my patriotism, ability, honesty, or charity for suffering people in the rebellious districts. I have had no difficulties with my superior or associate officers. I have ever hated rebels, never affiliated with those who sympathized with them, have always despised those who, in or out of office, make it their business to coin money by swindling the Government and the soldier. I have not until now been placed in a command where a subordinate officer had confidential instructions by which to govern me. I had a command that suited me-my division. A large part of it has been taken from me by regiments and given to a junior officer without myself being relieved from the command of the division. The command left me is in detachments, scattered over half the State, and almost powerless to do any good except to protect the particular posts at which they are quartered.

The country is devastate by bans of guerrillas, and there is no power to prevent it. Staff officers of the major-general commanding make it their business to thwart my efforts to preserve the peace of the community, and bring my orders into contempt. I am made responsible for all misfortunes that may occur in your rear, yet am powerless to prevent them. I am in command, yet cannot command. I am by your order placed over the several officers commanding district, but these officers are ordered to report to your assistant adjutant-general. I am useless; and as your assistant adjutant-general is empowered to issue orders by virtue of confidential instructions, I ask to be relieved and ordered to duty where I can be of service. I desire not to conflict with your orders. I wish to assist in accomplishing the great object for which we are contending. If you have not confidence in me you should order me to carrying out of your policy or injure those whom you desire to favor and protect, you should send me away.

Since I have been under your command I have endeavored to sustain you in your efforts to restore the State to its proper relations with the General Government. I have done nothing to retard you in this work. I have, and I shall, watch, and by all proper means prevent those whom I know to be enemies of my Government from accomplishing their object. I will condemn and expose those in our midst who are robbing the Government and demoralizing the army. One important matter to which I respectfully ask your especial attention is, that all expeditions which have been ordered for the forwarding of supplies and re-enforcements are, by some instrumentality, made too public. This endangers all. I cannot tell how it is done, nor by whom. I do know, however, that these things are known to citizens and persons who should not know of them, even before I have the information.

I feel, general, that as matters are now there is a want of confidence, and that I am an object of distrust, and in order to relieve you and to sustain myself and the character of the general officer in the service of the United States, I respectfully ask to be relieved from duty in your detachment. General West can give you information that will enlighten you as to the facts I have stated, and I am sure that his knowledge of them and his statements will sustain me in what I have said of them. I repeat that the interests of the Government and of the public service are endangered by the present arrangement. I am willing to make any personal sacrifice for the good of the service and to promote the interests of my Government,