NA, RRB 1/31/1864

Meridian Miss
Jany 31st 1864
 
Hon James A Seddon
Secty of War
Richmond Va
 
Sir,
   I respectfully request that my resignation as Major Quarter Master P. A. C. S. be accepted and that I be allowed to join as a private either an Infantry or Cavalry Regiment of my choosing. I feel that I am entitled to select a Regiment of my own choice without having any connection the Conscript Bureau from the following reasons.
   I joined a company as a private and went with the first expedition to Pensacola Fla a few days after the secession of the state of Miss and before the Confederacy was formed. I enlisted as a private in the state service on my return from Pensacola in Feby 1861 and was transferred into the Confederate Service and left home again in March 1861, with the 10th Miss Regt. I was appointed Capt & AQM on the 28th March 1861 and have served in the capacity of Quarter Master up to this time. I can with pleasure refer to the Gens with whom I have served as to my capacity as faithful discharge of my duties. I also refer to the records of the Quarter Master Genls office to hear that I have made my returns promptly and have accounted for all public money and property which has come in my possession.
   I have served with Gen Bragg Gen Gladden Gen Ruggles Gen Pemberton Gen Johnston and am now subject to the order of Lieut Gen Polk. I feel that I have been fully appreciated by my supperior officers from the fact that I have served at Head Quarters of most if not all the Armies to I have been attached. I am satisfied that my record will show that I have been a faithful and efficient officer and that I have saved Thousands to the Govt. I could with all propriety have remained at home until a short time since, I was over Thirty five when the Conscript law was passed. I think I have served my country faithfully having been in the service before the Government of the Confederate States was formed and having remained all the while in the service I think I am entitled to volunteer & not to be conscripted.
   My reasons for wishing my resignation accepted is simply because when the war began I hjad some character for honesty & integrity & I do not wish to loose it by remaining longer in the Quarter Master Department. If some have been dishonest there is no reason why every Quarter Master should have odium cast upon him by Congress &m the people.
I am
Very Respectfully
Your obdt Servt
George Whitfield
Maj & Q M
 
{on the back of the letter}
Hd Qrts Meridian
Feb 1, 1864
   Disapproved. This is one of the most intelligent and efficient officers in the Qtr Mtr Dept, a man of high character for personal integrity and fidelity and would be a great loss to the public service.
{signature illegible}
Respy referred to Quarter Master General
By order of Secty of War
C. H. Lee
A. A. G.
 
Qr. Mr. Genl's off
12 Feby 1864
   Respectfully returned disapproved. The reputation of this officer is such that his services cannot be dispensed with, though his sensitiveness under the wrongs inflicted by the indiscriminate abuse of the officers of this Department, in Congress & elsewhere, is fully appreciated. This senseless clamor which fails to distinguish the innocent from the guilty tends only to drive the former from the public service while it fails entirely to reach the latter class. But this is one of the many sacrifices which good & true men must make in this hour of peril.
A R Lawton
Qr. Mr. Genl.
 
A/ G
Returned for ???. Not acceptable at present
JAS
16Feby 64

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