| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond July 21st 1864 |
| |
| Maj. T. J. Noble QM |
| Montgomery Ala |
| |
| Major, |
| Our mail communication with the South has
been interrupted for a month by the breaking of our Roads and your
letters of 27th & 29th insts have just been received. I feel much
gratified at the success of your efforts, and especially at your
announcement that you "have purchased corn enough to last Genl
Johnston's Army until the new corn comes in." You have evinced
intelligence, zeal & industry in the discharge of the duties entrusted
to you & I take pleasure in expressing to you my appreciation thereof.
Efforts are being made to prevent the competition between Agents of the
different Depts. complained of by you, but as yet I can do nothing to
control or prevent the evil. |
| The "situation" is such at present that I cannot
consent to have you come on here, as I esteem your presence in Alabama
as important to this Dept. |
| The section of Alabama along the M&G RR
{Mobile & Girard RR} and the Chattahoochee
River, being tributary to Columbus Ga. & a measure detached from the
balance of the state, it was thought best to continue it under the
control of Maj Dillard who already had Agents there. It is desired to
send the corn from that section to Genl Lee's Army. There is no reason
why there should be any conflict between yourself & Major Dillard. We
have no corn now along the Roads in N. Carolina & S. Carolina & it is
very desirable to have corn pressed on from the South. |
| Under the recent legislation of Congress, I propose to
dispense in a great measure with Regimental Quarter Masters. If you know
of any of special fitness and competency for the work entrusted to you,
I can order them to report to you. This I prefer, rather than to ask the
appointment of additional bonded Agents, as the Secy of War is averse to
making such applications. |
| A. R. Lawton |
|