| Subsistence Department, C. S. A. |
| Richmond, Va. |
| March 10, 1865 |
| |
| Brig. Gen. I. M. St. John |
| Commissary-General |
| Richmond, Va. |
| |
| General, |
| From my recent connection
with the bureau, my information upon the points suggested by you is
limited, and confined to what is available for the subsistence of
General Lee's army and the expression of an opinion as to the
results of the voluntary contributions in Virginia. |
| As to the first, all of the
details which have come to my knowledge have been handed to Major
Noland, chief commissary of subsistence of Virginia, except the information received on the 9th instant from Captain
Orr, assistant commissary of subsistence at Bristol, as to what was available in
East Tennessee. From 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 rations of flour, and almost 5,000,000
rations of meal, he reported as available at once, with three
conditions: First, military protection; second, transportation;
third, cotton yarns, tobacco, or specie. |
| I feel assured that, with
the control of $500,000 in coin and the maintenance of our present
railroad lines, General Lee's army can be fed. With regard to the
probable amount of supplies from voluntary contributions, all
reports have been most cheering and satisfactory; all of the
stations along the lines of the Virginia Central, {Richmond
&}
Danville, and South Side, or Virginia
& Tennessee
railroads are rapidly filling up with flour, meal, corn, and bacon. |
| In fine, I express my
deliberate opinion that the question of feeding the Army of Northern
Virginia, in its present position, depends upon a judicious
management of transportation and the control by this bureau of
one-half a million of dollars in coin, together with $150,000 per
day in Treasury notes. |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| T. G. Williams |
|