Jones, William E. (1824-1864) to William W. Loring

Fort Ewell Texas
Aug. the 4th 1852

Sir
I have been told that you profess to be ignorant of the cause of any enmity towards you. As I am well aware that it is no disadvantage for those under your command to have your good will I deem it of sufficient importance to make an attempt to engratiate myself into your favor. I hope then you will take in good part the enumeration of the wrongs that I think I have received at your hands as the comments I may make on things in general.
In 1848 at Jefferson Barracks I asked for a leave of seven days for the purpose of going to Memphis on urgent business. So left than to collect money for my mother a poor widow woman which she needed for the education of my sister. All this I told you. You put on that smile peculiar to yourself. A smile well known to all well acquainted with you. You cast your eyes down as no doubt your good breeding prompts you not to look a man out of countenance when he comes to see you on business. A modest expression covers your whole face. A sheepish or something between that and a wolfish look. These are seen when your "lips speak & your heart moveth not," or in other words more suitable to your comprehension when you are about to tell an official falsehood. Excuse the digressions. This smile with al the brilliancy of the rain now played on the countenance of the old & he out "your valuable services cannot be dispensed with." This was when officers returning from leaves were sent recruiting among their friends. I have no doubt your shallow brain was troubled to find them suitable amusements. It is a wonder you did not send them all to Washington to look after the best interests of the regiment or perhaps the nation at large. I must confess I thought it all right. My military education induced me to think a high an officer as a Lt. Col. could not do wrong since as insignificant a one as a cadet is not allowed to do so. This I thought was a custom of the service & my time would come bye & bye. When we were starting off to Leavenworth, every cowboy had an officer I thought surely I would get my little leave. But to my surprise I had to relieve an officer who was kept in St. Louis nominally on recruiting service but shrewdly suspected by some to assist the one armed tie in his matrimonial affairs. Well I thought he needed the assistance & didn't care if I lost my home. There is an old saying "like master like man." True for you are just the very
image of___.
I hope you had a good time of it. I have seen no wife. Your stomach may have been satisfied with one of these one night fellows. I have seen a dark complected boy said to be yours. This man's named___. A day or so after you arrived at camp___I went out to look for stray horses. When about 18 miles from camp I heard of an armed deserter 20 or 30 miles ahead of me. I had no arms. I hurried back & reported the fact. You censured me severely for not having pursued & brought back the man. I then began to think if you would only say let there be light that light there would be. Thence forward you knew you had injured & accordingly you hated me. You acted uncultivated []ature in this & showed your true greatness by it. I have no doubt you would rival Jonathan Wild if you had half the sense of Poter Timble. On that march which was to be the greatest ever to be recorded in history "You took especial care that I should not be entrusted with three men to pursue a run-away or with 15 or to go ahead & throw a bush by the mud holes to warn the waggons off. You your own great deed in "Shiny letters of gold." At the end of this was "to be great march" where you aimed in miserable flight I have other scores to settle. You sent your man Carpenter to dun me for $.3-0 you had spent for me. This was soon after the reprimand. You owed me at the same time $8. You got through with a few worn out horses & your men much reduced in number discipline & all that makes a good soldier. I say your men & horses because their condition were due entirely to you & there was nothing to cause a camp of more than 10 per cent of horses & a much smaller of men, except your own stupidity. I give you credit for low cunning. You deceived (or seems you did) the General. He said the camp of an army (fifty it was not a head) at the garita detracts naught from the energy of the man & other things equal to the most sublime ` of lot. All did their duty well but yours the master spirit move the whole. I think the General intended the last word to be spelt with-out the letter W. For its evident this master spirit must tend itself & draw all attached to it to some such party place. Your unwise rule drove off the faithful men in the most inclement weather. This brings me to my point for after distributing your favorites in si__ you had me for officer of the guard. The Sgt. of the guard disobeyed my orders & by it let 9 officers get away. I arrested him & put charges against him. I had to pursue the deserters. Brought them back & found the Sgt. unleased & my charges neglected. This man was afterwards Gen. Baily who it would appear out generaled you. After three days hard labor one on guard & two after deserters I was ordered for guard on the 4th. You had at this time one Adjt. & one Cornmisary more than was needed. You drove me to desperation. I offered my resignation. You would be glad of another such a chance.
At Vancouver you made me your Regt. Q.M. & tendered me through your Adjut. Genl. terms of peace. I scorned the alliance. I was doing this duty when we started home from that march so celebrated in history. If you remember you had a love scrape about this time with one of your captains. I wonder if Kenophon or Donaphon had this weakness. True love never runs smooth. You & this captain quarreled. You wanted me to take your part being on your staff & to swear for you. I preferred to stand mute in the quarrel & to tell the truth. I have incurred your everlasting hatred by so doing. You flamed my ruin at Panama. You gave me verbal orders that afterwards refused to have put in writing. They were asked for in writing before we were in front but denied me. However you had not courage to carry out your hellish designs & signed the necessary papers. After we crossed the Isthmus you again wanted me take sides against your sweetheart. I declined & after a second solicitation received a public reprimand. At N. Orleans you detained your staff except myself that they & you might make a little money out of the N.L. They traveled with 3 soldiers of your command & you gave then an order on which they drew transportation. One officer however incurred your displeasure & was ordered to take one of these soldiers & was not allowed the transportation. When you came to Jeff Bks you relieved from staff before my papers were made out & put me on Bombay duty with non favorites. The favorites were sent recruiting to select places. When you let off the most favored of the detained batch on long leaves you left yourself and requested your successor to grant only short leaves to the remainder of the non-favorites. I was among that number. I got a good leave in spite of you. You would not have me detailed on general recruiting service from personal dislike.
I have heard persons say you do these things because your mind is weak & that you are a gentleman notwithstanding. I beg leave to differ with them. In my opinion nothing contributes more to the formation of a true gentleman than justice. I grant that you are a great fool yet you have sense enough to know that your conduct toward me & many others of the Regt. has been vindictive oppressive & unjust in the highest degree. Thence my opinion you want often first attribute of a gentleman & to tell you frankly I think the last & all the intermediate

P.S. I see you are taking better care of your little son. The hot weather tans him badly & his hair begins to nap a little. If you will make friends I will recommend a powder that will give him a skin much whiter than your son ever will be.

You were in possession of a fine horse & common report had him a present from Lieut. G___of your Regt. Some time afterwards but before the detail was made Lt. G was promoted to 1st Lt. You sent him word that his promotion lost him the detail. The horse was returned to the possession of Lt. G. Lt. L. had a fine horse & it is known that he promised his horse to any one who would decline the detail in his favor. You now have the horse & he with the smallest claim is on the recruiting service. Who is fool enough to believe that you gave him $200. for the horse? When I ask why I was not sent you say you won't answer. These facts answer & that to your shame. Bribery! Bribery! Corruption! " The American flag trails in the dust Lt.___ look for the Rifle Regt., now you may squat."

(W.E. Jones)