OR, Series 1, Vol. 28, Part 2, Page 459

Office Commissary of Subsistence
Charleston, October 29, 1863
 
Maj. H. C. Guerin
Chief of Subsistence, Charleston
 
Sir,
   In obedience to instructions contained in your letter of the 16th instant, "to proceed without delay to inquire into the cause of the shipments of cattle from Florida for this post having ceased, and, if possible, to have them immediately resumed," I proceeded to Florida, and, having discharged that duty, respectfully submit the following report:
   When I entered the State of Florida I proceeded directly to Quincy, to see Maj. P. W. White, chief commissary for that State. *** From him, I was pleased to learn that the apparent cessation of our supply of beef-cattle was not attributable to the presence in that State (as you had feared) of officers from General Bragg's army, but sprung from other causes, over which Major White had no control. It is proper to mention here that Major White is a recent appointment, and it devolved upon him to organize the administration of his entire department, under recent acts of Congress relating to taxes in kind, impressments, &c. This organization was not complete, and the new officers entered upon the discharge of their several duties when General Bragg's army was thrown on him for a supply of beef, and the only wonder is that he has been enabled, under all the circumstances, to accomplish so much. The requisition for cattle for General Bragg's army is to the requisition for General Beauregard's army in this State as two are to one, and Major White at once ordered all district commissaries to ship one-third of their purchases to Charleston and two-thirds to Atlanta. These instructions have been carried out in good faith by the district commissaries, so far as I could learn, and one-third of the whole number of cattle collected in the State has been sent to this post. That the number received has not been larger is owing to several causes. First, the cattle, which in the spring and early summer months are to be found in large herds, are at this season scattered, and, singly or two and three together, have gone deep into the swamps, whence it is almost impossible to drive them. Secondly, the details of cow drivers, long since asked for from General Bragg's army, have until very recently been disregarded, if not positively refused, and parties unacquainted with the cattle-ranges have been found of little use in hunting them up and driving them out. Thirdly, all the water courses have been much swollen, and a large portion of the flat lands of Southern and Lower Eastern Florida has been inundated to such an extent that it was almost impossible to drive the cattle from the best cattle region of the State. Particularly was this the case in the country lying along Kissimmee River, and Kissimmee and Okeechobee Lakes, and their tributaries and outlets. Some of these obstacles are now partially removed, large details of cow-drivers having come on from General Bragg's army, and the water having begun to subside, so that we may expect the supply soon to become regular for the balance of the season. For our present necessities, I have to report 300 head at Stockton ({Station} No. 13, Gulf road {the Atlantic & Gulf RR}), awaiting transportation on the 26th instant; about 230 head to leave the neighborhood of Sanderson, Fla., on the 27th instant, and between 400 and 500 head to be started from Madison, Fla., by Major White during the early part of this week. In addition to this, I learned by inquiring along the line of the Pensacola and Florida Railroad {the Pensacola & Georgia RR} that two droves had passed up in the direction of Stockton, which are doubtless for this post. This will give us about 1,500 head now well on their way toward this city, and before they are consumed the regular shipments from Captains Summer and Baldwin and Messrs. McKay and Stubbs will begin to arrive. Mr. McKay is the district commissary in the best cattle section of this State, but he is of recent appointment, and did not commence operations until the 1st instant, and we have not, up to this time, received any cattle from that source. I have no doubt cattle from him are now on their way to the line of railroad. I have the assurance of Major White that everything possible will be done to supply General Beauregard's army in this State, and from the industry and efficiency of that officer I am satisfied that the matter is safe in his hands. From the arrangements made by Major White you may, with perfect safety, count on an average supply of beef during the next month, and for a part of the month of December. It is proper, however, that I should call your attention to the fact that the district commissaries have estimated that they will not be able to drive out more than 9,600 head of cattle during the balance of the season, say to the 1st of December. This will give us 3,200 head of cattle for the army in this State.
   Major White is of the opinion that these figures will be largely exceeded and from the large number of detailed men I saw going down to drive the cattle, I am inclined to believe that he is correct in his opinion.
   But these arrangements are at best but temporary, and unless something is done promptly, the middle of December will see the troops suffering for meat rations, while cattle are still abundant in Florida.
   Along the route over which cattle are now driven in such large numbers, the grass is either trodden down or consumed, and it is even now difficult to find grazing ground for the animals, and that portion of the route from Sumter County up to the Gulf road, a distance of 175 or 200 miles, being subject to frosts, the grass will be utterly destroyed in the early part of December, and the cattle cannot be driven through it for want of pasturage. Could this difficulty be overcome, we might safely count on a supply of beef until February; otherwise we cannot hope for it longer than December.
   Here is a difference of two months in our supply of beef, and it is of such vital importance to the army that it is worthy the greatest exertions.
   To accomplish a result so much to be desired it will be necessary to lay down a track from Live Oak, on the Pensacola & Georgia Railroad, to {Station} No. 12, on the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad {the Atlantic & Gulf RR}, a distance of about 45 miles. This road is already graded, and the cross-ties are on the ground, so that all that is required is the iron, and I am informed that practical civil engineers say that the road can be put in running order in six weeks, if they had the iron. That end of the Florida {RR}, commonly known as the Fernandina and Cedar Keys Railroad, running north from Baldwin, on the Pensacola road, to Fernandina, is not used at present, and that iron, if taken up {about 46 miles}, would nearly if not quite lay the track. Should the iron be found to be insufficient, a small portion of the iron of the Brunswick road {the Brunswick & Albany RR}, now also in disuse, would complete it. With this connecting link made, it will be but sixty hours' run for a freight train from Charleston to Gainesville, Fla., the present southern terminus of the Florida Railroad, and within 30 or 40 miles of the never-failing pasture lands of Florida.
   In that section of country lying south of a line drawn east and west across the State from the Gulf to the Atlantic coast, at the lower end of Sumter County, or about 30 miles from Gainesville, frosts are almost unknown, pasturage is always good and cattle abundant and in good order at all seasons. If the road mentioned above was completed, the cattle of this section could be collected as near the upper line as practicable and easily driven to Gainesville and shipped from that point. They would reach the city in from five to seven days from the time of leaving their ranges, and by this arrangement our beef supply would be placed beyond the possibility of a failure.
   Nor is this the only advantage to be derived from the completion of this road.
   The planters of South and East Florida are largely engaged in growing sugar-cane, and it is estimated that these sections will produce this year about 700,000 pounds of sugar, besides large quantities of sirup and molasses, all of which could be made available for the subsistence of this army.
*****
I am, sir, very respectfully,
C. McClenaghan
Major, and Commissary of Subsistence
 
Indorsement
 
Office Chief Commissary
Charleston, S. C., October 30, 1863
   Respectfully referred to the commanding general, for his information; and his attention is particularly called to the very great importance of completing the link of railroad referred to.
H. C. Guerin
Major, and Commissary of Subsistence

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