallahassee, Fla. :
General Kirby Smith has been assigned to duty with Army of the Potomac. General Trapier, of South Carolina, has been assigned to your State, and Mr. Yulee leaves to-morrow morning with his instructions. General Trapier will go first to Fernandina, and you can address him there.
J. P. BENJAMIN. Acting Secretary of War.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Tallahassee, October 24, 1861.
Hon. J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War:
Well pleased that General Trapier has been assigned to the Military Department of Middle and East Florida. Would respectfully suggest that the Military Department of the State be so arranged as to embrace the State, distinguishing the departments to which General Bragg and, General Trapier have been assigned. The reason of the suggestion is that Apalachicola and Saint Andrewâs, two important points, are not embraced in a general order. We have at Saint Mark’s howitzers and empty shells. No powder or fuse to prepare them. We need guns of large caliber and ammunition.
Respectfully, JOHN MILTON, Governor of Florida.
SPECIAL ORDERS Hpgrs. Mir. DIST., SAVANNAH, GA, rper > October 25, 1861. * * * * * * *
2. By direction of the Secretary of War all unarmed troops in camps of instruction, who have been mustered in for the war, will hold themselves in readiness to proceed forthwith to Riehmond, Va. Commanding officers, quartermasters, and commissaries of such troops will make the necessary arrangemenÃs for an immediate move, and report, by letter, to these headquarters.
By order of Brig. Gen. A. R. Lawton:
THOS. J. BERRY, Aide-de-Camp, Acting Assistant Adjutant- General.