sent this
letter to the Secretary of War "for his information."

A letter from W. P. Harris, Jackson, Mississippi, urges the government
to abandon the cities and eastern seaboard, and concentrate all the
forces in the West, for the defense of the Mississippi Valley and River,
else the latter must be lost, which will be fatal to the cause, etc.

Hon. J. H. Reagan has written a savage letter to the Secretary of War,
withdrawing certain papers relating to an application for the discharge
from service of his brother-in-law, on account of feeble health. He says
he will not await the motions (uncertain) of the circumlocution office,
and is unwilling to produce evidence of his statements of the disability
of his relative. Mr. Seddon will doubtless make a spirited response to
this imputation on his office.

We have a rumor that Morgan has made another brilliant raid into
Kentucky, capturing 1800 of the enemy.

The small-pox is spreading in this city to an alarming extent. This is
the feast to which Burnside is invited. They are vaccinating the clerks
in the departments.

Gen. Floyd writes the government that, as the enemy cannot advance from
the West before spring, Echol's and Marshall's forces (10,000) might be
used on the seaboard. I wish they were here.

The United States forces in the field, by their own estimates, amount to
800,000. We have not exceeding 250,000; but they are not aware of that.

DECEMBER 10TH.--Not a word from the Rappahannock. But there soon will
be.

Official dispatches from Gen. Bragg confirm the achievement of Col.
Morgan, _acting_ as brigadier-general. There was a fight, several
hundred being killed and wounded on both sides; but Morgan's victory was
complete, his captures amounting to 1800 men, a battery, wagon train,
etc.

We have also a dispatch that _Major-Gen. Lovell_, the Yankee, had a
battle with the enemy, killing, wounding, and capturing 34!

A characteristic letter was received to-day from Mr. Sanford, Alabama,
recommending Col. Dowdell for a brigadiership. I hope he may get it, as
he is a gallant _Southerner_. Mr. S. has some hard hits at the
government; calling it a government of chief clerks and subordinate
clerks. He hopes Mr. Seddon will not be merely a clerk.

Gen. Jos. E. Johnston has written from the West a gloomy letter to Mr.
Wigfall, Texan Senator. He says he is ordered to reinforce Lieut.-Gen.
Pemberton (another Northern general) from Bragg's army. Pemberton is
retr