Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-08-28
Hone E. P. Fiteh. celebrsted ior

gOne E. P. Fitch, celebrated for
his msl-administration Of the Quarter
master's Department at Gaaley. Va.
has taken his final departure along with
General Cox for Eastern Virginia
His name has become Q by-word
among our citizens. Tried by q
icourt-nsrtial at Charleston. Va, last
ksstsr. on charge Of specuIating in
7orernment funds, and found guilty
Of he act, he WAS excused on the
ground p having no criminal intention
-fhes II Fas done, and since then has
''l1se1 shielded by Gen. Cox and re-
''tai1e6 o1 Bis staff as Brigade Quarter
master. much to the surprise Of every
Il Whilst ct Charleston and Gauley, he
issued to many of our citizens. his eer-
|liEcates as A. @. n, de-, many Of
which are now floating about the coun-
try worthless to the holder, who honest
" paid for them to the laborer, or If
yet in the lsborer's hands. he cannot
raise a dime upon them. Whilst the
certificates issued by Captains Lever
ing, Boggess and Moulton are readily
bought and sold, those issued by Fitch of
the same kind are refused at any rate OF
discount whatever. Why is this? The
Government have not made any pro-
vision for payment Of bis debts, nor
entrusted him with funds to pay
Them himself. This is not the case
with other agents in the same capacity.
Captain Levering, it is true, has paid
Of some thousands of dollars that were
certified up to him by Fitch, but why
did not Fitch certify to all. Was it
with the hope that the poor men to
whom they were given, and who re-
sided mostly in Ohio would never find
their way back, or give up in despair
any further efforts to obtain their hard
earned money? Our county is flooded
with certificates issued by this man.
many Of them informal, and many
of which will never be paid. Yet
General Cox, with a full knowledge
of this fact, allows him to hang upon
his staff, and when appealed to, BY par
ties suffering from his villainy, has paid
little or no attention to their complaints.
We shall not be surprised to hear of
General Pope driving him out Of the
army. Such men are lasting disgrace
to the Quartermaster's Department. and
bring into disrepute, or at least, cause
a suspicion to rest upon honest, consci-
entious men, who as Quartermasters,
are anxious to discharge their duty to
the Government as well as its citizens.
Last winter we took occasion to call
public attention to the operations OF
Captain Fitch in Fairmont money. By
chance be was in Gallipolis the day the
article appeared, and expressed his salts
faction Herewith by calling at the Office,
paying us 81. so for years subscrip-
tion. and cordially inviting the editor
to "call around and take su'thing."
Last week he sent US word that he
wished us to apologize for that article.
We do so-over the left-or rather
eve have been and gone and done it,"
To apologize TO the gentleman in per-
son, would be poor reparation for SO
public an insult. We therefore make
the apology through the same channel,
and give it as our honest opinion, that
in the Quartermsster's Department in
both the Union and rebel armies, no
man can be found who is less entitled
to respect than Quartermaster E. P.
Fitch. That's our spology.