| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, September 1st 1863 |
| |
| Major Th. L. Bayone |
| Ordnance Bureau |
| |
| Major, |
| In regard to the statement of Mr.
Crenshaw, that the Government tobacco shipped to Wilmington had not
arrived at that port -- which statement was referred to this Office,
by you, for such action as was necessary -- I beg to inform you that
such complaints of delays in transportation are so frequent, that I
directed this case to be thoroughly investigated. |
| The enclosed telegram from Captain
Troutman, Quarter Master, at Weldon, in answer to an inquiry from this
Office, with the endorsements thereon, is forwarded to your, for your
information. It will be perceived from the statement of Mr. Crenshaw,
that at the date of his letter to you, the tobacco had actually
arrived at Wilmington, and its is not improbable that it had reached
that point on the 27th (the date of Messrs. Crenshaw & Co.'s
letter to him) although not known to that firm. |
| I am thus particular in explaining this
transaction, as its investigation has shown, what is probably true of
similar cases, that the frequent complaints of the Quarter Master's
Department in regard to transportation, are not always well founded. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. General |
|