HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF WESTERN VIRGINIA, Dublin, January 26, 1864.

General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General, C. S. Army:

GENERAL: I have received your letter of the 20th instant, inclosing the following resolution, adopted by the House of Representatives on the 15th instant, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to inform this House by what authority Generals Sam. Jones and Imboden have prohibited the transportation of food from the military districts in which they are located to the city of Richmond, for private use and consumption.

Very respectfully,

A. R. LAMAR,

Clerk.

You direct me to forward the report required. In reply I have the honor to state that I have not prohibited the transportation of food from this military department to the city of Richmond for private use and consumption. On the contrary, I have given all the aid in my power to facilitate the transportation of food for purposes specified in the resolution.

I have endeavored to prevent speculators and extortioners, whose chief aims in life seem to be to shun service and enrich themselves by preying upon the necessities of better men, from stripping this department of the food necessary for the support of the army. To that end I have addressed letters to Thomas H. Ellis, president of the James River and Kanawha Canal, and R. L. Owen, president of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, extracts from which, together with Mr. Owen's advertisement in a Lynchburg paper, are herewith forwarded, marked A, B, and C. *

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

SAM. JONES,

Major-General.

DUBLIN, January 26, 1864.

Colonel M. J. FERGUSON,

Commanding Sixteenth Virginia Cavalry:

COLONEL: The major-general commanding has received your report of the 13th instant, and directs me to say that he is gratified at your success. He desire you to remain as long as you can, with safety to your command, in that section of country where you now are. Collect all the information you can as to the supply of beef-cattle, hogs, and bacon in that part of Virginia and the counties bordering on the Big and Little Sandy, and the practicability of procuring and bringing out the same. The general commanding especially desires you to do all in your power to conciliate the people, and induce them to give us their aid. Be particularly careful, therefore, to maintain strict discipline, and restrain your men from depredations upon the people who are loyal or have so far remained neutral. Do not fail to send within our lines all the beef-cattle and hogs you can secure. It is deemed probable that our friends in that country may be induced to drive within our lines their cattle, hogs, and sheep, provided they receive payment in Virginia money or such other funds as are

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*Not found, but on same subject see Vol. XXIX, Part II, pp. 911-913.

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