Under such circumstances, with transportation afforded, there could readily have been sent about 300,000 rations, with due regard to the demand upon this post.
During the retreat, supplies were found at Pamphlin's depot, Farmville, Danville, Salisbury and Charlotte: and being placed under orders as Assistant Commissary-General, I forwarded supplies from South Carolina to General J. E. Johnston's army, and also collected supplies at six or seven named points in that State for the supposed retreat of General Johnston's army through the State. This duty, with a full determination at the evacuation of this city to follow the fortunes of our cause, gave me opportunity of ascertaining the resources of the country for my Department. The great want was that of transportation, and specially was it felt by all collecting commissaries for a few months before the surrender.
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant, | |
| (Signed) | J. H. Claiborne, |
| (Late) Major and C. S. C. S. A. | |
| To General I. M. St. John, | |
| (Late) Commy. Gen. of Subs. C.S.A. | |
Dear General—My absence from home for a month, and the consequent accumulation of business, imposes on me the necessity of making but a brief and hurried answer to your inquiries.
Had I the time it would give me pleasure to give you, as desired, a full statement of the organization and working of the Subsistence Bureau, and its condition when you were appointed Commissary-General in February, 1865. I have read with care your statement to Mr. Davis of the operations of the Subsistence Bureau during the dark and closing days of the Confederacy, when you were the chief of that Bureau, and so far as I was cognizant of them, or was at the time informed, I think the statement entirely correct. I was Chief Commissary of Virginia, with the rank of Major and Commissary, was stationed in Richmond, with my office in the same building with that of the Commissary-General, and was in close association with him. I think the plan adopted by your predecessor, Colonel Northrop (which was continued by you), for obtaining for the use of the army the products of the country, was as perfect and worked as effectively as any that could have been devised.
