| Confederate States of America, War
Department |
| Richmond, January 24, 1862 |
| Hon. J. P. Benjamin |
| |
| The President |
| |
| Sir, |
| I have the honor to submit
herewith the report of the chief of the commissariat of the Army, in
response to the resolution of the Congress of the 11th instant,
passed in the following words, viz: |
| Resolved,
That the President cause to be communicated to the Congress the
several localities in the Confederate States where pork and beef are
being packed for the Government, and what flour and other provisions
have been purchased and collected for the use of the Army, and the
names of the agents employed for the purpose of purchasing and
preparing said provisions, specifying the localities where each
agent is employed and what instructions have been given said agents
as to prices to be paid for the same. |
|
This report, together with the accompanying exhibits, show
more fully even than is called for by the resolution the manner in
which the contracts for the Army supplies have been made and their
result. They demonstrate the gratifying fact that the supplies have
been provided with such foresight, energy, and prudence as to have
cost the Government far less than could reasonably have been
expected, and far less than they would now cost if the contracts had
not been made. |
| I am, respectfully, your obedient
servant, |
| J. P. Benjamin |
| Secretary of War |
| |
|
Inclosure |
| |
| Confederate States of
America, Subsistence Dept. |
| Richmond, Va. January 18,
1862 |
| |
| Hon. J. P. Benjamin |
| Secretary of War
Confederate States of America |
| |
| Sir, |
| ***** |
| All subsistence stores that
are allowed to the Army have to the fullest capacity of our country
been obtained, and no essential supplies have ever failed to be
ready for transportation when and where required, timely notice
having been given to this department. It is known to the War
Department that from the time I came to Richmond I urged the opinion
that the railroads would be found unequal to the demands that soon
would be made on them and that subsistence stores must sometimes
fail to reach their destination. This terminated my duty, but not my
apprehensions. Frequently I have had occasion to make such
representations. To illustrate it, sugar is now needed in the camps,
and there are invoices here of thirteen different shipments from New
Orleans of near 1,400 hogsheads on the way, starting from November
27 onward, and stores have been on the road from Nashville from one
to three months. On the 12th fifty barrels of pork arrived that were
shipped on the 22d of August, 1861. |
| ***** |
| I am, sir, very respectfully, your
obedient servant, |
| L. B. Northrop |
| Commissary- General of Subsistence |
|