Benjamin Milner Turner (1838-1900) was Captain of Co. C, 4th GA. He was
badly wounded at Chickamaugua and taken P.O.W. at Nashville.
2pp, 8” x 10 ½”, TLS,
October 31, 1888, Atlanta, GA, on Railway Mail Service, Office of
Superintendent Fourth Division, to Hon. Samuel E. Dibble, Orangeburgh, SC.
“Replying to yours of
the 27th instant in relation to Mr. M.O. Dantzler, of the Wilmington and
Jacksonville R.P.O., I beg to say, that on Monday last, I forwarded statements
of Chief Clerks Davis and Brennecke, supported by the testimony of some other
clerks, to the department. I can conceive of no motive why Davis or Brennecke
should misrepresent Dantzler. If he was a fit clerk for the service after nine
months experience, he would certainly be less trouble to the Chief Clerks and
to this office than a new man who has to be taken up and instructed from the
beginning. Mr. Brennecke and Mr. Davis, as well of myself, know that neither of
us will be consulted in the matter of filling the vacancy caused by the
retirement of Mr. Dantzler, from the service, should he be retired. I can
assure you that we feel a lively sense of the responsibility which rests upon
the Railway Mail Service, and I know that it is held responsible for the
efficiency and conduct of the clerks by the public and press, without any
regard for their being new and inexperienced and, so far as their associate
railway postal clerks, Chief Clerks and myself are concerned, every reason
exists why a clerk who can do the work should be retained, and I can conceive
of none for a desire to get rid of a competent one and take the chances on a
new one of whom we have never heard. On the other hand, Mr. Dantzler,
naturally, has very strong reasons for making the best possible defense for
himself because…his reputation is involved and his personal friends among the
postal clerks have, I have no doubt, gone as far as they conscientiously could
in their statements in his behalf, and yet only two, I believe acquit him
further than to say—he was not seen by them while under the influence of liquor
while on duty. I impartially considered the case from the evidence alone and I
believe a just conclusion was arrived at. I do not say that Mr. Dantzler had
any reason to suppose that your influence would be used to have him retained,
but I do say, I believe he acts on the idea or he would not have gotten drunk
and gone into the Chief Clerk’s office and told Renneker that: ‘He would be
darned if he would put up another examination until after he had received his
permanent appointment,’ as Renneker (not Brennecke) says he did, and he would
not have absented himself without leave from August 12th to 28th, as the record
shows he did.
“Very respectfully,
“B.M. Turner”
Nice post war letter.
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