| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, Sep. 11, 1863 |
| |
| Mr. J. W. Walker |
| Prest. Danville Relief Asstn. |
| Danville, Va. |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have received your communication of the
7th instant, requesting an order from this Department authorizing the
transportation of supplies, belonging to the Danville Relief
Association, over the different railroads of the Confederacy in
preference to freights belonging to individuals or speculators, etc. |
| In reply I beg to inform you, that this
Department has no such control over the rail roads as the Association
seems to suppose. The principle that the Government has adopted, and
is constrained to adhere to, is to exact priority only for Government
freights, and to leave all other transportation to the free action of
the Rail Roads. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. General |
|