War Department, C. S. A.
| Richmond, Va., November 14, 1862 |
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| General R. E. Lee |
| Commanding Department of Northern Virginia, etc. |
| |
| General, |
| I am about sending an officer to Texas to
purchase 1,000 horses, if possible, intending to resell them at cost
to the cavalry of your army. I shall use every exertion to get them
in time for the spring campaign. |
| I informed you when here of my apprehension of an
insufficient supply of subsistence for the army. I now inclose an
extract of a letter from a commissary in the field in reference to
an alleged increase of the ration, which, if correct, leads me to
apprehend still greater difficulty in subsisting the troops.
Attached to it you will observe a regulation adopted in April last
diminishing the ration, in view of our lessened sources of supply.
That regulation has not been rescinded; but, on the contrary, is
more needed now than ever. The supply of hogs is 100,000 less than
it was last year; the failure of the corn crop in Tennessee and
Northwestern Georgia renders even this supply to some extent
unavailing; the supply of beef is very much less; the wheat crop of
Virginia, judging from the receipts here, is less than half what it
was last year, and the corn crop of the Southern States is rendered
unavailable by the difficulties of transportation. An increase of
the ration, under the circumstances, unless absolutely necessary for
the existence of the army, had better be dispensed with. |
| I am expecting here, on the 23d instant, William M.
Wadley, of Georgia, who will be placed in charge of railroad
transportation. From his experience and success in the management of
railroads, I anticipate great benefit to our railroads and to the
army. |
| In addition to the provisions already made by
numerous contracts for clothing, shoes, and ordinance stores, I am
about dispatching an experienced agent to Texas with large funds for
the purpose of introducing such things through Mexico more
extensively than has been done heretofore, and in the mean while I
will get what I can by purchase and impressment in the Confederacy. |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| G. W. Randolph |
| Secretary of War |
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