Braxton Bragg to His Excellency the PRESIDENT, October 18, 1864

His Excellency the PRESIDENT:

Mr. PRESIDENT: Your attention is respectfully asked to the inclosed copy of a letter from the Quartermaster-General to the Honorable Secretary of War. The original was referred to me for remarks, and was returned with the indorsement this copy bears.

That you may know the origin of this strange paper, I send also a copy of my letter to General Gardner, inclosing to him the inspection report referred to and calling his attention to the alleged violations of law. It will be seen my only instruction to him was to proceed ‘fas the law requires in every case of infraction.” After a careful reperusal of that letter, I can see nothing to retract and nothing to justify the errors, tone, and temper (not to say disrespect) displayed by the Quartermaster-General, so foreign to the usual deportment of that scrupulous and faithful officer. I am as unwilling to be thus thwarted in my efforts, under your orders, to see all men properly due there put into the Army as I am anxious to avoid these unusual and, as it appears to me, unmilitary arrangements by my inferiors. In asimilar, but more marked case, where a subordinate officer of the Conscript Bureau, some two months since, addressed me a very disrespectful communication, I referred it to the Honorable Secretary of War, but as yet have no notice of any action. This case is therefore submitted to your consideration.

As these records are to constitute a part of the future history of the country, I feel sure you will appreciate my appeal to be relieved from an attitude so mortitying to my self-respect and so humiliating to my professional pride.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,