The President Stops the Fun

But in between this brisk business someone stepped in and put a halt to the fun:

Ordnance Office, War Department Washington, January 23, 1871

Major S. Crispin,

Corner Houston and Greene Streets, New York The President directs that sales of ordnance and ordnance stores be discontinued.

Acknowledge receipt.

A. B. Dyer,

Chief of Ordnance

The same day Dyer sent a follow-up clarifying telegram, saying that Crispin could deliver all stores sold previous to his receipt of the Presidential stop-sale telegram. This led to some loop-hole searching. Smith, Crosby & Company had put up margin for Parrott rifled field batteries, which purchase they had transferred to C. K. Garrison. Crispin sought to deliver to Garrison a suitable quantity of ammunition. To his and Dyer’s surprise, J. Schuyler Crosby declined to receive the ammunition, saying he did not want it. In another instance, Alfred Steinberger had put up margin and been awarded 6,300 Enfield rifles in October, 1870, but these had not been taken by him up to January 25, 1871. Crispin sought instructions as to whether he should deliver these arms. Dyer did not feel too much in favor of the presidential proclamation: “Consummate sale of Enfields made in October to Steinberger,” he responded.

But Poultney was left out in the cold. By February 14, he sent off a little St. Valentine’s note to his good friend General Dyer: “I am ready to take, on account of my purchase of the 19th of January, of carbines altered to rifles, the 1,200, more or less, Spencer carbines on hand at national Armory, altered to rifles, at 30 dollars per arm.”
Dyer was adamantine; to Crispin fell the unpleasant task of informing Poultney, “that the Secretary of War declines to authorize alteration and sale of Spencers.” The golden flood had been shut off, and now the Congress stepped in to investigate. The honeymoon was over.

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