| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond July 20th 1863 |
| |
| His Excellency |
| Jefferson Davis |
| President -- Confederate States |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have the honor to return the letter of
Governor Brown with its enclosure, and to report upon his application
as follows: -- |
| I find upon examination that on the 24th
of June, 1863, the Secretary of War upon the recommendation of Captain
F. W. Sims, A. A. G. gave the Georgia State Road {Western
& Atlantic RR} the privilege of charging the Augusta
rates on Government transportation, from January last. This fact was
by my order communicated to Major J. L. Sehon, the Auditing Quarter
Master. Captain Sims, I am informed, wrote to the same effect to
Governor Brown. It appears from the papers in the case that this
allowance of Augusta rates was made promptly by the Secretary of War,
upon the receipt by Captain Sims (the successor in office of Colonel
Wm. M. Wadley, A. A. G. to whom the letter was directed) from Governor
Brown, in which (without any previous application for a change of
rates) he complained that the accounts of the State Road were not
settled at Augusta rates by the Auditing Quarter Master. This letter
appears to have contained the first intimation ever received from
Governor Brown of his desire for new rates. (See copy of endorsements
herewith filed and marked A. {not found}) |
| It now appears to be the wish of Governor
Brown to have the special rates given by the Secretary of War to the
Macon & Western Rail Road, substituted for the Augusta rates, on
the Georgia State Road. |
| The Officer (Captain Sims) upon whose
recommendation the Secretary of War acted, is now absent from the city
on official business. He has recently been transferred to this
Department, and has charge of the subject of rates. I would
respectfully recommend that Governor Brown's application be laid over
until his return. |
| A. C. Myers, Q. M. Genl. |
|