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Washington City
June 20th 1853

Sir

I deem it my duty to report the following facts to the War depart:

    Capt (& [[?]] Lt.Col.) S.H. Winder 1st duty lately Comdg. Officer at Fort Myers Florida has been, and is, active in circulating the reports of the late Indian Contractor charging me with [[strikethrough]] abusing [[/strikethrough]] interferring with the removal of the Florida Indians etc etc. In Florida he repeated such calumny to citizens and insinuated this to officers and since his arrival in this city, he has stated to a citizen of Florida (now in one of Depts.) that "but for Capt. Casey the Indians would long since have been removed."

    Now Sir I am well aware that my character cannot suffer by such, or any slander, from Col. Winder, and that not one officer of the Army nor one respectable citizen on the Florida frontier believes them, but the public service is injured and my duties in Florida (of a most difficult & delicate nature) maybe seriously embarrassed by such conduct on the part of an officer of his rank.

I have not submitted this subject until all other [[?]] of [[?]] the devil have failed, as will be seen by the annexed correspondence, so far back as July & August 1852, and I do it now and with great reluctance

Most respectfully
Your obedt Sert
[[signature:John C. Casey]]
Caption. U.S.A.

[[?]]

Col. S. Cooper}
Capt. [[?]] U.S.A.}

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Wash DC June 26 1853

Gen D.E. Twiggs,

[[?]], I have to day, for the first time, had a conference with the Sc. War on the subject of removing the Fla. Indians. He explained to me, [[underlined]]in confidence[[/underlined]] your [[?  ?]] — that you proposed x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Before learning any thing of this, I was called on for my views which I gave as follows x x x x x x x x x x x Such is the substance of my report and I now desire your opinion of it, and also your [[?]] for x x x [[underlined]] when[[/underlined]] it will be sent by you and whether my plan & yours do not promise to interfere with each other.

I want to interfere with no one else, and especially not with you, nor will I do so under any circumstances.

If you think it well for me dot try my plan up to a certain date say so — if you object to it say so.  Should your plan be attempted at once I need hardly say dot you that I will aid & advise(in yours) s far as I can & let mine be abandoned.

I hope you will write to me frankly on this subject.  Meantime Lt [[?]] will be sent to Ft. Myers to communicate with the Indians & find out their present state as far as he can & to write a[[?]] to Lt [[?]].  I shall also request that a small sum of money may be placed in Lt. [[?]] hand at N. Orleans until it is [[?]] whether any will be recovered from Blake.  I am sorry that my health is so delicate that I can not be so active as I [[?]] wish, nor can I return to Tampa before October    

[[? ? ?]]
J. C. Casey

P,S. Please address me [[underlined]]under cover[[/underlined]] ddto Gen [[?]] [[?]]

W.B. of course my [[?]] should be [[?]] before x x x x                  

Transcription Notes:
General David Emanuel Twiggs