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Hopkinsville Kentucky
Augst 10th 1871

General O O Howard
Commissioner Freedmen Bureau &c
Washington DC

Sir
Sometime in June or July 70 I forwarded to Hon Wm W Belknap Secretary of War a Batch of charges against some of the Officers of your Bureau, for him, not you to investigate and it appears in his absence the papers fell into your hands  Modesty should have forbid your having any thing to do with them, - as the Chief of that Bureau some one outside and not under your Control should have been situated. I cannot excuse you for selecting such a worthless fellow as Major Compton - who told me he was an officer of the Army carefully concealing the fact that he was one of your Stinkers - & is useless to prefer charges of the guilty and to determine their truth  before this fellow left I became satisfied he was one your Bureau men, from the careless manner in which he removed my instructions in regard to McMullen  He promised me a copy of his report and failed to give it or even answer my letter requesting it.

I have had examined the copy you sent in person which it appears Compton based his report upon the statements of Genl Balloch & McMullen, and it would be strange indeed if they did not make statements to exonerate themselves. You certainly must know the character of McMullen. Why for the negroes of Clarksville do not believe him on oath.

I gave Compton written instructions how to investigate the character & conduct of McMullen and he evidently failed to comply with them