| Bureau of Subsistence |
| Richmond, January 12, 1864 |
| |
| Col. L. B. Northrop |
| Commissary General of Subsistence |
| |
| Colonel, |
| Herewith I beg leave to
submit for your consideration the following extracts from letters
and telegrams received at this bureau from officers of this
department in relation to the collection and shipment of corn from
the Southern States. |
| |
|
Telegrams |
| December 16, 1863, Major Allen, Columbus,
Ga.: |
| Shipping
slowly for want of transportation. Have secured eight cars per day.
Will now go forward more promptly. |
| |
| December 18, Major Lowe, Charlotte, N.
C.: |
| Shipped
one car-load corn to-day. |
| |
| December 19, Captain Francis, Augusta,
Ga.: |
| Seven
car-loads went forward last night; seven car-loads remain. Will go
forward as soon as possible. |
| |
| December 19, Captain Cunningham, Macon,
Ga.: |
| Fifteen
car-loads corn leave here today by special messenger. More on the
way. Will be forwarded on arrival. |
| |
| December 23, Captain Francis, Augusta,
Ga.: |
| Twenty-five
ear-loads corn here will be shipped tomorrow. Cause of delay
reported in letter as follows: "But one line of railroad from
Augusta, over which two passenger trains per day are run and no
freight train on Sunday." Recommending only one passenger train
be run per day and freight train on Sunday. |
| |
| December 24, Captain Francis: |
|
Quartermaster has premised to
ship fifty-six car-loads corn this week. |
| |
| December 29, Captain Francis: |
|
Four thousand three hundred
and sixty sacks corn left yesterday for commissary department in
Virginia; 1,254 sacks leave tomorrow. |
| |
| December 26, John S. Cole, special
messenger: |
|
Thirteen car-loads corn for
commissary department detained here six days waiting transportation. |
| |
|
Letters |
| December 19, Major Lowe, Charlotte, N.
C., advises that he had "shipped two car-loads of his own corn,
and that three carloads belonging to commissary department await
transportation." |
| |
| December 18, Maj. A.M. Allen, Columbus,
Ga., states that he "has invoiced 40,000 bushels corn to
quartermaster at Macon" and has "sent competent parties to
put it through. Great difficulty in securing cars from Augusta.
Fifteen carloads corn went forward last night from Americus for
Major Claiborne; fifteen cars loaded will go today from Montgomery
and Marshallsville. Shipped today 1,000 sacks to Major C.; on the
20th will ship 2,000 sacks more from here; also shipped 1,000
bushels peas to Major C." |
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| December 16, Major Allen: |
|
Transportation agents lean to
quartermaster's and not subsistence department. Have arranged for
eight cars per day, &c. |
| |
| December 29, H. Cranston, Augusta, Ga.: |
|
From 21st to 28th instant
4,888 sacks corn went forward. |
| |
|
From the foregoing you will note that the movement of corn
for this department has been large and continued actively during the
month of December, yet I am compelled to announce the surprising and
unaccountable fact that notwithstanding the shipments enumerated,
this department has received no corn from the South during the past
thirty days. |
| This condition of affairs
has left us without any supply for the daily wants of the troops in
this State, to say nothing of the necessity of reserving flour to be
converted into hard bread for active movements during the spring
campaign, which, under existing circumstances, is impracticable, as
our limited stock of flour on hand will be entirely consumed to meet
immediate wants, and with little or no prospect of further
accumulations this season. Foreseeing, from the shortness of the
wheat crop of 1863, that sufficient flour could not be collected for
our wants during 1864, I addressed you a letter on the 3d September
last, in which the need of corn was stated and showing that a
deficiency of nearly 50,000 bushels existed between the amount
shipped by Major Allen, at Columbus, Ga., and that received by Major
Claiborne, at Richmond, which up to this time has never been
accounted for. |
| Early in December I advised
you that we were not receiving corn enough for the wants of General
Lee's army, regardless of other and equally pressing demands upon us
for subsistence, and stating that there was an ample supply of corn
in the country, if it were rendered available by reforms in the
management of transportation. On the 17th December I again addressed
you a letter stating that the receipts of grain in Virginia were
reduced to nothing, and that we must rely wholly upon the South for
our supplies, and recommending that Captain Welford be sent to
Georgia to expedite matters and that the Secretary of War give
precedence in transportation to supplies for this department while
the emergency existed. Captain Welford proceeded to Georgia, and the
activity that succeeded his efforts in that State can be viewed in
the large movement of grain toward Augusta, which seems to have been
"swallowed up" somewhere between that point and Richmond,
for we have but little trace of it. On the 9th instant I advised you
that all the corn arriving here was way-billed to Major Maynard, and
was being appropriated by the Quartermaster's Department without
regard to the marks which indicated that it was destined for the
Subsistence Department, there being no other method under existing
regulations of distinguishing it; and on the same date (9th January)
urging that it was of vital importance that there should be an
immediate reduction in the number of passenger trains, so that the
railroads could give their full capacity to the movement of freight
trains, which, if not increased, it seemed to me impossible that our
armies in this State could be fed. |
| I have been thus particular
in giving a partial review of the operations of this department in
relation to the collection of breadstuffs, that it might be seen
that the difficulties of collecting grain were appreciated, and
could not be removed while our railroads failed to transport
Government supplies in preference to increasing their receipts by
running two passenger trains per day. The wants of the department in
this State have been fully made known to Maj. A.M. Allen, commissary
of subsistence at Columbus, Ga., who replied that the amount of corn
required, 75,000 bushels per month, could be furnished by him; and
nothing remained in the way of our success but the obstacle of
transportation, which, if the proper steps be taken, I feel assured
that our condition can be immeasurably improved. |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| S. B. French |
| Major and Commissary of Subsistence |
|