| Office Chief Commissary for Mississippi |
| Meridian |
| November 9, 1863 |
| |
| Col. B. S. Ewell |
| Assistant Adjutant-General |
| |
| Colonel, |
| I am in receipt of a
communication from Major Moore, chief of subsistence, indicating the
views of the commanding general upon the importance of "drawing
all the stores possible from the regions of country bordering on the
Mississippi Central Railroad," and upon other matters
incidental to the collection of supplies for the army. |
| In communications to the
commanding general of this date I have had the honor of showing that
efforts were being made to collect the supplies from the section of
the State referred to by General Johnston. I had also to state the
importance of military protection for agents employed in forwarding
stock. The amount of transportation under control of this department
is so limited that while corn can be sent to advantage by railroad,
in my opinion it would be more economical to the Government and more
advantageous every way to use whatever additional wagons can be
obtained in forwarding sugar from localities where it is now found
to the points of receipt upon the railroad. By increasing the means
of transportation the cost of sugar now obtained would be materially
diminished. I am also of the opinion that new corn cannot be ground
into meal without great loss, and that meal of this kind could
scarcely be kept for two weeks without spoiling. |
| ***** |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant, |
| W. H. Dameron |
| Major and Chief Commissary of Subsistence |
|