East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-08-08

nv ~, NtR--De pleased TO accept |
c. .-tcful Acknowledgements for your
>snmGnicstion of the 9th inst. 1t is ss-
pecially gratifying to learn that my con-
duct hitherto in relation TO the affairs of
the Union meets your high appreciation.
Although 1 am aware that with the
press OF business You have little time to
read letters, yet, as my conduct in con-
nection with tho Union Defense Com
mittee of the citizens of New York may
net be perfectly understood OF appreciat
ed by all in authority at Washington, |
avail myself Of this occasion 10 present
you with a condensed history of the part
l performed in the forwarding of troops
and supplies for the protection and de-
tense of Washington, which at the time
was reported to be in imminent peril.
To which added history Of my &C.
tion with the Union Defense Committee
as represented in this communication,
with the omission Of ordering Col. Els.
worth's regiment to embark, and few
others Of no Importance, and concluded
my letter as follws, viz:
1t is reported in New York that l was
engaged in making contracts for supplies
of various kinds to further the object Of
the Union Defense Committee, and that
the reports have reached Washing
ton. 1t is due to myself to say that
made no contracts of any kind whatever
for the Committee, or in behalf of the
Government. At the request OF the Com
mittee, however, | signed two chartr par
ties fcr the ships. l understood the Com
mittee paid the expense out of the city
funds.
TO this letter | received from the Sec
rotary of War the following reply:
WAN DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON June 7, 1861.
MAJoR-GEyERAL JONI Z. Wool, Troy n. Y:
DEAR SrR--I have the honor to &C
knowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 9th ult. and beg you to believe
that nothing but a desire to give it that
careful consideration, which found my
self unable to do at an earlier moment,
has delayed my acknowledgment OF its re-
oeipt.
You state that it is reported in New
York that you were engaged in making
contracts for supplies of various kinds, to
further the object of the Union Defense
reached Washington; and you explain
the extent of your participation in the
proceedings of that committee in regard
to the contracts. This l beg to assure
you, was unnecessary on your part. No
such rumors or reports have reached this
department, and i. they had, they would
have received no consideration unfavora
bic to your character. Your own high
personal character, as well rs your patri
otto devotion to the country, and long
tried services in its defense, afford sutfi
Glen. .shield to protect you against al
reports and vague rumors.
After giving a condensed history Of thu
part you performed in the forwarding o
troops and supplies for the protection ant
defense of Washington, and which, as yol
state, were performed without orders from
any quarter, you say you reported wha
you had done, and were doing, to Gener
al Scott, without obtaining any reply, AM
that you remained ignorant of the wishe
OF the authorities until you received com
munication from the general-in-chief di
rectng you to repair to headquarters a
Troy. You express an anxiety to learn
whether the part you performed met tn
appreciation of the general-in-chief or tn
War Department /; and though you d.
not expressly say that the letter of tn
general in.chicf leaves you in doubt OF
the subject, your letter justifies this infer
cnce, and L therefore deem it but due t,
you to say that this department has N
disposition to find fault with or make com
ut Of IN, ho
TO which your letter refers. On the con
trary, it believes that you were prompte
by patriotic motives, and that you dl
nothing but what you, at the time, wer
fully persuaded was necessary, and unde
the circumstances, proper. The order c
the general-in.chief could therefore, nc
have been intended to reflect upon you
conduct while acting in conjunction wit
the Union Defense Commute in the cit
of New York, though self constitute
but patriotic body.
In answering you thus frankly, in Of
der to put your mind at rest as to tn
views of this department, it is due to i
as we'll as to you, that l should add in tn
same spirit, that you were ordered to re
turn to your headquarters at Troy bt
cause the isuing of orders by you, o
the application OF the various Governor
for arms ammunition, ETC., without col
sulation, a detailed account of which 20
gave in your letter, seriously embarrasse
the prompt and proper administration {
this department, and could not be permit
ted to be continued without disregar
of law, as we'll as the disarrangement {
its operations. This alone was suaicier
to order your return to headquarters alth
the War Department had no dispositio
to find fault with your motives, unautho
lied as were your acts, Telling assure
that it was the result of patriotic motive
1t was itself in its ordinary course of of
cial business attending to the same ma
tiers through its properly authorized of
b GERS, and you General so experienced a
officer as you are, must admit, on reae
ton, it could not permit continuance
operations soconflicting its own, ho'