| War Department, C. S. A. |
| Richmond, Va. |
| March 31, 1863 |
| |
| General R. E. Lee |
| Commanding, &c. |
| |
| General, |
| Your representations in relation to the
diminished rations to which your gallant army has been reduced, and
your natural apprehensions of the consequences, have inspired great
solicitude as well as sympathy on my part. The subject has been
urged on the attention of the Commissary-General, and all possible
efforts have been directed to increasing the supplies for the
present and improving the prospects for the future. I am satisfied,
from my inquiries, that the great difficulty just now is not so much
in the want of supplies as of the impediments to their ready
transportation and distribution. Our roads have almost defied wagon
transportation, and our railroads are daily growing less efficient
and serviceable. Still, with these internal difficulties, I am
satisfied some want of system or energy diminishes the supplies the
railroads ought to afford us, and I have not only urged the agent of
the Department in charge of railroad transportation to visit the
lines of greatest detention and arrange for more punctuality and
promptitude, but have likewise called him and some of the leading
presidents to an early conference here. |
| I am likewise invoking the aid of
Congress to enable me to enforce the adoption of more regular
schedules, and the employment of more trains in freight
transportation. |
| The effect of these measures, I trust,
will be felt at an early day. Meantime I look with hope to the
result of successful expeditious into the enemy's country for
supplies, and am gratified to learn of the partial success in this
way that has attended your late operations in the Valley. |
| ***** |
| In conclusion, allow me to assure you
that no discrimination to the disadvantage of your brave army shall
be made in the distribution of our limited supplies. On the
contrary, I have melancholy grounds for the belief that one or more
of our other armies are, on the average, enduring more serious
privations than yours. There is the wish to deal equal measure to
all, and the only differences that exist result from causes,
sometimes accidental, contravening the designs of the Department. |
| With high esteem, very respectfully, yours |
| J. A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
|