R. C. Rutherford to and Commissary of Subsistence, January 30, 1865

Rock Island, Ill., January 30, 1865.

Brig. Gen. A. B. EATON, Commissary- General of Subsistence, Washington City, D. C.: SIR: Permit me to ask your attention to General Orders, No. 1, January 13, 1865, from the office of the Commissary-General of Prisoners (just received from your office), and to inquire if the sentence in paragraph 5, following the “————,” is to be interpreted as it there reads, or whether its true meaning is not such as it would be if the words ‘to soldiers” were inserted after the word “issued,” and the word “used” stricken out and the words “issued to prisoners” substituted therefor. It would then read: The difference between the ration allowed to be issued to soldiers and that actually issued to prisoners constitutes the savings from which is formed the prison fund.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

Captain and Commissary of Subsistence.

[Indorsement.]