| Hd Qu Dept. S. C. Ga & Fla. |
| Charleston, S. C. |
| Oct 4th 1863 |
| |
| Hon. James A. Seddon |
| Secr. of War |
| Richmond, Va. |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have been unofficially informed that Maj
Gen Whiting in Command at Wilmington N. C., has caused a large
quantity of tools, imported by order of the Engineer Bureau, under
your sanctions for the general service, to be retained at that city,
and without any reference of the subject to the War Department.
Against such actions, I feel it to be my duty, as Chief of the
Engineer Bureau, to enter my protest. It is represented that out of a
lot of 1600 axes, Gen Whiting caused 800 -- one half of the whole --
to be retained. Axes are much needed here, to fell trees in front of
our defensive lines and for other purposes, and being in front of the
enemy, prompt action is essential. Notwithstanding the urgency of our
wants here, I did not venture to call on Lt. Col. Rives for more than
200 additional axes. Knowing the importance of distributing the
limited supply equitably to many points. General Whiting, knowing
nothing of the general necessities of the engineer service, in an
arbitrary, unauthorized, and inexcusable manner, detains 800 axes at
Wilmington, not now threatened. Also, other tools, marked and shipped
to the Engineer Bureau. With the same propriety, he might halt troops,
or detain guns, ordnance stores, or any thing else, that was being
pressed forward to Richmond for the defence of the country, or the
Capital itself. |
| I have respectfully to request that Gen.
Whiting be ordered to send forward, at once, all the tools, implements
or other property, shipped and marked to Engr Bureau that he may have
detained at Wilmington. |
| I have the honor to be |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your obt Servant |
| J. F. Gilmer |
| Maj. Genl & Chf of Engr Bureau |
|