The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-12-28

his assistants, and making charges, which, If
trne, ought 70 procure their instant dismissal
Bat be neither gives " nor the public bis name.
and for fear the manuscripts viii betsay him,
asks Us 70 destroy It. This will not do.
Il turns out that the editor Of the Toronto
Leader, whose fsrocious attacks on our Govern
ment have given II notoriety. Il named George
Sheppard, who was late editor Of the Washing
ton Republic, late sab-sditor of the Washington
Coossisation, late agent Of the "Breckinridge
Central Committee" late secession writer at
4 BHxrox BARRAcKs, Dec. 90th. 1861.
G. DrrHAE-I have read with attention an
article In tho Hawk Eye" of Dec. 18th, headed
..How honeet men ara cheated and Iavpsrs groU
rich" While greatly admire the general spir-
it Of the essay, there is something of personality
in the last portion which If not intentional, is
ct least equivocal. The burden Of the animal.
version is Horses and Hay, and as am the only
"Coloneln Who has commanded a regiment which
has had these commodities by purchase, can
hardly interpret otherwise than that am one
Of the Colonels" who fought to be made to
Day the bills or be cashiered and retired from
the service" This inference is made significant
from the fact, that while in Washington some
four weeks ago, Gen1 Heigs, Quartermaster
Genl, read me letter from Hon. Senator Grimes
charging tho Quartermaster, Lieutenant Morris,
with dishonesty in the purchase Of horses, and
that when captains demonstrated against recciv.
ing them, they we're tcoerced" into taking them.
As the Colonel of regiment is supposed to be
the only one who has the prerogative Of 'coer-
clon," found myself the accused, and face to
face with the Judge. This was in substance my
reply, that on my return from st. Louis, where
. company Of the regiment were, I was informed
that Quartermsater Norris had bought and
turned over to Captain Ankeny, Of compang N /,
six horses cold to him by Mr.. John L. Brown,
formerly Of the publishing firm of Durham aud
Brown, which we're utterly unfit to be used for
cavalry service. at once ordered them to be
condemned and sold, and the loss to be charged to
Tie Quarter,ndster, which was promptly DONE
/ further stated to Gen'l II. that immediately on
my return to Benton Barracks would have
Commission of Officers, outside of the First Reg
iment to examine all of the horses, and report
their condition. This was done, also, and the
finding Of the jury was what could not be al
tered, clear refutation of the charge. In
this connection may say, that upon represen
tstions made by some persons of "high stand
ing" whose name is not disclosed, the pay of the
Regiment was stopped, AMI men and children,
have been pinched by want, aud chilled by
oold,t crafty the personal malisnity of some
one who holds Official position at the hands Of
these same officers ana soldiers
Thus much for Horses, and now word about
Hay. Tnever "ordered" any contract with Mr..
Letter nor any one else for Hay or any other
subsistence. have had nothing to do with .
single bargain, payment, or arrangement for the
furnishing Of any sort. determined from the
first to place myself outside of any possibility
of imputation. A certain firm in Chicago made
an offer to supply saddles and equipments,
which proposal telegraphed to Genl Fremont,
and was authorized by him to take them. It
may crafty the curious in personal history, to
say that bought my own equipage Of this same
arm, and paid them in CASH, twenty.fv per
cent. more than the price Of a better article
here.
And ow for the general charge of ordering
articles not allowed by the Army Regulations.
If such bills as these are out against the First
Regimen Of Iowa Cavalry, they shall be paid by
me, will or without, being "casbiered" Dur
Ing residence at Washington in the early part
of the campaign, held position, and MAIN
tanned relations with some Of the high officers
Of the Government, which gave me an attribu-
table influence. I was approached, over and
over again, with large offers Of pay, to procure
contracts, and aid echemee. I refused and repu.
dated each, and al Of these overtures. sen.i-
bio men can judge whether declining thousands
I should have been likely to take tithes of the
mint, annise and cumminn of home traffic and
hay trades. a4
And, now, with general cumming up, I with.
draw from your attention. The First Regiment
invites the most rigid scrutiny into every branch
Of its conduct-its pecuniary Administrations
its tactical acquirements-its military and moral
department, and everything else belonging to
the soldier. It does not allow newspaper cor
respondents and has never stimulated fattering
notices, but asks only to be psced in active SER
vice and let alone. lie officers asd soldiers ex-
pect nothing but what they win by the saber--
pistols not being furnished in modern war, for
fac h. 81 rhnu H.
thus far fought their way, literally, and their
only future reward will be the prize of their
conduct and conquest. g..
FITZ HENRY WARREN,
Colonel lst Regiment Iowa Cavalry.
Rs1ARKs-The article referred to and upon
the pretense of replying to which Col. Warren
sends us the above letter for publication, is not
controverted in q single material statement, 20
far - We can see. We asserted that the system
of ''red tape" AZ exempli6ed here in Burlington
resulted in lining the pockets of sharpers and
skisuing honest men. Col Warren does not
controvert Il. We asserted that the mode
adopted in purchasing horses resulted in the
Government getting poor horses at the price Of
good onss. And 20 likewise with clothing, and
every other article furnished. This is not con-
troverted. We asserted that when our brave
soldiers had to wear inferior clothing, use in
fsrior horses. live upon poor and stale provisions,
the fault was with the army officers, who had
permitted the swindle and said that the Gov.
eminent always paid,for a good article This il
not contsoverted.
But We stated that articles had been furnished,
upon the requsitfon Of the proper officers, not
permitted By army regulations. This statement
, Questioned Il not positively denied. Perhaps
We should have said that articles had been fur.
nished. upon proper reqaisitions. payment for
Which bad been refsssd upon the plea that thsir
psrchsss vas forbidden By The army regulations,
thus lsaving the legal question at issue between
IL rsginental oalcers and the paymaster, Capt