| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, March 3rd, 1864 |
| |
| Mr Seixas |
| Agt of War Dept |
| Wilmington N. C. |
| |
| Sir, |
| In the month of December this Department
negotiated with Mess Power Lowe & Co, for the purchase of a large
lot of shoes, to be paid for in cotton, and came under an explicit
obligation to them that the cotton some 700 bales should be delivered
at Wilmington by the 1st of Feb. Before pledging the faith of the
Dept. I took every precaution to assure myself that it could be done.
Col Sims said that if the cotton was at Augusta, he would guarantee
its delivery in time & you when called upon, reported that the
cotton was at Augusta. Then only did I assume the obligation referred
to. The cotton in point of faith was delivered too within the
specified time; still the indebtedness to Power Lowe & Co. remain
unsatisfied, & this Dept. in its first purchase from importers, is
placed in the false position of carelessly disregarding its most
explicit promises. You were fully aware of all that has passed in
connection with this transaction, knew too that the shipment made by
Capt Sims, was a special one, designed expressly for Power Lowe &
Co, & still you appropriated the cotton to the settlement of what
you term prior obligations, of which you made no mention in the
progress of the matters referred to, & of the character of which,
this Department is not now advised. I cannot but express surprise at
your course of action. I feel that Messrs Power & Lowe & Co.
have great cause of complaint; & that this Dept. in spite of every
precaution that could be taken, & without the least fault on its
part, has been put in a false position, respecting a transaction of no
little importance. If you have received from any quarter, any special
instructions that instructed your action I should like to be informed
of this matter, & whence they came. |
| You have been instructed by Maj. Bagne to
turn over 300 Bales for PL Co. & I have just telegraphed you
to turn over 400 more to Capt. Sims at Augusta for shipment to Maj.
Cameron. I shall feel compelled, to avoid further misunderstanding
& disappointment, in transactions of this character, to direct in
future, that cotton intended to meet special obligations should be
shipped directly to Maj. Cameron. |
| In explaining to Mess Power Lowe & Co.
the cause of their disappointment, as well as my own, I have put the
responsibility upon you, with whom it fairly rests. |
| A R. Lawton, Q. M. Genl |
|