Viewing page 245 of 274

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Abbeville Ala. Oct. 18th 1866.

Gen. Swayne:

Dear Sir,
I deem it a duty that I owe to the country to inform you that I have evidence enough to believe, that there was a large quantity of government cotton concealed by a certain man in this county, about a year ago. One witness, a young man who kept the ferry near by, says he saw the cotton put away; another man also told me that he knew of a case where one hundred bales of fine cotton were concealed, but did not give the name of the person concealing. I suspect that it is the same mentioned by the ferry man before mentioned. This supposed peculator was a merchant before the war, a Quarter Master during the war, and amassed a large amount, which he invested in Confederate Bonds. These becoming worthless, it is supposed that he took the cotton to compensate himself. At the close of the war he reclaimed himself bankrupt; but since that time he has embarked again largely in mercantile operations, and it is but reasonable to suppose on the basis of the cotton mentioned before. I gave information of this circumstance to the Commandant of Post at Eufaula, twice last year, but received no answer. I know not the reason why. If you think it important enough to demand atten