Bureau of Subsistence
| Richmond, February 8, 1864 |
| |
| Col. L. B. Norton, Commissary-General |
| |
| Colonel, |
| I have to report the receipt of late
services from Maj. W. H. Smith, commissary of subsistence, on
inspection duty in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, in
which encouraging accounts are given of the ability of the latter
State to meet our wants fully with breadstuffs, and partially with
meat, if the system inaugurated for supplying General Johnston's
army be vigorously carried out, viz, drawing supplies from Northern
Georgia and Alabama, and relieving Major Allen's district in
Southwest Georgia, and if the required reforms in the management of
railroad transportation are at once adopted. Major Smith cites
numerous and flagrant abuses to which this important arm of the
public defense has been and is constantly subjected, showing that
the Government is deprived of many facilities by the cupidity of
railroad companies and the corruption of agents and employees, who
regard their personal interests as paramount to all other
considerations. The official report of the Charlotte and South
Carolina road exhibits the following statement of receipts: From the
Confederate States, $336,603; private freight, $270,544; Southern
Express Company, $186,281; the latter paying one-half as much as the
Government, illustrating beyond dispute that the amount of
transportation controlled by this company is greatly beyond what
they are legitimately entitled to, and the additional fact is given
that some twenty or thirty cars are owned by it at Augusta, which
necessarily occasion interruption to more important trains. We are
now dependent on the south for bread, yet under the most favorable
circumstances, with existing arrangements, it is impossible to
provide for the daily wants of General Lee's army and the troops in
this State, to say nothing of the imperative necessity for creating
a reserve in anticipation of the many emergencies likely to arise
not only from movements of the enemy, but from accidents on a line
of communication between 600 and 700 miles in length. To-day we have
not on hand rations for two days, and with no prospect of
accumulations in this State from purchases, etc., it is impossible
to foresee how forward movements can be made by the Army of Northern
Virginia in the spring if we continue to be pressed for the current
demands, and no increase is made from the only source to which we
can confidently look. With no efforts to improve our facilities of
transportation, and whilst the present defective system continues,
we must remain in a condition of uncertainty that sooner or later
will culminate in disaster. We are apprised that thirty-five cars
loaded with corn have remained at Gaston, N. C., one week, besides
large quantities of other supplies at that place and Raleigh, owing
to the derangement of the trains by military movements and by the
failure of the Raleigh and Gaston road to run through to Petersburg,
as suggested some time since to the chief of Railroad Bureau. That
number of cars, thirty-five, in the time specified, would have moved
nearly 14,000 bushels of corn, but because the convenience of the
road is to a great extent consulted as in opposition to the urgent
wants of the Government, we cannot anticipate that our condition
will be in the slightest degree improved until summary, vigorous,
and determined measures are enforced.
|
| Major Sims informs me that the president of
the Gaston road will commence running through trains from to-day
until the block is removed. The demand on Major Allen's district
from Major Cummings still continues heavy, interfering seriously
with his ability to meet the wants of our army in Virginia. Under
date of the 1st instant he writes as follows:
|
| "I shipped
last week to Atlanta for General Johnston's command 16,200 bushels
meal, 1,300 bushels peas, 89,000 pounds bacon, sides, 260 barrels
molasses, and a quantity of pickled beef. I am shipping daily to him
eight or ten car-loads. Let me be relieved from this command, etc.,
and I will supply Virginia abundantly."
|
| The necessary instructions have been forwarded
to Major Walker, chief commissary of Alabama, to render all the
assistance possible to General Johnston's army, but the demands for
transportation of coal and iron to Atlanta for the Navy Department
seriously embarrasses operations; and as it seems impracticable to
provide for the wants of both departments with such limited
facilities, the wants of the most urgent and important should
receive precedence, if not compel one to yield wholly to the other.
