| Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia |
| March 27, 1863 |
| |
| Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary of War |
| |
| Sir, |
| About the last of January I directed
General W. E. Jones to send an escort of cavalry with Maj. W. J.
Johnson, commissary of the cavalry division, into Hardy County, for
the purpose of collecting beef-cattle, &c. General Jones was
also directed to send parties into the counties west for the same
purpose. Major Johnson has returned from his expedition, and reports
that he obtained in Hardy County 500 beef-cattle, 200 sheep, and
4,200 pounds of bacon. He also obtained from Loudoun and Culpeper
200 head of cattle, and from Rockingham 3,000 pounds of bacon. I
have not yet learned what amount of subsistence the parties sent by
General Jones obtained. I have endeavored during the past campaign
to draw subsistence from the country occupied by the troops,
wherever it was possible, and I believe by that means much relief
has been afforded to the Commissary Department. At this time but few
supplies can be procured from the country we now occupy. |
| General Longstreet has been directed to
employ the troops south of James River, when not required for
military operations, to collect supplies in that quarter, and
penetrate, if practicable, the district held by the enemy. The
troops of this portion of the army have for some time been confined
to reduced rations, consisting of 18 ounces of flour, 4 ounces of
bacon of indifferent quality, with occasionally supplies of rice,
sugar, or molasses. The men are cheerful, and I receive but few
complaints; still, I do not think it is enough to continue them in
health and vigor, and I fear they will be unable to endure the
hardships of the approaching campaign. Symptoms of scurvy are
appearing among them, and to supply the place of vegetables each
regiment is directed to send a daily detail to gather sassafras
buds, wild onions, garlic, lamb's quarter, and poke sprouts, but for
so large an army the supply obtained is very small. I have
understood, I do not know with what truth, that the Army of the West
and that in the Department of South Carolina and Georgia are more
bountifully supplied with provisions. I have also heard that the
troops in North Carolina receive one half pound of bacon per day. I
think this army deserves as much consideration as either of those
named, and, if it can be supplied, respectfully ask that it be
similarly provided. |
| I have the honor to be, with great
respect, your obedient servant, |
| R. E. Lee |
| General |
| |
|
Indorsements |
| March 28,
1863 |
| Referred to Commissary-General for consideration and
report. |
| J. A. Seddon |
| Secretary of War |
| |
| Office of Commissary-General of Subsistence |
| April 1, 1863 |
| The reduction of the meat ration in General Lee's
army was due mainly to local causes, that of transportation being
chief, as will appear by the following indorsement on a letter
received from J. H. Claiborne, commissary of subsistence: |
| Richmond |
| March 28, 1863 |
|
| Letter of Maj. J. H. Claiborne, relating to lack of
transportation, accompanied by one from Mr. Hottel, on same subject. |
| Office of the Commissary-General of Subsistence |
| March 28, 1863 |
| Respectfully
referred to the Secretary of War, with a statement of Mr. Hottel, my
transportation agent. This paper I had directed to be prepared for
the purpose of showing the inadequacy of the transportation for
bringing on even the rough articles of meat, the sugar on hand and
to hand since the 13th December having been used as a substitute for
bacon. This condition requires an instant remedy. Mr. Hottel
suggests one, viz, to reduce the passenger trains one-half. |
| Maj.
W. H. Smith, from Raleigh, reports the depots blocked up at three
different points, and the railroad men prefer private freight, which
they say pays the best. This army is living from hand to mouth as to
meat and bread, due to a want of means to get both meat and wheat
brought to market. Railroads worn out, horses killed up, are
obstacles beyond the reach of the Commissary-General of Subsistence. |
| L. B. Northrop |
| Commissary-General of Subsistence |
| Dr. Cartwright, in a lengthy report on
the reduction of the meat ration (which was referred to this Bureau
by the President), urges that it be done on sanitary grounds. The
appearance of the men of General Lee's army and their health confirm
the opinion of Dr. Cartwright as to diminishing the ration, and it
is recommended that the bacon and pork ration be accordingly reduced
to one-fourth of a pound throughout the army, a measure quite
appropriate to the present condition of the country. It is greatly
to be feared that it will not be long before there will be found an
insufficiency of bread. This matter has already been pressed so
often upon the consideration of the Secretary of War, as it has been
to General Lee, that another reference to it may seem importunate.
But, even at the risk of being so considered, it is a duty to make
another appeal, that the remedy against the threatened evil may be
applied at once. So much time has been permitted to elapse, that it
is questionable whether the remedy can now be applied in time. |
| Early in last January, having made many
ineffectual attempts to arouse the solicitude of those in whose
power the application of the remedy alone resided, I sent an officer
of this Bureau to see General Lee personally on the subject and
obtained a letter from the Secretary of War, in addition to one
which I wrote General Lee on the subject. But General Lee declined
seeing this gentleman. Then the matter was easy of solution; it may
be now, if immediately at least two hundred wagons are placed at the
disposal of this Bureau, with adequate military protection, to
operate in the counties of Rappahannock, Madison, Culpeper, Fauquier,
and Loudoun. If this is not done, and that immediately, I can see
nothing but want of bread for our army. Every day, nay, every hour,
that this is delayed lessens materially the bare present possibility
of succeeding in obtaining a sufficient supply even of bread. |
| The presentation of this question in the
form here presented has been deemed to be a duty. Timely notice was
given by this Bureau, and earnest appeals made for the means to
provide a sufficiency, but in vain. More energetic action must be
applied now than was necessary when this matter was first pressed by
this Bureau. |
| I beg that, when want in this regard
comes, it will be remembered that this Bureau has pressed this
matter with all the zeal which it was possible to exert. |
| Respectfully, |
| L. B. Northrop |
| Commissary General of Subsistence |
|