| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, August 18, 1863 |
| |
| Major W. F. Ayer |
| Q. M. |
| Dalton Geo |
| |
| Major James Glover |
| Chief Q. M. |
| Knoxville Tenn |
| |
| Sir, |
| Serious losses have occurred at Dalton resulting from
the pillage of Subsistence Stores, and other public property at that
point. |
| Measures must be adopted to prevent the recurrence of
this evil; and to that end you are instructed to superintend personally,
or by a reliable and competent employee all trans-shipments of public
property at Dalton. You will also see, that in the delivery of property
to the different roads, the proper responsibility for losses, is
devolved upon the road, in whose custody the property may be, when
stolen. Vigilance, and energy, can remedy this wrong, it is supposed.
If, however, your own means of guarding public property be inadequate,
you will apply to the proper commanding officer for a sufficient guard,
under the command of an efficient, and responsible officer. |
| You are requested to forward a report to this office
upon the subject of this letter. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. Genl. |
|