Viewing page 117 of 255

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[1]

"Depot at Decatur Alabama, C. C. Sheats Agent
Morgan County 500 Sacks Corn    2500 pounds Bacon,
     x     x     x

"Depot at Tuscumbia Alabama – John Powers Agent
Lauderdale County 400 Sacks Corn — 2000 pounds Bacon.
    x      x     x
Nov. 13th, 1866, Maj. Kinsman wrote me as follows, "you will turn over the supplies to the persons designated by Mr. C. As the Agents at the several depots, and will forward your receipts in triplicate to Bvt. Maj. William A. Elderkin, Commissary of Subsistence. You will for your own protection take like receipts from the Agents to whom you turn over the supplies"

The above constitute the sum total of my instructions on the subject, on the arrival of the supplies I turned them over to the persons designated by Mr. C. took their receipts; notified you of my action and enclosed to you a copy of the form of receipt which I had required those agents to sign. Thus you perceive, that there was nothing in my orders, creating or warranting on my part the understanding that "I would avoid myself of the aid and responsibility of the State authorities in their distribution, yet whenever neglect or malfeasance was apparent I would at once by my supervisory power, interfere, taking the matter into my own hands." It is a cause of sincere regret to me that neither myself nor agents of Mr. C. were so advised.

Your telegram of the 4th directing me to leave no supplies uncared for, reached me promptly, as I have advised you; but it found the supplies wholly out of my possession, and in the custody of the appointees of a man with whom I had no official connection; moreover it found in my possession no authority under which I could demand a return of the supplies to me, neither had those appointees any instructions