| Richmond June 14th 1864 |
| |
| Colonel A. I. Hays |
| On Inspection duty |
|
Richmond
|
|
|
| Colonel, |
| I have the honor to report as follows: |
| I am in charge of the auditing and
settlement of accounts of Rail Roads, Stages, Steamboats
&c for the transportation of Troops, Supplies, Munitions of War
&c. I was commissioned on 28th of Septr 1861 -- ordered by the
Q. M. Genl to report to Lt Col Larkin Smith Asst Q. M. Genl and by
him assigned to the above duty, on which I have ever since been
engaged. I now report to Lt Col A. F. Cone, A A Q M Genl. My office
is corner of 10th & Main streets. Private quarters at Surgeon Y.
Y. Gravatt's on 6th street between Clay and Leigh. |
| My assistant is Captain John F Allen AQM
(for two years prior to date of his commissioning a clerk in this
office.) He was commissioned on 31st of Octr 1863 -- ordered to
report to Lt Col A. F. Cone A A Q Mr Genl, and by him assigned to
duty as my assistant. His private residence is on Cary street
between 4th and 5th streets. |
| The business of this office is intricate
and heavy, involving many millions of dollars annually. The clerks
have been regularly trained to this business. Raw and impressed men
cannot supply their places. For this reason they have from time to
time, been detailed. |
| These clerks are three in number, viz: |
| 1. Wm T. Hart -- Detailed conscript aged 43 |
| 2. G. W. Cathill --
"
"
about 22 |
| Both Virginians by birth and citizenship
and both members of a military organization for Local Defense, known
as Henley's Battalion, now in the field. |
| 3. G. M. Rind -- a native of, and refugee, from the
District of Columbia, who has never been conscripted. Application
was made to the enrolling officer early in May last for authority to
retain him as a clerk, and is now pending. He was not liable to
conscription until after the passage of the Act of Congress relative
to Aliens, if indeed he now is. He, also, is a member of Henley's
Battalion and is now in the field. |
| These men were all clerks in this office
and exempt from military service until the passage of the Conscript
laws. The two first named were then conscripted, and without being
assigned to particular commands, were, from time to time, detailed
for clerical duty in this office. |
| The compensation of the detailed men is
$3 per day with the addition of 100 per cent and their pay as
soldiers. |
| The compensation of G. M. Rind is
$125.00 per month with the addition of 100 per cent. |
| The addition of 100 per cent is
authorized by an act of Congress. |
| Office hours from 9 A. M. to 3 P. M. |
| The business of auditing these accounts
is difficult, requiring close attention and scrating. Experience has
satisfied me that more of this work can be done, and more correctly
done, within the above hours, than under any other allotment of
time. |
| I am sir |
| Very respectfully |
| Yr obt Servt |
| Ch. Maurice Smith |
| Major & Q. M. |
| In charge of Transportation Accounts |