| Transportation Office, C. S. A. |
| Quartermaster's Department |
| Richmond, Va. Jany 30th 1864 |
| |
| Col. A. F. Cone |
| A. Q. M. Genl. |
| |
| Col. |
| There seems to be a great want
of information upon the subject of transportation, claimed by soldiers
under the Acts of Congress, approved Dec 11th 1861, Apl 16th 1862, and
February 7th 1863. |
| These regulations relative to
transportation requires the furlough to state, by certificate of the
comd'g officer of the compy, that "The applicant has never recd a
furlough of indulgence, with transportation home and back, or
commutation in lieu thereof." In many instances this is not done, & the
soldier is subjected to serious inconvenience & made to pay his fare
home & back. Again, the certificates are correct, but commutation seems
to have been previously paid, a in the case of Sergt Wm. H. Mayo Co "F"
8 Regt Loua Vols, whose papers are herewith submitted. He yesterday
presented his Descriptive lists (in duplicate) with the above
certificate, & correct in other respects, & claimed commutation in lieu
of transportation, which was allowed; this morning he has presented his
furlough with the same certificate thereon, and claims transportation in
kind, in the absence of his Descriptive list, the furlough being correct
& a different party acting, it was allowed, but the error was discovered
before the coupons were delivered, and an investigation made. As it is
clearly a mistake arising from a misconstruction of the law on this
subject, I respectfully suggest that a general order be issued by the A.
& I. Genl, giving a more explicit construction of said laws, & that by
it all company commanders be required to make a certificate on the
furlough, stating whether "the applicant has ever recd a furlough of
indulgence, with transportation home and back or commutation in lieu
thereof" and whether he enlisted for 12 mos or the war, and that this
order be generally distributed, through the Generals comd'g the various
armies. |
| Respectfully |
| D. H Wood |
| Maj. & Q. M. |
| |
| {on back of
document} |
| A. A. Q. M. G. office |
| Richd February 2/64 |
| The within case is one in which the Govt
could have been made to pay twice the commutation in lieu of
transportation & then allowed transportation. Two descriptive lists, one
of which was ??? from the soldier and is herewith enclosed was furnished
him. Either of which presented entitled the soldier to commutation. He
could have presented one for payment and at an other time the second.
His furlough entitled him to transportation. To prevent this abuse I
would recommend a Genl. order be issued instructing the officers of the
line, to furnish but one descriptive list and requiring transportation
agents to stamp on this descriptive list when transportation is provided
in kind, or on the ??? and descriptive list when commutation is paid' |
| Respectfully submitted |
| H. F. Cone |
| Lt Col & AQMG |
| |
| QMGO Feb 4, 1864 |
| Approved and respectfully forwarded to the
Adj & Insp Genl. with the request that an order be issued as suggested
by Lt. Col. Cone. |
| A R Lawton |
| Qr Mr Genl |
|