Ex Dept, Austin Nov 13, 1862

My dear sir,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt

of your communication bearing date 12th Sept and

directed to myself and others. For the kind

expressions and the manifest interest entertained

by you on behalf of the states West of the Miss

please receive my acknowledgements --

I am also in receipt of letters from

Messrs. Sexton and Gray members of Congress

from our state of a very satisfactory character.

They both inform me that from conversations

with you, they were led to believe you would

for the present require no more men to leave

Texas. Let me assure Your Excellency that Texas

is almost denuded of her best fighting

men. We have over 50 Regts in the Confed-

erate service very few of which are in

the state. We are also very badly off for

arms. Our men took with them the best

arms they could contest. We have an

immense frontier and sea country to look

after both of which, is now seriously

threatened with invasion. May I hope

under the circumstances that you will

for the present suspend the enforcement

of the new conscript law within our

state. The Commanding Genl has called

upon me for for 2000 state troops for

the defense of the state and if the new

for a short period I am busily

engaged raising them, should [?]