SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEPT. OF ALA., MISS., AND EAST LA., Numbers 123.
Demopolis, Ala., May 2, 1864.

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VI. Surg. J. C. Nidelet is assigned to duty as chief surgeon of Chalmers' DIVISION of cavalry.

By command of Lieutenant-General Polk:

P. ELLIS, JR.,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

OFFICE PRODUCE LOAN,

Columbus, May 2, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

MY DEAR SIR: I have just received your telegram, but your letter will have to be sent to me at Mobile, where I go on important business, and where I shall remain until 20th of May. My address will be care of A. J. Guirot, assistant treasurer, Confederate States of America. May I ask that you will request Major Dameron, Major Mellon, and those acting under them, to agree with me upon a system for the delivery of Government cotton under the Pollard and other contracts. The cotton all belongs to the Treasury Department, under which I hold and to which I am responsible, and I am instructed by that Department not to part with any of it for any purpose or to any party without the observance of certain forms necessary to maintain its control of the cotton and to keep its account clear with the other departments. Major Mellon to keep its account clear with the other departments. Major Mellon has raised, I understand his letter to mean, a question upon this point.

Your obedient servant,

J. D. B. DE BOW,

Agent C. S. A.

OFFICE PRODUCE LOAN,

Columbus, Miss., May 2, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

SIR: Colonel Baskerville will visit Demopolis on Thursday, and is instructed to see you upon the subject of our cotton arrangements. I did not understand when we conversed here that you raised any objection to the mode in which I regarded it best to carry out the instructions of the Treasury Department with regard to its cotton. I supposed that would have to be exclusively a matter of my own responsibility, and that when I acted with the full powers which I showed you I might rely upon not being interfered with by your officers, and would receive an order to that effect from your own hand. This I thought was the understanding. As a matter of course the whole disposition of the cotton could not be left to one or two persons, but I would confine it to as few as possible. I had matured a system which, whilst it would protect my transfers, would prevent any private traffic in cotton. It seemed, too, that we agreed the Richmond authorities ought not to be pressed too closely on the delegation of powers where they had already acted. I beg that you will grant Colonel Baskerville the permit which you promised, to go into New Orleans, and also one for C. E. Le Blanc, whose services will also be required in addition to those asked for Mr. Crutcher, or his agent, in the evening that one or more of the parties might fail to get in.

Your obedient servant,

J. D. B. DE BOW,

Agent C. S. A.