Summary:
Robert E. Lee writes to Thomas J. Jackson in October, 1862, after the Maryland campaign.
He discusses the supply situation, including wagons hauling arms and stores to
Staunton.
Maj. Gen. THOMAS J. JACKSON,
Cmdg., &c.:
Camp on Washington Run, Va.,
October 1, 1862.
GEN.:
I have received the letter of Gen. D. H. Hill of the 26th instant [ultimo] which you forwarded to me. Transportation allowed to this army was fixed at three four-horse wagons for division headquarters, two ditto for brigade headquarters, and for each regiment one wagon for regimental headquarters, one for hospital, medical stores, &c., one for regimental ordnance wagon, and one wagon for every 100 men in the regiment. This allowance was fixed by my order, and not by the chief quartermaster, as Gen. Hill supposes. This allowance can in no case be exceeded, and must be diminished as necessity requires. Subsequently, as you are aware, to provide flour for the army, three wagons had to be taken from each regiment. Those not used for that purpose now are employed in hauling to Staunton arms, &c. I have directed that they be restored as soon as the emergency passes if sufficient wagons can be obtained for the purpose. In reference to Gen. Hill's complaint, I have had an examination made of his transportation, a report of which I send you. You will perceive, in addition to the three wagons attached to his headquarters, there are three others, equivalent to two four-horse wagons; that each regiment in each brigade has six wagons and each brigade headquarters two. From inspection, I should judge that all the regiments would not average much over 300 men each. In addition, his division ordnance train consists of 22 wagons, his division commissary train of 20, and his division forage train of 10. This is as much as our means will allow, and I think that with care and attention they will furnish comfortable transportation for his division.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE,
Gen.
Bibliographic Information : Letter Reproduced from The War of The Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series 1, Volume 19, Serial No. 28, Pages 641, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
