OFFICE PRODUCE LOAN,

Columbus, May 2, 1864.

Lieutenant-General POLK:

SIR: I have in charge about 3,000 bales cotton belonging to the Government, located in warehouse at Gainesville, Ala., near the banks of the Tombigbee. Its value is near $1,000,000. I cannot scatter the cotton and divide the risk.

The object of his letter is to ask that a guard be placed by you over said cotton. A disabled soldier might answer the purpose, if of known character.

Your obedient servant,

J. D. B. DE BOW,

Agent C. S. A.

HEADQUARTERS,
Demopolis, May 2, 1864.

J. D. B. DE BOW,

Columbus, Miss.:

Your note of April 11 asking for passes for Messrs. Baskerville and Le Blanc to go into New Orleans, was answered and the passes asked for sent as requested. I have written to the President and telegraphed the Secretary of the Treasury on the subject of your letter of the 11th, copy of which you inclosed. I have urged on [them] the necessity [from] all points of view, morally, financially, and militarily, of the Government's impressing and purchasing every bale of cotton lying between the MISSISSIPPI and the Central Railroad, and the Gulf and the Tennessee line. This I have done with emphasis; being done it will be easy to manage the rest. If the Government shall choose to sell for sterling or army supplies if can be easily done. The War Department, by telegraph, gave me some time since authority to purchase supplies for my troops from the other side of the line, and to pay for them in cotton. I authorized Generals Lee and Forrest to make arrangements for purchase for their respective commands, to be paid for in cotton; whether they have both made such contracts I know not. I know that General Lee has. From your note from your agent in regard to General Chalmers' quartermaster, I presume General Forrest, to whose command General Chalmers belongs, has also made similar arrangements, and that the cotton your Mr. Peguise speaks of turning over to that quartermaster was intended to pay for such goods. In order to make sure of this whole matter of purchases and paymehave ordered both Generals Lee and Forrest immediately to make known to me [the] contracts they have made, and with whom; also to turn over these contracts to these headquarters to be carried out by me. This will simplify the matter and make it more safe as well as satisfactory to you and to me. I hope to hear from the Treasury Department on the subject of my proposal to press all the cotton remaining, and will advise you so soon as I get an answer. I do not think we shall have either cotton or public-nay, I fear private-morality until all this cotton is taken out first hands.

I remain, respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. POLK,

Lieutenant-General.

P. S. -The same, I take it, is true of McConnell, of whom you wrote on 17th of April. I will know and inform you.