These volunteers are being organized under the laws of the State, and the 10th of November is fixed for the time of consolidating them into companies and regiments.

Many of them are armed by the United States as home guards, and many by General Anderson and myself, because of the necessity of being armed to guard their camps against internal enemies.

Should we be overwhelmed, they would scatter, and their arms and clothing will go to the enemy, furnishing the very material they so much need.
We should have here a very large force, sufficient to give confidence to the Union men of the ability to do what should be done--possess ourselves of all the State.

But all see and feel we are brought to a stand-still, and this produces doubt and alarm.
With our present force it would be simple madness to cross Green River, and yet hesitation may be as fatal.

In like manner the other columns are in peril, not so much in front as rear, the railroads over which our stores must pass being much exposed.