Please help identify the "Captain Campbell" and "Mr. Davisse" in this 1862 OFFICIAL RECORD letter. ..Who was this "M. H. Campbell"? ..I do not remember where I got these initials.

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Fort Arbuckle, C.N.
Oct 16, 1862

CSA General Albert Pike
SIR:

Agreeably to the orders of [CSA] Col. [D.H.] Cooper, of date August 19, the Chickasaw battalion commenced reorganizing, and now have reorganized five [5] companies, and, with the exception of a few, all members of the old battalion; but it is the fact, and I regret very much to say, that there is not one officer in all the companies that is capable to fulfill the duties of either quartermaster, commissary, or adjutant. ..Capt. [R.L.] Cochran, whom you appointed commissary and assigned to duty for the battalion, says he considers himself no longer in the commissary department, and I have made a temporary appointment to act during the reorganization of the battalion. ..Capt. [M.H.] Campbell still retains his office, and has told me that he will act until relieved.

The battalion is in a bad condition -- no shoes, hats, clothing, or tents; but I hope those things which they are in much need of will be furnished soon. ..With that hope before them they stick together. ..If it is in your power to do so, could you not appoint a commissary for us and continue Capt. [M.H.] Campbell in the quartermaster's department, and also appoint an adjutant for the battalion? If a citizen can be appointed I should recommend Mr. Davisse, who has formerly acted as such in the old battalion a few months. ..There is also Mr. [A.] Rennie, who acted as adjutant up to the time the re-enlistment commenced, and he, considering himself out of service, went home.

All the officers of the old battalion took a stampede as soon as the day of reenlistment arrived, and [Chickasaw] Governor [C.] Harris, who was authorized to re-enlist, being sick and not able to attend to it, assigned me the duty. ..I have succeeded so far as to get five companies reorganized, as I said before. ..There were very little provisions in the commissariat, and I have made requisition on the quartermaster at Ft Washita for provisions.

This was my only chance to keep the men together, and made a temporary arrangement for beef. ..If I was wrong in so doing I hope I may be excused, because I saw no other chance. ..The lieutenant-colonel of the old battalion having told them that the old battalion was disbanded, a great many of the men took it for granted that they were free to go when they pleased, and, sir, it required all my energy, by talking, explaining, persuading to remain, but a great many went home; but I hope to see you up here before long.

Yours, respectfully,
James Gamble, Captain Comdg.
Chickasaw Battalion ....................per ORsIvI[S#19]p895.

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The "Capt. Campbell" in the above 1862 letter is the only quartermaster named "Campbell" that I could find who may have been the "Major Campbell" mentioned in the 1864 letter below.

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Bonham, Fannin County, Texas
June 18, 1864

COLONEL [James Bourland, Comdg. on Frontier]:

Mr. James [N.] Collins, agent of Major Campbell, who is the purchasing Commissary for your section of country informs me that his [cow] hands have been [kept] from driving beef cattle to the army and notified that all the cattle have been sold through your section to contractors.

If Mr. Collins is prevented from driving beef, the army must suffer, this might not be under obligations to see that Mr. Collins gets beef if there is any in the country and he has the right to impress the beef of contractors unless they have a special guarantee against impressment and the law indicates very clearly a disposition to impress produce in the hands of contractors and speculators before taking it from producers and you know I have held to the same doctrine as was too plainly shown in the case of Doctors Burks and Hamilton.

The people are under no obligation to sell to contractors while they are bound to sell to agents from the fact that they (the agents) have power to impress. ..It is hoped that Mr. Collins will drive or purchase no more beef than is actually necessary before the first of July but he must have what is necessary and you must render him the necessary aid to obtain it.

Most respectfully your Obt. Svt.,

Henry E. McCulloch, Brig. Genl. Comdg., N.S.D., Hd. Qrs. ..per BP-DM4406-3O-149.

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These letters are found on pages vIp265 and vIIpA-395 of my 1,022-page book.

Patti, prochette@Juno.com