Government takes 271 men from our credit in the Fifth Iowa Cavalry and refuses us credit for Company A, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry.

In the opinion of a subordinate officer of the State of Iowa, Brigadier-General Fry has no right to make decisions for the benefit of Minnesota and Pennsylvania alone.

If the War Department decided on the Minnesota case, either through General Fry or any other officer, it had no right to ignore the rights of Iowa to Company A, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and I ask that General Fry's order by telegraph, August 27, 1864, to Governor curtain, of Pennsylvania, be annulled and revoked.

With great respect, I have the honor to be, truly yours,

N. B. BAKER,

Adjutant-General of Iowa.

A.

AUGUST 12, 1864.

Major THOMAS M. VINCENT,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.:

SIR: I am informed that pursuant to your request of the 26th ultimo, addressed to the Provost-Marshal-General United States, Major Thomas Duncan, acting assistant provost-marshal-general of this State, has been instructed by General Fry to deduct a credit of 271 men (three companies Fifth Iowa Cavalry alleged to have been raised in Minnesota) from the districts of Iowa in a pro rate proportion.

I respectfully urge that the United States having, [by] a letter of June 24, 1864, to the Governors, made their showing and forwarded a statement which canceled this credit, which had been awarded long since to Iowa, and inasmuch as this credit, with all others in the past, has been apportioned among the districts of Iowa, the change contemplated would cause perplexity and confirm and cause dissatisfaction in our State.

If, however, the State must lose their credit, I respectfully ask that the State of Iowa be credited with Company A, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, as per Exhibit B attached to my return to General Thomas of March 1, 1864-eighty-three men.

Your letter of March 14, 1864, declined to allow this credit, and reads as follows:

Under the rulings of the Department the change of credit of the eighty-three men of Company A, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, cannot be made in favor of Iowa without the claim being first adjusted between the Governor of Iowa and the Governor of Pennsylvania, the men having already been credit to the latter State.

The muster-roll (Exhibit B, to March 1, 1864, return) shows that this was an Iowa company, and all the members thereof residents of and enlisted in Iowa. We acquiesced in this decision, and have never applied to Governor Curtain for the change of credit.

We have never consented to, not has the State of Iowa ever been consulted about granting, this credit to Minnesota. By parity of reasoning, if this credit is conceded to Minnesota, Iowa should have credit for Company A, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and without reference to Governor Curtain's approval or dissent.

I respectfully ask, therefore, that you withdraw your request to General Fry to have this credit conceded to Minnesota, or at least that it be no deducted from Iowa, and that Major Duncan be advised