| Head Quarters U. S. Forces |
| Fernandina, Fla. March 5, 1863 |
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| Lt Col. C. G. Halpine |
| A. A. Gen. 10th A. C. |
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Colonel, |
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I beg leave to submit the following facts to the
consideration of the Major General Commanding. |
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The Florida R. R. Co. (Fernandina to Cedar Keys) has had,
lying about the Station at this place, a large quantity of old and
ne car wheels and axles, old brass and copper, ruins of locomotives
and cars &c. Judge Latta, Provost Marshall of Florida, has sold for
$500, a large quantity of this material to Mr C. L. Robinson, a
loyal man, formerly resident in Jacksonville, who resides here as
Florida claim agent," and one cargo, worth several thousand
dollars, has been shipped to New York via Port Royal. |
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Judge Latta, it is true, is an able lawyer, and it is
said has obtained the approval of Brig. Genl Saxton, but the matter
is not quite clear to me. Perhaps I ought to be satisfied that I am
not in any way responsible, but as it is my general duty to protect
the property of loyal citizens, I should prefer either to receive
definite orders from my direct superior offices or be clearly
convinced that Judge Latta is right. |
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The Rail Road Corporation, as such cannot be preceeded
against for disloyalty. If there ae disloyal stockholder, their
shares can be confiscated and sold. That is the way to confiscate
the rail road, it seems to me, and not by seizing loose property of
the Corporation and disposing of it at private sale, in advance of
any legal proceedings whatever. If all the stock and bond holders
were rebels, the practical difference would be less, but I am
assured on good authority that three fourth of them are loyal. A
loyal man, Michael Phelan, residing here, owns bonds nominally worth
$127,000. Marshall O. Roberts of New York is said to have a million
similarly invested. All this material is, as usual, I suppose,
mortgaged to them. They may well object to this conversion of
private property to public uses without compensation, especially as
it is not to meet any direct military or other necessity. |
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They, should any thing practical result from Mr Eli
Thayer's schemes, or should the entire state be otherwise taken and
held, it might be extremely desireable to open this road through to
Cedar Keys. In that case, would it not be the natural course to let
the loyal stockholders resume its management and the stock of rebels
pass into loyal hands through confiscation? Should that happen, much
of this material might be needed for immediate use. Neither Judge
Latta nor myself is qualified to discriminate and say what may or
may not just as well be sent to New York, (though I have directed my
mechanics to retain all that they may possibly need for our single
locomotive and three or four mies of track) and certainly the
purchaser is not the man to select, as he desires to get, under the
denomination of refuse old iron, as much value as possible. |
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There is another view to take of it. The loyal stock and
bond holders will certainly ask the Government to reimburse them for
whatever has been so appropriated, and the Government would be bound
to pay the real value of the material here, which is doubtless very
much more than the sum given by Mr Robinson, who expects to pay all
charges and then make a profit by a sale at a still reduced rate in
New York. The Government is not likely to make a profitable
speculation of it. Furthermore, these claimants, having a small
foothold for besieging the Treasury, would be sure to enlarge it,
and charge upon the United States agent or officers as much as
possible of the devastations committed by the rebels. I am not at
all sure that Judge Latta is right in then selling and removing this
property, in advance of any judicial action, and to avoid the
slightest danger of censure in future for not having objected to it,
I prefer to ask a word from the Major General. |
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Ought I to permit the shipment of this property to
continue? I have stopped it for the present, Judge Latta is absent. |
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I have the honor to be |
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Very Respectfully |
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Your Obedient Servent |
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Jos. R. Hawley |
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Col 7th C. V. |
| Comdg Post |
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| (Endorsed) |
| Lt Col Hall, P. M. G. |
| Please have immediate
inquiries made as to whether the property within referred to be now in
Port Royal Harbor, possibly on board the "Boston" If so, or whether it
can be found, seize it. The Maj Genl. Com. begs that you use your utmost
diligence in the matter |
| C. G. Halpine |
| A. A. Genl |
| 10th A. C. |
| March 14, 1863 |
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