| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Oct. 10th 1864 |
| |
| Hon. A. E. Cochrane {President,
Macon & Brunswick RR} |
| Macon, Ga. |
| |
| Sir, |
| Yours of 1st instant is
received. I can assure you that it is with the hope & belief that
the R. Road companies would be more promptly paid, that the
change in the place of settlement. The auditing of these accounts is a
peculiar business & should not be entrusted to too many
different persons. Indeed the same system should prevail in every part
of the Confederacy, & the business should be directly under the
control of the Bureau here, the payment being made by one hand. For
the present, we are endeavoring to bring up the "back pay"
to 1st August; & after the present month I hope then will be no
unreasonable delay in settling with R. Roads. The
"Estimates" for funds will be made distinct from all others
in the Dept.; & the funds not mingled with others. |
| The accounts etc should be
sent on by Express, as all our QMasters accounts are. We find no
difficulty. It will be quite unnecessary to send a special Agent to
Richmond. I am quite sure, that when the system has been tried the
objections will disappear. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. G. |
|