William Boynton, Sherman's Historical Raid

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The utmost vigilance will be exercised by Colonel Ransom in the execution of this important trust committed to him. He will himself visit the guards, and the presses and storehouses continually. He will see that no fires are lighted near the storehouses, or in the open streets or squares surrounding them. He will report to the officer commanding the guards all neglect or inattention on the part of the guards, and if this does not immediately produce a reform he will report the facts to the commanding officer of the post of Savannah. * * * *

Lieutenant-Colonel Ransom will confer freely with the special agent of the Treasury Department, and will call for such military assistance as may be necessary to discover and place him in possession of all the cotton in the city of Savannah, or within the lines occupied by its garrison. It is all prize of war. * * * *

M. C. Meigs, Quartermaster-General, Brevet Major-General.

Next, in order that there might be no mistake in regard to the responsibility of the various parties charged with these duties, the following memorandum was drawn up, signed, and put on record:

office of the General Agency for captured and abandoned property, Savannah, Ga.

1. Cotton captured in Savannah, that is, all the cotton within the military post of Savannah and its defenses, has been taken possession of and is now held by the Quartermaster-General, under the order of the Secretary of War.

2. The Quartermaster-General has also, under the order of the Secretary of War, detailed Lieutenant-Colonel Ransom, of the Quartermaster Department, to take charge of the cotton personally, to cause it to be weighed and a careful and accurate account to be taken and recorded.

To exclude all persons not employed by the United States and needed in this operation from the warehouses and docks and their vicinity.

To transfer the cotton to the special agent of the Treasury Department, taking duplicate receipts therefor in detail, said receipts specifying the number and weight of every bale thus transferred to the special agent of the Treasury Department.

To allow none of the cotton to leave the harbor until said receipts are given to him by the agent aforesaid. * * * *

4. The original instructions of the Secretary of the Treasury of 28th December, 1864, designated Simeon Draper, Esq., as the special agent to take charge of the captured cotton, and to give receipts therefor as provided by law.

The instructions of the. 7th January to Albert G. Browne, special agent, communicated also to Simeon Draper, Esq., direct that Mr. Browne shall receive from the military authorities who are in possession of the cotton,