| Qr Mr Dep't 3d Brigade, Hugers Division |
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In the field June 30th 1862 |
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Col. A. C. Myers |
| Quartermaster General CSA |
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| Sir, |
| In rendering my returns for the 2d Quarter
ending this day I think it my duty to make the following statement. |
| On the 5th of May 1862 I received orders
from Brig Genl A. G. Blanchard, Commanding at Portsmouth Va, to prepare
my Quartermaster Stores for transportation, and to remove them to Weldon
or Petersburg when cars could be procured, and to assist in the removal
and transportation of ammunition, ordnance, commissary stores &c and the
machinery, supplies &c from the Gosport Navy Yard preparatory to the
evacuation of Norfolk, Portsmouth & vicinity. Upon inquiry I learned
from Capt John M Robinson A D C to Major Genl Loring and Superintendent
of the Seaboard & Roanoke Rail Road Company, that the Secretary of War
had placed the system of removal & transportation by rail under his
charge, direction & supervision and that ammunition, ordnance,
commissary stores &c with Navy yard Machinery stores &c would take
precedence in cars, and that corn & other Quartermaster stores would be
transported after the more valuable goods were removed, a rule both just
and proper. |
| I immediately procured empty bags, had my
corn prepared for easy handling & transportation & shoots made from the
warehouse to the cars so as to load them on short notice, and turned my
entire attention to the removal and transportation of other articles of
value to the Government. Every car that could be procured was
immediately loaded with ammunition, commissary stores &c and dispatched
up the Road, whilst a very large amount of valuable material from the
Navy yard was also saved; the press upon the Road was very heavy & the
more so from the fact that in addition to our own & the Navy yard
stores, the vast stock of the commissary in Norfolk was transported over
this Road. |
| On the morning of the 10th of May we
received notice that the enemy had landed in force, at Ocean View, and
were marching upon Norfolk, and I had orders to prepare for immediate
evacuation; most of my wagons and teams were sent to the various posts
to save, if possible, the ammunition and Camp Equipage of the various
troops stationed there, which every car that could be procured was being
loaded with the most valuable material; we saved every pound of
ammunition, much valuable ordnance, all the ordnance stores &c &c
and lost most of my Qr Mr Stores including the corn, for up to the hour
of evacuation cars could not be procured to transport it; had the
connecting roads come up to the mark and furnished the cars asked for
everything could have been saved. |
| I remained at my post two hours after the
troops had left, & I was ordered to leave, endeavoring to save what I
could of Government property and then repaired to "Bowers Hill," seven
miles, to remove to a saer place the ammunition & stores collected
there. |
| The corn left in my warehouse, was, by
order of Brig Genl Blanchard turned over by me to the Mayor of the City
(John E Nash Esq) for distribution among the poor families of the
Volunteers in service, and I since learn the amount left was so
distributed. |
| The wagons lost were surplus, and could
not be transported for want of harness which I found impossible to
procure; most of the mules & horses lost was by treachery of the
drivers, who either took side roads, or concealed themselves in the
woods, and were passed unobserved, as I had started them out ahead of me
in charge of my chief teamster (Sanford) who deserted with them, and I
since learn went to the enemy; the loss I did not discover until we
reached Suffolk, and then the enemy was in possession and all means of
communication closed. The wagons kept in Portsmouth to the last were
filled with commissary stores, ammunition & corn, the latter for the
teams on the Road. |
| The buildings erected by me near
Portsmouth as Quarters for the Cavalry, and the buildings erected at
Suffolk by the State of Virginia and turned over to the Confederate
States were burned to prevent their use and occupancy by the enemy. |
| I feel that I used every possible effort
to save the property, and protect the interests of, the Government and
that too at the sacrifice of my private interests for in the evacuation
of my Native City I abandoned all of worldly goods I possessed, and I
trust that my conduct will meet the approval of the Department. |
| I beg to call your attention to the
enclosed certificate from Genl Blanchard. |
| I have the honor to be |
| Very Respectfully |
| Yr obt Sv't |
| Geo. W. Grice |
| Major & QrMr |
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