Unknown to James A. Seddon, February 23, 1864

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

Sir: Allow me to urge upon your consideration the policy and justice of placing conscripts in the oldest and veteran regiments, so far as South Carolina is concerned. Whilst I would not desire to make distinctions among those which first entered the field, I would mention Kershaw’s and Jenkins’ brigades especially as being entitled to a share—perhaps the largest share. Under your predecessor a regiment of mounted men in this State, now commanded by Colonel Aiken, was allowed to be organized almost entirely of conscripts, which the law contemplated should have gone into the old regiments. When the call was made up to forty the conscripts were allowed to remain here and join regiments which had not been in active service already, whereby the ranks of some have been swollen to more than the maximum, and even so far as to form new additional companies. This is unjust to the old regiments which have been thinned by battle and disease, and may ultimately be subjected to consolidation, whilst those seeing but little service have been enabled to keep full ranks.

very respectfully, yours,