|
| The suggestions of Major Smith relative to the
employment of a part of the machinery and resources of the Navy
Department for repairing and building rolling-stock, etc., are
worthy of the earnest consideration of the proper authorities, for
many locomotives, cars, &c., are now valueless because of the
limited appliances at the command of railroad companies, and if even
a portion be so employed, he is confident very great additions can
be made to roads now greatly deficient in material, etc. As our
existence as a nation is dependent upon the efficiency and
preservation of the Army, I may be pardoned for expressing the
opinion that every other branch of the public defense should be
subservient to that upon which we can alone rely. For several months
past I have repeatedly called your attention to the difficulties
under which we labored in the collection of subsistence, owing to
the defective management and limited resources of transportation,
confidently anticipating that such action would be taken by the
proper authorities as would be calculated to assist us in collecting
requisite supplies for the troops in this State, but no relief has
been afforded except through the special agents of this department,
and then only of a temporary character, for as soon as they
disappeared from the important shipping points the same difficulties
would arise, and subsistence stores for days and weeks would be
permitted to remain at stations and depots until railroad agents and
others were favorable to their removal. Unless the most stringent
regulations are adopted for the management of transportation, and
the interests of the Government receive full and constant protection
from the abuses practiced by those in charge, it would be idle to
expect any improvement in our condition.
|
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant |
| S. B. French |
| Major and Commissary of Subsistence |
| |
| [First indorsement] |
| Richmond, February 8, 1864 |
| |
| Respectfully referred to the Secretary of War. |
| From the beginning of the war I have steadily
aimed at keeping up railroads to their utmost capacity; have made
frequent attempts to have this most vital subject placed on a
footing of improvement. In the summer of 1862 I proposed a man whose
plan and capacity promised success. From the winter of 1862 I urged
that vital necessity required that all other demands for
transportation should be stopped until supplies were accumulated.
From last summer to this period similar efforts have been made.
Since Major French has been on duty in this Bureau his attention has
been necessarily directed to this matter, which he has now ably
presented. I earnestly commend his letter to your attention.
|
| L. B. Northrop |
| Commissary-General |
| |
| [Second indorsement] |
| February 9, 1864 |
| Quartermaster-General (Major Sims) |
| |
| Let me see you after examination and
consideration of this paper. |
| J. A. S. |
| |
| [Third indorsement] |
| Quartermaster-General's Office |
| February 10, 1864 |
| |
| Respectfully forwarded to Lieutenant-Colonel
Sims. |
| By order of Quartermaster-General. |
| W. F. Alexander |
| Major and Assistant to the Quartermaster-General |
| |
| [Fourth indorsement] |
| Railroad Bureau |
| Richmond, February 23, 1864 |
| |
| Respectfully returned to
Quartermaster-General, and his attention called to inclosed report. |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lieutenant-Colonel and Quartermaster |
| |
| [Fifth indorsement] |
| Confederate States of America |
| Quartermaster-General's Office |
| Richmond, February 24, 1864 |
| |
| These papers are respectfully forwarded to the
Secretary of War. |
| I cannot too earnestly call attention to
the views and suggestions presented by Lieutenant-Colonel Sims. Any
agreement drawn from the condition of railroad transportation twelve
months since must be fallacious, as the demands of the Government
upon the railways have more than doubled in that time. Then corn was
not transported from Georgia to forage the horses of General Lee's
army. Then the Commissary Department did not call for corn to feed
the troops of the same army, but wheat was relied on solely for that
purpose. Then the same department did not attempt to transport meat
from points far south to Virginia. Now the roads are expected to
respond promptly to all these new demands without any additional
assistance. Let any practical suggestion for improvement be
suggested, and it will be promptly adopted. |
| A. R. Lawton |
| Quartermaster-General |
| |
| [Inclosure] |
| C. S. Quartermaster's Dept., Railroad Bureau |
| Richmond, February 22, 1864 |
| |
| Brig. Gen. A. R. Lawton |
| Quartermaster-General |
| |
| General: Accompanying this report I
respectfully return a communication from the Bureau of Subsistence
relative to defective transportation of supplies, in which Maj. W.
H. Smith, commissary of subsistence, is quoted as saying that if the
"required reforms in the management of railroad transportation
are at once adopted" the supplies of subsistence, which are
abundant in Georgia, will be carried to General Johnston's army.
