| Hd Qrs Dept Ala Miss & E. La. |
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Meridian Miss June 15th 1864 |
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James L. Price |
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Prest. Ala. & Miss R. R. R. |
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Uniontown, Ala. |
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Sir, |
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Maj. Genl. Lee having yesterday returned from N. Miss is to
day in receipt of your communication of the 7th inst. relative to the
impressment of plantation mules belonging to gentlemen who hold
contracts for the supply of wood to the Ala. & Miss. R. R. R. Genl. Lee
has directed me to reply to said communication and has instructed me to
say, that it is absolutely necessary that the transportation of the Army
be maintained and in some cases increased and, as the rich country along
the line of your R. R. has suffered in a comparatively small degree,
orders have been issued for the impressment of the requisite number of
animals in that region, of course nothing can be further from the
intention of the General than to issue orders which may throw obstacles
in the way of the R. R. authorities, or which may in any manner be the
means of impairing the efficiency of their road, and the General will
therefore issue exemptions for those mules necessary for the fulfillment
of the various contracts. |
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Your letter is rather too general, however, for the General
to act upon it, and he requests, that you will be so good as to furnish
him with a specific and particular list of the names of the contractors,
and the number of mules necessary for them to fulfill their contracts in
order that he may issue the necessary exemptions in their favor. |
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I am Sir |
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Very Respectfully |
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Your odt servty |
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E. M. Underhill 1st Lt Cav. |
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