Very respy. your obdt. servt.,
H. B. SMITH,
Lt. & Chief.
My report and recommendations were so highly esteemed by General Wallace
that he had a copy sent to General N. L. Jeffries, the Provost Marshal
General of the United States, and by him were my suggestions acted upon.
Colonel Lafayette C. Baker was sent to New York with a force of men and
very ample money; a very vigorous and extended raid was made, partially
successful, but I think my plan of putting fifteen or twenty men in with
the jumpers, to actually "jump" with them, thus obtaining evidence to
convict, would have been more successful. The current newspapers treated
this matter as of great importance, using the findings of my report,
saying: "Our quotas are being fraudulently filled, and furnishing no men
for the army, etc."