Summary:
As the war dragged on, Confederate supply problems became more severe. Often,
army officials had to resort to impressment of goods, and the Shenandoah Valley
proved one of the richest bases of supply. In this December, 1863, letter,
Robert E. Lee orders Major H. M. Bell, quartermaster at Staunton, to assist
Jubal Early in procuring supplies from the countryside. Lee orders Bell to buy
or, if necessary, take, supplies, especially cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, cloth,
and leather, from Valley farmers.
Maj. H. M. BELL,
Quartermaster of the Post,
Staunton, Va.:
December 22, 1863.
MAJ.:
I have written to Gen. Early to endeavor, while the troops are in the valley, to get all the supplies of cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, cloth, leather, and other quartermaster's stores from those parts of the country that are easily accessible to the enemy. I have directed him to call upon you for transportation, and desire you to furnish all you can, and aid him in getting any more he may require from the people. I wish you to render all the assistance in your power in this work; send your agents with the army, and wherever you can buy supplies belonging to your department--particularly horses, horse-shoes, cloth, and leather--do so, but where they cannot be bought they must be taken, giving certificates to the owners. The horses should be driven back as fast as they are procured. In taking any of the articles referred to, you will instruct your agents that while nothing must be left that can be made use of by the enemy, a sufficient supply for the necessities of the people must be course remain in their hands.
Very respectfully, 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 29, Serial No. 49, Pages 890, Broadfoot Publishing Company, Wilmington, NC, 1997.
