shall be delivered as rations and be issued as they may be required. In answer to this part of his charges I should say that the contract for the supply of complete rations at Camp Chase and referred to by him bears date June 9, 1862, and was made by me in accordance with instructions from Colonel J. P. Taylor, Commissary-General, a copy for which you will find marked A. On receipt of Colonel Taylor's instructions I advertised for bids to furnish complete rations to be delivered at the commissary department at Camp Chase, Ohio, at such times as may be required. The award was made to J. and L. Zettler at 12 1/2 cents per ration, and written contract entered into between myself, on the part of the Government, and said Zettlers for themselves, heirs, &c., in accordance with my advertisement, a copy of which you will find, marked B.

It will doubtless be observe by you, and is so set forth in the charges, that there is a discrepancy between my advertisement and their contract as written. The word issue appears among the obligations on the part of the contractor. At the commencement of Camp Chase the then contractor for supplying rations erected at his own expense a large warehouse to hold his provisions, and this house has been owned and occupied by each succeeding contractor for such purpose. It was at this place Captain Lazelle so frequently met the contractor, and where he saw the large amount of provisions which he supposed were kept at Government expense and risk, which, unfortunately for me, he mistook for the commissary department. The word issue as embodied in the contract was distinctly understood by every man who bid for this contract to mean that the contractor was to keep constantly on hand in this warehouse a large amount of stores at his own expense and risk, and to issue from thence to me each day such quantities as might be required for the troops, and I assert that at no time was there any amount of stores in my care or store-house three hours after receiving them from contractor, as I never drew more than I immediately issued out to troops. As for truth of this I refer you to affidavit* of Messrs. Zettler, the contractors.

As to the quality of the rations furnished Captain Lazelle is what the represents me to be, grossly ignorant, or he maliciously misrepresents the case. The flour he brands second and third rates was super fine, and the quality made at same mill and from same wheat commanded the highest price in Columbus and New York City. I refer you to affidavit* of Thomas Jones, who manufactured it. The bread was all made from this flour; was white, light and sweet, and of which I never heard any complaint. The pork and bacon as first quality, made from young, corn-fed hogs. Sugar, first quality of brown sugar; coffee, prime Rio; rice and soap good; potatoes as good as the country afforded; molasses, first quality; salt, best quality Hosking. Not one ounce of rock salt was ever issued from my department. Beans were very scarce; when issued were of best quality, and when they could not be obtained the substitute was perfectly acceptable to the soldiers. In relation to the personal examination Captain Lazelle says he made of the stores I most positively assert that he never handled a single article in my department or removed the gloves from his hands.

As to the frequent complaints mentioned by Captain Lazelle there never were any during the existence of the contract except the one raised by himself and the one in which Lieutenant Masoin acted as one of the referees mentioned by Captain Lazelle. There is nothing in the contract that says the referees shall be officers of the Army, but states

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*Not found.

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