| Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia |
| January 23, 1863 |
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| His Excellency President Jefferson Davis |
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| Mr. President:
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| I dislike very much to
trouble Your Excellency, but the want of supplies for the troops has
been reported to me this morning, which, coming at this time, causes
me the greatest uneasiness. Unless regular supplies can be obtained,
I fear the efficiency of the army will be reduced by many thousand
men, when already the army is far inferior in numbers to that of the
enemy. I do not know whether the difficulty arises from the want of
provisions at Richmond or from delay in its transportation to this
point, but the result is that there is a scarcity of food for the
men. If the provisions are in Richmond, I think, by an energetic
operation of the railroad, they can be readily transported. Great
delay in the running of the freight trains has been reported to me,
which could be avoided by zeal and energy on the part of the agents. |
| It has been suggested to me that Captain
Sharp, assistant quartermaster, conversant with the operations of
the railroad, would make a capital superintendent. I am told he is
now in North Carolina. I beg Your Excellency will cause such
directions to be given as the case admits of, and that I, at least,
be informed what supplies I can rely upon. The chief commissary of
this army, in compliance with the directions of the
Commissary-General at Richmond, has reduced the salt-meat rations to
a quarter of a pound per man, and ordered one-fifth of a pound of
sugar to be issued in addition; but there is no sugar here for the
purpose. |
| I have the honor to be, with great respect, your
obedient servant, |
| R. E. Lee |
| General |
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