Letter Concerning the Outbreak of Hostilities in the Third Seminole War, 1856

[p.2]
be thus usefully employed in discovering and following their trails. The several Companies will have the same organization as regular troops and will be mustered for the period of six mo nths unless sooner discharged as each company will act seperately, no field or staff officers will be received with them.

The great differnce of expense between maintaining horse and foot troops renders it desire able to retrict the number of the former to the lowest limit. The Department is not indeed aware of any special necessity for employing mounted volunteers at all, nevertheless should you be of opinion that their services are essential to the success of your operations, it is left to your dis cretion to decide what portion of the three in dependent Companies for which you are au- thorized to call shall be mounted.

Blank rolls for mustering these volunteers will be forwarded by to-day's mail. You will Confer with the Governor - who has been apprised of the authority given you - on the subject of receiving them, and send an officer of the Army to muster