To the President of the Congress, Hon. Howell Cobb.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the resolution requesting me "to communicate to Congress the reports of all battles not heretofore communicated to Congress or published in full to the country," and to reply that copies of all such reports have been prepared to accompany the report of the Secretary of War, to which it was supposed proper to append them as documents. I hope very soon to be able to transmit the report of the Secretary of War with all the documents which usually and properly attend it, those specially called for, included.
Richmond, November 30, 1861.
To the Hon. President of the Congress.
I herewith transmit a communication from the Hon. Secretary of War, and recommend it to the favorable consideration of the Congress.
Richmond, December 3, 1861.
To the Hon. President of the Congress.
Sir: In response to the resolution of the Congress of the 28th Nov. ulto., inquiring "whether any restrictions (and if so, what) have been placed upon vessels leaving the ports of the Confederate States other than those imposed by law, and if any such have been imposed, by what authority," I herewith transmit copies of letters[1] furnished by the War Department, marked "A, B, C, and D,"[2] which will show all the action taken on the subject of inquiry and that no restrictions have been imposed other than those incident to a state of war and which the public defense, as it was believed, not only justified but demanded. It will be noted that the instructions were given to an officer commanding the defensive line of a port threatened by the enemy's
