East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-09-05
The transportation Of Troops.
To the Editor Of the Detroit Tribune


Cleveland. / answered that as abuse
and i'll usage had been the only return
made by the government for former SER
vices, the line would not carry man for
! the Government.
| find this morning that the above an
swer has been twisted into want OF
sympathy for the Government on my
part. Such being the case, feel COM
PEELED to place the reasons Of refusal be-
fore the people of Detroit and State of
Michigan, in order that they may see the
wicked and selfish motives that govern,
and have governed the miserable, dis
honest incompetents that are directing
this war; or rather misdirecting it, and
wasting the resources and energies of
great and noble-hearted people
When this war broke out, the writer
was authorized by the president of the
Western Transportation Company to
tender to Governor Blair free passage
over the lakes to the volunteers that
Michigan would furnish for the support
of the Government. Under this offer,
the First regiment was carried free from
Detroit to Cleveland John Owen gon
erously carrying one half tho men; the
Western Transportation Company, the
other half.
When the Second regiment was sent
10 Washington, / was told that Govern
ment did not desire any snch services
free of charge; and that payment must
be taken for moving future regiments
| answered, the Western Transportation
Company made the offer in good faith,
and in good faith, would make the offer
good. / was then told that they were
not held under the offer, as the troops
were mustered into the United States
service, the State did not need to pay, as
the expense fell on the general Govern
ment | replied that the President and
Directors of the Western Transportation
Company being plain, business men, they
were not fitted to draw such nice distinc.
tons to avoid making good their word,
and that they would carry the Michigan
troops free, for the general Government,
with as much pleasure as for State Gov
eminent; and that they esteemed it
high privilege to be able to assist the
country in its hour of desperate peril.
After consulting Mr.. Owen, we came
to the conclusion that as payment was
insisted upon, that we should carry ell
the troops from the Northwestern States
at one dollar per head to Cleveland,
Dunkirk, or Buffalo, from Detroit, and
we placed tho price thus low in order to
protect the Government against the ra-
pacity of the railroad lines and the
greedy villainy of unprincipled contract
ors, and for one dollar per man were the
I'd and 81 Regiments carried from De-
troit to Cleveland. l may here add that
owing 10 the great need the Govern
ment was, and is still in, for money, the
Western Transportation Company have
felt it duty not to present their bill,
+ and it has not been presented to this
hour.
The next thing was to carry large
gun and fixtures that was needed on the
seaboard. The Western Transportation
Company carried all free from this port
to Buffalo.
Then came the one hundred and fifteen
men from Paw Paw for Sickle's Brigade
t They went to New York at the expense
q of the county of Van Buren,, but the
Western Transportation Company would
receive no payment between this port
and Buffalo; and not only so, but finding
they had only three hundred pounds OF
bread with them for rations, l gave them
At the expense of the Western Trans
nortation Company, a barrel of Carew's
} best Ale. and large cheese, and bar
, rel of crackers, aad told the Captain tc
furnish the men with coffee on the way
down, which was done-Sl ;ree.
The Company also donated S3oo casi
: to assist in equipping the Buffalo v2iuA
teers, and $500 to the New York city
f volunteers, in order to hasten their de.
= parture for the defence of Washington.
Now for the return Of these services.
| The Fourth Regiment was to be moved,
r and now commenced the plundering OF
3 the Treasury in right down earnest by
the Secretary of War-Simon Cameron
and if he has allowed the Government
J to be robbed at all points as he has in
n the northwest, then his instant dismissal
is called for; and there is no hiding the
: fact that nine-tenths of the county are
), utterly Disguised with his way of doing
: things.
S / contracted to carry the Fourth Regi
:. ment to Buffalo at one dollar per head
Governor Blair knew of the contract
> Simon Cameron knew Of the contract
The Western Transportation Company
l. sent four propelers from Buffalo at al
expense of not less than one Thousand
dollars, to carry out the contract, when
without a word of explanation, l wa
If told the route was changed. No satisfac
Q tion could be obtained, and the Compan.
!, had to pocket the loss. Somebody wa
: paid to send the Regiment by rail. Tha
u was the whole story. Now, plunderet
@ taxpayers, what was the result? i asl
l. you to note it carefully. -.
, 1t would have cost the country Sl.4'
per man from Adrian to Buffalo by m.
IS contract; it cost about 500, at tw'
lie cents mile by rail, and five Thousand
I five hundred dollars were thrown away
u The man that wastes the public treasure
IL in this way is traitor and a villain, !e
p his position be what it may. He is