| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, Oct. 8, 1863 |
| |
| Lt. Col. J. S. Corley |
| Chief Q. M. |
| Army of No. Virga. |
| |
| Colonel, |
| In my communication to you, of September 11th, in
regard to a letter of instructions from Major D. H. Wood, to Captain
Thompson, Assistant Quarter Master, at Orange C. H. I stated that Major
Wood had not been authorized by me to exercise any control over officers
of the Quarter Master's Department attached to General Lee's command. |
| While this statement was literally correct, I find upon
consideration of Major Wood's report upon the subject, and an
examination of the orders heretofore issued from this bureau, that
without explanation, my letter may be calculated to place Major Wood in
a wrong position. |
| Many abuses having been discovered to exist in the
transportation offices, it was deemed proper to adopt some mode for
their correction; and also to inform transportation officers, of errors
committed in issuing tickets; and to instruct them particularly in
regard to decisions, rulings &c of the Department. Major Wood being on
duty here, and in charge of the Central Transportation Office, it was
considered that his position would enable him to correctly advise
officers of the errors committed by them, and to call their attention to
irregularities discovered in the examinations made in his office, in
time frequently to enable them to be corrected. Major Wood, of course,
not having the authority to communicate with, or give instructions to
officers in different parts of the country, was authorized to address
them, by order of the Quarter Master General. |
| Under this authority, his several communications were
addressed to Captain Thompson; and he does not appear to have exceeded
it, nor to have been actuated by any purpose to assume or control which
had not been delegated to him. |
| It will be apparent to you, that decided benefit will
result from the prompt discharge of the duty devolved upon Major Wood,
and that it will not, to any degree, interfere with your control of the
officers of the Q. M. Department in the Army of Northern Virginia. |
| I desire, therefore, that this explanation will be
regarded by you, as qualifying the statement made in my letter of the
11th ultimo. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. Genl. |
|