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at any time, when I can communicate with him, I will have him paid as the Secretary directs. Your letter concludes with directions from the Secretary of War that the Department Commander take proper action on the illegal conduct of the Officer concerned.

         I, immediately on receipt of Col. Doubleday's report on affairs at Fort Davis, I called Lieut. Col. Shafter to account and herewith I enclose a copy of his reply.
         I found however so many complaints against this Officer for alleged arbitrary and improper conduct, that I relieved him from command of a Post and sent him to his Regimental Headquarters (see S. O. # 47. of this Department of march 9, 1872), proferring this to the expense and uncertain action of a Court Martial.  If the Secretary thinks a Court Martial advisable, I will have proper charges preferred, but the Court will have to be ordered by him.
                                             I am General, very respectfully
                                                 Your obdt. servant

1 Enclosure (Sgd) C. C. Augur 1126. D. t. '72. Brigadier General, U.S. A.

                                                         Commanding

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 383. Head Qrs. Dep't. of Texas,

                                                                                 San Antonio, Tex., May 3. 1872.

MO. MIL. DIV. Colonel James B. Fry Asst. Adjutant General, Hdqrs. Mil. Div. of the Mo. Chicago, Ills.

Colonel,

                I have the honor to enclose you herewith a report of Lieut. Col. Merritt, 9" Cavy., of the destruction by Indians, Mexicans and negroes combined, of a trail of supplies, Enroute to Fort Stockton at Howard's wells, near old Fort Lancaster.  I regret very much that Merritt was not in condition to punish these Indians severely, but he was changing station, with all the impediments usual on such occasions, with barely sufficient transportation and supplies to last his command on the road.  The two Cavalry Companies composed almost entirely of Recruits, undrilled, and with the fatal facility of the Spencer Carbines, expended most of their ammunition, before