The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-02-18
The Army Mail Again.

Editor Union :--In your issue of yes
terday notice an article, over the sigma
ture of Nineteenth Illinois," charging
the grossest negligence upon parties
transporting the army mails from this
point to Murfreesboro'. I have no right
or disposition to impeach the veracity of
your correspondent, but even upon the
assumption that the statement is true,
am constrained, from principles of jus
tice TO the officers Of the Military Mail
Department of this army, to say that such
negligence and gross dereliction Of duty
is not common on the part of tho mail
agents on the route referred TO in the ar
ticle of Nineteenth Illinois. Thisparticu-
lar circumstance before mentioned could
have occurred in no otherway but through
the carelessness of some Brigade or Di-
vision Postmaster who had probably
taken the mail from the PostofIlce in this
place, thereby diverting it from the reg
ular and proper channel of transporta-
ton in q special mail wagon, the same
being ali0ays accompanied by an intelli-
gent careful and responsible mail agent.
1t might be proper here 10 state that
the writer of this has for twelve months
been close observer of the manner in
which the army mails are transported,
and till few months past was intimate
ly connected with the military mail de-
partment, and during my previous con-
nection with the mail and my subsequent
observation of the efficient and perfect
order in which the receiving, distributing
and forwarding of the mail was conduct
ed, have marked the perfect system and
dispatch which signalized the efforts of
mail attaches.
The regular and legitimate transport
tation of the mails from this City TO
MurfreesbOro, is directly under the Su-
pervision of Col. WIN. THUEsDAH, who
has been untiring in his zeal and dill
gence and has effected perfect system.
The mails are distributed under care of
Mr.. LINDsLEY, P. NJ, and his gentlemanly
assistants, in Brigade order, forwarded
by special messenger, and in case Of
danger of capture by an enemy, under
escort TO Murfreesboro, delivered there to
Mr.. HKRRICK, the able Army Post Master,
who in turn delivers the same to regu-
larly appointed Brigade Division Post
masters on an order from the Command
ing Officer of Brigade or Division as the
case may be. The few delays which
have occurred on the route, have been
either unavoidable, or the result of wan
ton violence Of few lawless soldiers.
On one occasion an officer wearing the
insignia Of a Major (be it spoken with
shame) through Obstinaey or wanton ca
price, compelled the Mail Agent to keep
in the rear Of slow moving train from
Nashville to Lavergne, causing delay
Of several hours. On the same day,
some lawless soldiers compelled the
agent in charge Of the mail, TO allow them
to ride on the wagon already overladen,
and upon his continued remonstrance
against such violence jumped from the
wagon and deliberately fred upon il,
fortunately without injury to the occu.
pants. Transfers on the road will rare
ly ever give precedence TO the mail wag-
on aud have purposely collided with it
by which the wagon loaded with mail
was overturned in the mud Wagon mas
ters should be instructed to guard against
snoh as this, and TO report promptly all
violence or obstacles, whick teamsters
may throw in the way TO impede the
progress Of the soldiers correspondence.
II is his only comfort and nothing adds
so much to the general satisfaction aud
buoyanoy of the soldier as an uninter-
rupted and regular communication with
the loved ones at home.
Respectfully, o.