The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-11-21

the result Of the expedition to Hop,
kins County, mentioning as part of
my operations in that section that |
had made levy upon the secession
sympathizers of Hopkins County, to
compensate for losses sustained by
loyal citizens through the agency of
lawless guerrilla bands" In response
to that letter, I received from Gen
eral BOYLE an official copy of the
following letter from Major General
WRIGHT, commanding the Depart
ment, and in Transmitting which
General BOYLE took occasion to
commend the faithfulness and ability
with which 1 had discharged my
duties:
-(Copy.)
HEADQUARTERS DEP ARTMBNT OF OHIO.
CINCINNATI, Nov. 18th, 1862. J
Brig. Ger. J. 4. BoyE', Com az, dc, Louis
VtlEe, Ky
GENERAL: The letter of Col. J. W.
Foster, of the 18th inst, forwarded
with your endorsement Of the 205h,
has been received.
The report Of his expedition to
Madisonville has been read with in
terest, and his action in connection
Herewith is approved. A few such
exhibitions of zeal and energy would
go far towards breaking up the law
less bands, which have been so long
terror in that quarter, and restoring
peace and quiet in that section of
II entuckV
(Signed) Very respectfully,
Your obd't serv't,
H. @. WRIGHT,
Major General Com'd'g.
subsequently, on the 9th of Janu-
airy, 1863, 1 reported, in detail, to
General BOYLE the entire proceed
ings in the matter of this levy, the
reasons why it was made, the salutary
effect it had upon the peace of that
section, the amount collected, and
the manner in which it had been dis
5ursed. This report General BOYLE
informed me, personally, was for
warded, with his endorsement, to
Major General WRIGHT, and by him
to the War Department, and that it
received the endorsement of all the
authorities through which it passed.
Subsequently, the late Hon. L. w.
POWELL, their United States Senator
from Kentucky, caused all ths re-
ceipts and evidences of the levy to be
collected, and attempted to secure
from the War Department an order
directing me to refund the money,
which had then been disbursed to
the Union men Of Hopkins County.
Failing in his effort, he went person
ally to President LINCOLN, and asked
him to interfere in the matter. The
President sent Senator PowELL's ap-
plication with list of the persons
aud amounts of the levy through
General BOYLE to me, requiring a
full report to be made of the matter
On the 10th of February, 1863, / re-
piled to the same, returning the pa
pers, and enclosing as my report a
copy Of my letter to General BOYLE,
of Jan. 6, 1863, and asked to be judg-
ed by that letter President LINCOLN
finally declined to interfere, but on
the contrary, after hearing General
BoYLE's statement, approved of my
conduct, and sent his endorsement oil
approval through the military chan
nels to me, and which afterwards
returned to military headquarters
CSee Col JoHNsON's Statement, to be
published in next issue
This article is already too long
and l must defer further publication
in this issue. On Monday, / will
show how the several money
levies collected by my order, while
in command in Kentucky, including
the Union and Hopkins Counties
levies, were collected, and the man
ner in which they were disbursed.
le- JOHN W. FOSTER.
/