U.S. Mil. Acady. West Point 1 Feby. 1855
General.
In answer to your letter of the 30th Ulto. I have to state that Cadet R.P. Lewis, informed me that his father was a resident of California before & at the time of his appointment to the Mil. Acady. & that he is now residing in San Francisco with his family. Hi s uncle; His Excely. R. M. Price of N. Jersey; was appointed his guardian when he came to the Acady., for the sake of convenience, & in consequence of the great distance of his father. Under these circumstances, & having been appointed from California; which according to par: 169 Acad. Regns is to be considered his place of residence; & nothing having been said in your letter of 26th Ulto: giving me the distances of the homes of certain Cadets applied for in my letter of the 24th I presumed you considered the question settled by the decision in Mr. Zabriskie’s case after detaining him till yesterday; to enable him to commence his journey to his father, which he informed me he was ready & anxious to do: I paid him his traveling allowance to San Francisco, & he had left the Point before the reception of your letter. I considered him under the Regns. entitled to this allowance & did not feel justified in withholding it.
I have the honour to be Your obedt. Servt.
Signed/ R. E. Lee Br. Col.
Supt. Mil. Acady.
Superintendent's Daily Correspondence United States Military Academy
Superintendent's Letter Book No. 3, p. 182. Addressed “Genl: Jos: G. Totten Chief Engineer Washington City D.C.”