| Message of the President |
| |
| Richmond, Va., Feb. 8, 1865 |
| |
| To the House of Representatives: |
| In response to your resolution
of the 25th ult., I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary
of War, covering a list of the Quartermasters and Assistant
Quartermasters now in the service and indicating the rank of each
officer and the duty on which he is employed. |
| Jefferson Davis |
| |
| Communication of Secretary of War |
| |
| Confederate States of America |
| War Department |
|
Richmond, Va., Feb. 7, 1864 |
| |
| To the President: |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have received the following
resolution of the House of Representatives, referred by your Excellency
to this Department: |
| "Resolved, That the
President be respectfully requested, if not incompatible with the public
interest, to communicate to this House the number of Quartermasters now
in the employment of the Confederacy, designating the number in active
service in the field, and also the number in post and other duties, with
their respective ranks." |
| In response, I have the honor
to transmit herewith a report from the Quartermaster General, containing
the information desired by the House. |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| John C. Breckinridge Secretary of War |
| |
| Report of Quartermaster General |
| |
| Confederate States of America |
| Quartermaster General's Office |
| Richmond, Feb. 4, 1865 |
| |
| Hon. J. A. Seddon, Secretary of War |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have the honor to
acknowledge the reference by you to this office of a copy of the
resolution of the House of Representatives of the 25th January, 1865,
requesting the President, if not incompatible with the public interests,
to communicate to the House "The number of Quartermasters now in the
employment of the Confederacy, designating the number in active service
in the field, and also the number in post and other duties, with their
respective ranks," and in accordance with your instructions to submit
the following report, viz: |
| Whole number of Quartermasters now in the employment of the
Confederacy |
|
1316 |
| Quartermasters with the rank of Lieut-Colonel: |
|
|
| Chief Quartermasters of armies |
2 |
|
| Inspector of Railroad transportation |
1 |
|
| On General Inspection duty |
1 |
|
| On Post duty |
1 |
5 |
| |
|
|
| Quartermasters with the rank of Major: |
|
|
| Number in active service in the field, east of
the Mississippi river |
173 |
|
| Number on like duty in Trans-Mississippi
Department |
30 |
|
| Number assigned to Post and other duties, east
of the Mississippi river |
66 |
|
| Number on like duty, west of the Mississippi
river |
10 |
|
| Number engaged in providing, inspecting and
repairing field transportation, east of the Mississippi |
21 |
|
| Number on like duty, west of same |
4 |
|
| Number inspectors of Railroad transportation |
5 |
|
| Number on Tax in kind duty, east of the
Mississippi |
8 |
|
| Number on Tax in kind duty, west of the
Mississippi |
3 |
|
| Number unassigned, closing accounts for final
settlement, under arrest, &c |
4 |
|
| Number on Forage duty |
5 |
|
| Number on duty as Provost Marshals, Exchange
Agents, &C &c |
9 |
|
| Number Prisoners of War |
3 |
|
| Number on general inspection duty |
2 |
|
| Number on duty abroad |
2 |
345 |
| |
|
|
| Quartermasters with the rank of Captain: |
|
|
| Number in active service in the field, east of
the Mississippi river |
590 |
|
| Number on like duty west of the Mississippi |
47 |
|
| Number Post and other duties east of the
Mississippi |
128 |
|
| Number Post and other duties west of the
Mississippi |
18 |
|
| Number engaged in providing, inspecting and
repairing field transportation, east of the Mississippi |
42 |
|
| Number on like duty, west of the Mississippi |
3 |
|
| Number on Tax in kind duty, east of the
Mississippi |
71 |
|
| Number on Tax in kind duty, west of the
Mississippi |
14 |
|
| Number unassigned, closing accounts, &c |
9 |
|
| Number on duty collecting and forwarding
forage, &c |
27 |
|
| Number Prisoners of war |
12 |
|
| Number on duty as Inspectors of Railroad
transportation |
6 |
966 |
| Total number |
|
1316 |
| |
|
|
| Recapitulation |
|
|
| Whole number of officers on duty with troops in the field |
842 |
|
| Whole number on duty as Inspectors of Transportation and
collecting forage |
112 |
|
| Whole number on duty in connection with the tax in kind |
96 |
|
| Whole number on Post duty proper (including those in charge
of manufactories, purchasing supplies, &c) |
223 |
|
| Whole number Prisoners of War |
15 |
|
| Whole number of all others |
28 |
1316 |
|
| |
| It is deemed proper to add,
that of those officers reported as on post duty, a considerable number
are known to be over forty-five years of age; of the remainder not a few
are officers who have been transferred from field to post duty, on
surgeon's certificate of disability for the former, which disability was
caused, in many instances, by exposure in the service, and in others by
wounds received either prior or subsequent to their appointment as
quartermasters. The policy of the Department has been to assign such
officers to posts, relieving, at the same time when practicable,
therefrom active and robust men who have been assigned to field duty to
supply vacancies. |
| Another class of officers on
post duty, comprises those who have acquired valuable experience in the
discharge of important duties, and whose familiarity with the resources
of the country and the wants of the army, combined with remarkable
energy and efficiency renders them almost indispensable to the public
service in their present positions. |
| It may also be added that a
number of the officers included in the foregoing summary, are known to
be absent from their commands on sick leave and on furloughs. |
| I have the honor to be, very
respectfully, |
| Your obedient servant, |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. General |
| |
| {Such a listing for
1863 has been found, but railroad-related officers were in the A&IG
Department at that time and were not listed as quartermasters. A report
for 1864 has not been found.} |
|