|
Meridian Miss
|
| Jany 31st 1864 |
| |
| Hon James A Seddon |
| Secty of War |
| Richmond Va |
| |
| Sir, |
| I respectfully request that my resignation
as Major Quarter Master P. A. C. S. be accepted and that I be
allowed to join as a private either an Infantry or Cavalry Regiment of
my choosing. I feel that I am entitled to select a Regiment of my own
choice without having any connection the Conscript Bureau from the
following reasons. |
| I joined a company as a private and went
with the first expedition to Pensacola Fla a few days after the
secession of the state of Miss and before the Confederacy was formed.
I enlisted as a private in the state service on my return from
Pensacola in Feby 1861 and was transferred into the Confederate
Service and left home again in March 1861, with the 10th Miss Regt. I
was appointed Capt & AQM on the 28th March 1861 and have served in
the capacity of Quarter Master up to this time. I can with pleasure
refer to the Gens with whom I have served as to my capacity as
faithful discharge of my duties. I also refer to the records of the
Quarter Master Genls office to hear that I have made my returns
promptly and have accounted for all public money and property which
has come in my possession. |
| I have served with Gen Bragg Gen Gladden
Gen Ruggles Gen Pemberton Gen Johnston and am now subject to the order
of Lieut Gen Polk. I feel that I have been fully appreciated by my
supperior officers from the fact that I have served at Head Quarters
of most if not all the Armies to I have been attached. I am satisfied
that my record will show that I have been a faithful and efficient
officer and that I have saved Thousands to the Govt. I could with all
propriety have remained at home until a short time since, I was over
Thirty five when the Conscript law was passed. I think I have served
my country faithfully having been in the service before the Government
of the Confederate States was formed and having remained all the while
in the service I think I am entitled to volunteer & not to be
conscripted. |
| My reasons for wishing my resignation
accepted is simply because when the war began I hjad some character
for honesty & integrity & I do not wish to loose it by
remaining longer in the Quarter Master Department. If some have been
dishonest there is no reason why every Quarter Master should have
odium cast upon him by Congress &m the people. |
| I am |
| Very Respectfully |
| Your obdt Servt |
| George Whitfield |
| Maj & Q M |
| |
| {on the back of the letter} |
| Hd Qrts Meridian |
| Feb 1, 1864 |
| Disapproved. This is one of the most
intelligent and efficient officers in the Qtr Mtr Dept, a man of high
character for personal integrity and fidelity and would be a great
loss to the public service. |
| {signature illegible} |
| Respy referred to Quarter Master General |
| By order of Secty of War |
| C. H. Lee |
| A. A. G. |
| |
| Qr. Mr. Genl's off |
| 12 Feby 1864 |
| Respectfully returned disapproved.
The reputation of this officer is such that his services cannot be
dispensed with, though his sensitiveness under the wrongs inflicted by
the indiscriminate abuse of the officers of this Department, in
Congress & elsewhere, is fully appreciated. This senseless clamor
which fails to distinguish the innocent from the guilty tends only to
drive the former from the public service while it fails entirely to
reach the latter class. But this is one of the many sacrifices which
good & true men must make in this hour of peril. |
| A R Lawton |
| Qr. Mr. Genl. |
| |
| A/ G |
| Returned for ???. Not acceptable at present |
| JAS |
| 16Feby 64 |