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August 15th

D. S Hays Esq.

[[stamp]] The National Archives of the United States [[/stamp]]

Dear Sir,
Your letter of August 10th is at hand, you are mistaken. Col Compton was selected as a high toned gentleman and moreover he was and is still an officer of our army and can be reached if your charges against him are true. I cannot return letters or papers without the order of the Secretary of War. It would be disobedience of a positive order to do so. You say so many things in your letters that are offensive that I can hardly judge whether there is or is not a cause of complaint. I will give you every opportunity to show the dishonesty of any agent of mine and will thank you. Not one instant will I keep any man in office that would defraud a man of one dime. I will soon send you a man that will make thorough work and if you are honest and right as you claim I will find it out. You must know that money cannot be paid to the attorney except the lawful fees to the atty of record according to the 

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