| Quartermaster General's Department |
| Richmond, May 13th 1864 |
| |
| Col. J. S. Corley |
| Chief Q. M. etc |
| |
| Colonel, |
| I avail myself of the first opportunity for
several days to let you know our condition and make some suggestions.
Two days since I sent you a dispatch to Guinea's Station (repeated to
Gordonsville) and gave the names of several persons near that Station,
in Caroline County, who can spare temporarily each about five
hundred bushels of corn, and requested you to give receipts to return
the corn soon. I also wrote you a letter and enclosed this list, but I
fear the letter did not reach you. Hon. Mr. DeJarrette furnished me
these names, his own among them. It is absolutely necessary that you
should supply yourself in this way during the present emergency.
Wherever your wagons can find more corn than is necessary for the
support of the plantation for six weeks, you should take it; and
pledge a return by this Department. I trust Genl. Lee will not
hesitate to give such an order, and everything possible will be done
by this Department in meeting your engagements. The Army cannot be
permitted to starve while there is food within its reach, not
necessary for the present use of the owners. Should your wagon
trains be within reach of Albemarle County, I am assured that
you can obtain corn enough there to forage your horses for several
weeks, without injury to man or beast on any of the plantations. This
corn is not "Surplus" in the sense used in the Impressment
Act; and therefore could not be secured in the regular process of
collecting Supplies; but there must be no hesitation in taking it in
this emergency. |
| I have been thus specific, Colonel, because
I am powerless to assist you from Richmond at present. The enemy has
been in possession of the Petersburg R. R. for a week, and all the
energies of this Department, were promptly exerted to secure trains
enough on the {Richmond &} Danville
Road to obtain a moderate supply at least, from that quarter. As soon
as the organization was fairly effected, that road is also cut off by
the Enemy. The Troops hemmed in around Richmond have nearly consumed
the small supply we have here, and the Commissary Department now calls
for the remainder to grind into meal. If the Military Authorities will
keep a single line of Rail Road open to the South, I can and
will supply you; to a moderate extent at least. If they are unable to
do that much, this Department is powerless to render you any
assistance. I have written thus plainly & in detail, that each may
understand the position of the other at this moment of severe trial.
At the same time, I beg you to assure Genl. Lee that no effort will be
spared to serve his Army, and that I am fully alive to his
necessities, and his claim to every assistance the Government can give
to his army. |
| A. R. Lawton, Q. M. G. |
|