Fort Stansbury Fla: Warning Col about letter to Sec of War & his response
Author
Recipient
Date Written
July 17, 1842
Philip Norbourne Barbour was 29 years old when this was written.
The recipient, Ethan Allen Hitchcock, was 44 when it was received.
Philip Norbourne Barbour died 4 years, 2 months, 4 days after writing this.
It was written 181 years, 2 months, 18 days ago.
It was a Sunday.
Fort Stansbury Florida
Colonel,
I have just returned to this Post from Sea Horse Key where a gener’l court martial has been in session for the trial of Lt. Baker 7th Inf. My object in now writing is to apprise you that Major Belknap exhibited one morning in the court room and circulated among the members a copy of a letter reported to have been addressed by you to the Secretary of War upon the subject of the withdrawal of our Regiment from Florida—
I could not obtain a copy from Major Belknap to forward you; neither would he inform me how he came in possession of the letter. I can then only put you in possession of the fact that such a letter was in circulation, to your prejudice in order that you may know how your private letters are used. I am prompted to this by a sense of duty and an esprit de cours which I trust will sufficiently excuse me to you however officious to others my action in the matter may appear.
I am Colonel,
With high respect & regard,
Your humble servant
P. N. Barbour
Adj. 3rd Inf.
Col. Hitchcock
P.S. I shall go in a few days to Cedar Key to assume Major Cooper’s duties on the retirement of Col. Worth.
[Colonel Hitchcock’s notation on same letter]
July 17, 1842
Adj. Barbour,
Of Gen’l Scott’s sending to Col. Worth copy of a note of news to the Secy. of War & by the Secy. put into the hands of the Gen’l not to be copied but considered for its reasons in favor of His claims of the 3rd Infy. to be concentrated.--
Scans of Letter