What the "required reforms" are Major Smith does not
mention, and it will be therefore impossible for me to avail myself
of their advantage. It shall be my earnest efforts to apply any
practicable remedy that is suggested, and I shall seize with
alacrity any plan promising relief, but until some feasible proposal
is made I will be left to my own resources to manage this vexatious
question. The charge of cupidity and corruption against railroad
companies and of agents and employees who regard their personal
interests as paramount to all other considerations is too vague to
admit of investigation. Officers of the Commissary and
Quartermaster's Departments are habitually and publicly charged as
the railroad companies are in this communication, and a sense of the
injustice we endure should create a charitable spirit. The Charlotte
and South Carolina Railroad, however, is particularized as
illustrating beyond question that the transportation of this company
is beyond what it is legitimately entitled to, and the earnings of
this company for last year are cited to prove that this road has
done a large business for private parties. To answer this charge I
would ask if this road has not performed promptly all the Government
business offered it? If it has, then what possible objection can
there be to its working for other parties? |
| It certainly is not the policy of the
Government to confine railroads to Government work exclusively. It
is to be hoped this is not one of the "required reforms."
Last year, when the Government did not need within 50 per cent. of
the supplies from Georgia that it is wanting now, a small surplus
was accumulated in Richmond. The past twelve months has improved
transportation but little, and it will be a cause of congratulation
if the Army of Virginia has its daily wants constantly met. It is
useless to hope for more, for such expectations will not be
realized. Every effort is being made and will continue to do more
than this; but I cannot blind myself to the truth, nor will I lead
others to do so. The communication says, "With no efforts to
improve transportation, and while the present defective system
continues, we must remain in a condition of uncertainty that sooner
or later will culminate in disaster." The writer is mistaken in
supposing that no efforts are being made to improve this important
branch of public service. Great efforts have been made, and with
success. The writer is ignorant of the increased power now occupied
between Augusta and Richmond over last year. Probably 15 locomotives
and 200 freight cars are now working between those two points which
were not there last year. Does this look as if no efforts were being
made? The writer charges that thirty-five cars loaded with corn
remained at Gaston one week. This is true, but what was the cause of
it? General Pickett seized the trains of the Petersburg Railroad and
carried them away to Kinston, causing a total stoppage of business
on this road. Are such delays chargeable to transportation or the
system under which it is conducted? The demands of the Navy
Department may interfere with transportation, but are the claims of
that Department to be ignored? No orders have reached me to that
effect, and until they do I must continue as heretofore. |
| The suggestions relative to putting the naval
works at Columbus and Charlotte at repairing railroad machinery was
recommended to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, but he did not
view it favorably. If the business of transportation was confined to
removal of commissary supplies, it would present no difficulty; but
it really is less than one-third of the work. It is not at all
unusual for persons to suppose that they can manage railroads with
much more ability than those who have them in charge. It is still
more unusual to find such professions supported by facts. The
subject of transportation has had all of my attention, and there is
but one way in which it can be improved, and that is by liberal
details of machinists from the Army. Details for sixty days do but
little good. They must go permanently into the workshops and have
material to work with. I have asked for them and they are not
granted. Every road has its shop and tools, but it has few workmen.
You may work, and plan, and devise, and suggest, and at last you
will come to this conclusion. The recent guaranty given by the
Secretary of War to those who will go into the iron business will
come to nothing, because the details asked for were not promised,
and it is the same reason that has depreciated the rolling-stock of
the country. I asked once for a detail of one mechanic for every ten
miles of railroad in the Confederacy, but so preposterous, I
suppose, was considered the demand that no answer was returned to
me. I repeat it, transportation must continue to depreciate until
the mechanics are detailed. It is a short-sighted, ruinous policy
that looks to any other source for relief, and I entreat you,
general, not to pass my suggestion by without consideration, and if
you would have them substantiated by older and wiser heads I beg you
to consult them. All I ask is, let them be practical railroad men. I
am willing to do all that I can do, but to improve transportation
without men and material is the requisition of the Egyptian
taskmaster. Give me the men and you shall see advantages from them.
Refuse and I can promise nothing. |
| I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient
servant |
| F. W. Sims |
| Lieutenant-Colonel and Quartermaster |
|