John Bankhead Magruder to Pendleton Murrah, March 31, 1864

general demoralization, as I foretold to your
Excellency on your way to Austin last fall,
has been the result of the course pursued
by the State authorities[.] Companies have
met, detailed themselves teamsters, and elected
their Captain, Wagon Master, to haul the
State Cotton, & then dispersed. I hear
from all quarters that the organization is
a total failure.

I beseech your Excellency to throw
aside all other considerations, and to use
the authority which the Legislature gave you;
at its last session to enforce rigorously the
Conscript law, by which I think we may
add one half to our present force. Let there
be a hearty, a totally unselfish & frank
cooperation between us for the defense, and
safety of the Country alone. If personal
friends or political adherents have not the
grace to waive their pretensions in deference
to the safety of the Country, they ought to
expect but little ceremony or courtesy from
any quarter. The evils which I predicted
have been far greater than even I supposed.
The demoralization complained of has extended
in some degree to the Texas Confederate troops.
This evil I could remedy with ease, if I
could find a Court Martial that would