NA, QM 5/15/1862

Quartermaster General's Department
Richmond, 15th May 1862
 
Capt. A. E. Barberville
AQM
Richmond, Va.
 
Sir,
   In reply to your letter of the 23rd ultimo enclosing a statement of deficiencies on the saddles received at Gordonsville during the months of March & April in the falling back of our forces from Manassas. I have to inform you that a letter has been received from H. W. Vandergrift Chief Eng. of the O&A RR {Orange & Alexandria RR} in which he says that all the articles were loaded and unloaded by Government orders and men and at such times and such places that it was impossible for the Tail Road company to exercise any care over them. Nor were they aware of the movements, or even the articles loaded in the cars. The rail road company was morely transportation of such cars as were loaded and by order of Maj. Barbour Chief Qr. Mr. the amount was kept and charged by the car with contents unknown. And thus the Cars were not again under the control of the Company until they were unloaded.
   If therefore the foregoing Statement of the Chief Engr is correct and that the cars were taken by the Company to the points and at the time instructed by the Government officers or agents and there delivered safely, into the hands of the proper officer or agent. I do not see that the Company is at all responsible for any deficiencies that may appear in the public property transported but such responsibility rests with the officers sending or receiving the property according to the manner in which each performed his duty.
A. C. Myers, Q. M. Genl.

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