| Engineer Office Mobile |
| December 17th 1862 |
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| Genl. S Cooper |
| Adjt & Inspector General |
| Richmond |
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| Sir, |
| I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of
Special Order No. 291 of 12th inst. requiring me to withdraw the
order, directing Capt G. E. Walker of the Provisional Engineers to
discontinue his report upon the defences of the Alabama River &c. |
| As Captain Walker had been ordered to
report to me for duty, and did so, I probably expressed the opinion
that he was then relieved from previous duty uncompleted. But he was
certainly told that in the matter of his report, he would be governed
by his own understanding of the orders under which he had been acting. |
| The order which the Honorable Secretary of
War requires to be withdrawn, never was issued. |
| Very respectfully &c |
| D. Leadbetter |
| Brig Genl P. A. C. S. & Engineer |
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