| Headquarters |
| McNeel's Plantation, December 23, 1863 |
| |
| Brigadier-General Major |
| |
| Sir, |
| I am instructed by
Major-General Magruder to say that you will hurry on your command as
rapidly as possible, as the enemy is in front of us in heavy force,
and may, unless re-enforcements arrive in a very short time, gain
important and perhaps vital points. |
| The general wishes you to
move your command as rapidly as possible to Columbia, Tex., using steamers for the purpose of transporting it to
Beaumont, at which point the command will take the railroad, and proceed
directly to Columbia
{using the Texas & New Orleans RR and the
Houston Tap & Brazoria RR}. |
| The men will not wait for
their horses. These will be sent in charge of every fifth man, who
will be directed to bring them by land at once to Columbia, at which point the command will be mounted. Should, however, an
engagement take place before the arrival of the horses, the men will
be used as infantry. Colonel Griffin, at Sabine
Pass, and the quartermaster at Beaumont, to each of whom a copy of this letter will be sent, are directed
to furnish you every facility. The rolling-stock of the railroad is
not sufficiently large to transport your horses; hence they will
move by land. |
| Please acknowledge receipt,
and state your present position, and when you will be in
Houston
with your command. |
| Edmund P. Turner |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
|