| Quarter Master General's Department |
| Richmond, January 15th 1862 |
| |
| Genl J. E. Johnston |
| Commanding |
| Centreville, Virginia |
| |
| General, |
|
Supplies of corn will be forwarded to Manassas, as you
desire. Forage for the horses & mules of your command, is required
in such enormous quantities, that I apprehend it will become essentially
necessary to subsist a portion of them elsewhere during the winter.
According to Major Barbour's estimates, it will take 1050 bales of hay
and 3000 bushels of grain {about 20 cars for the
hay and 11 more for the grain}, per day, to supply the animals of your
command. Apart from the difficulty of procuring so large a quantity of
forage, the want of transportation for it, presents a most serious
obstacle. The counties of Hanover, King William, Caroline etc are said
to posses abundant supplies of forage which cannot be transported. I
would suggest, therefore, that while the army is in winter quarters, a
portion of the animals, cavalry & train, might be sent to these
counties, for subsistence, by turns. The evils resulting from both the
want of forage and the supply of that of an indifferent quality, are too
obvious to need their detail. These, I think, could be avoided to a
great extent, if this plan were adopted. A change from irregular &
insufficient food would be very beneficial and the good results would be
shown in the improved condition of the horses etc, in the Spring. The
importance of this subject is fully appreciated by this department, and
I would be obliged by such suggestions as you may make, in regard to the
most effective mode of providing for the exigency to which the army is
exposed, by the apprehended difficulty in the supply of forage. |
| A. C. Myers, Q. M. Gen. |
|