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I have failed to know my duty, my ignorance has arisen from your failure to supply me with the necessary instructions - Contained  in Circular No "12" received to day

You have seen proper to depart from your usual Courteous regard for the feelings & rights of your Subordinates and have burst upon me with a torrent of vague and intangible charges of "gross neglect of duty" and "indifference and inattention to instructions," - All of which are based upon "Certain reports which have reached this Office" the Corroboration of which depends upon the question, assumed by you as an affirmative fact, whether you have furnished me with Circular No. 12, which you have not - until this day.

I respectfully demand that you make your retraction of these Charges as full, and as Official as you have made the Charges, or that you assume the onus of proof, and place me in a position to refute them, including the "Certain Reports" made official by your reference to them.  An order to report at Raleigh will satisfy you I am right.

I am Colonel.- Very Respectfy
Your obdt Servant
A. W. Shaffer 
Bvt Lt Col Sub-Asst Commr