| Office Chief Commissary for Mississippi |
| Meridian, May 18, 1864 |
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| Major Elliot |
| Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. Maj. Gen. S. D. Lee, Comdg.
Dept. |
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| Major,
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| I respectfully call the attention of the
commanding general to the difficulties under which the commissary
department of this State is now laboring, through lack of
transportation to move supplies, and of warehouses for the stores
already collected. The difficulties have greatly increased since the
destruction of railroads and depots in February last by the enemy.
The railroads have been partially repaired, but the connection
remains broken with sections of the State, where many supplies have
already been collected. On the line of the railroads north of Canton,
New Orleans
& Jackson
{New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern} and
Mississippi Central, a large amount of bacon has for months been
awaiting transportation. On the road south of Jackson, in the neighborhood of Brookhaven and Woodville, the same remark
is applicable. These stores are not only in danger of falling into
the hands of the enemy, but they are now of no use to the
Confederacy, since in their present condition they administer
neither to the army nor the people. Every possible application has
been made by me for wagon transportation to move these supplies. I
have applied to army headquarters, to the chief quartermaster of the
State, to Major Paxton, chief of transportation, to all officers, in
fine, who I thought might have the power to assist me. So far I have
been unsuccessful. A train of sixteen wagons made one trip with
bacon from Canton
to this place, and has hauled a few supplies from Canton
to Brandon. With that exception, I have had no help. The amount of stores
collected in all parts of the State and awaiting transportation to
railroads is very large, and a still larger amount could be
collected by my officers if it were not inexpedient to do so under
present circumstances. A few days since Maj. James Hamilton,
controlling quartermaster tax in kind for Mississippi, wrote to me to receive the stores collected by his officers, as he
wished his depots emptied in preparation for the new crops. I
replied that it was impossible for me to assist him. Under date of
16th instant he replies:
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| I shall be
obliged to order the sale of articles at distant depots,
which I regret, as the army will probably need them. Our
warehouses must soon be cleared for the new crop, and this
cannot be delayed beyond about 10th of July. Please direct
your subordinate officers to aid us with their
transportation to the full extent of their power. |
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| It is very important that some
warehouses should be erected in this part of the State to supply
those destroyed. A commissary building has been put up here, but it
has already broken down, and additional room is needed. I have a
large amount of salt, received from Virginia, which I wish to store for distribution throughout the State. There
is not a warehouse on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad south of Columbus
which will answer the purpose. A warehouse is much needed at Enterprise, that being the depot for several counties. The importance of this
subject, I doubt not, will be evident to the commanding general, and
I respectfully ask of him such assistance as he may be able to give,
by placing transportation at my disposal and by issuing the proper
orders for the erection of suitable warehouses at this and other
points.
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| I am, major, very respectfully,
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| W. H. Dameron
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| Major and Chief Commissary of Subsistence for
Mississippi
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