| Richmond, Va. August 23, 1864 |
| |
| General R. E. Lee |
| Commanding, &c., Petersburg, Va. |
| |
| General, |
| Yours of yesterday received.
I have inquired of the Quartermaster-General in relation to the
question of forage, the supply of which you are aware was mainly
drawn from Southwestern Georgia, communication with which was
interrupted by the enemy's recent raid on the Central
{(of Georgia)} Railroad. That road is
again at Work, and the Quartermaster General expects the first lot
of corn from Macon since the road was broken will arrive in four or
five days, and if there be no further interruption there will be a
steady succession in the arrival from that quarter, and that the
amount will be adequate for the supply of your army. He is quite
confident that the {Richmond &}
Danville and Piedmont Railroad can transport all which can be
brought to their terminus. One of the difficulties of which he
complains is that of getting the corn from the plantations to the
depots, and this, he says, is mainly due to the withdrawal of the
detailed men, overseers, and farmers from their homes for temporary
military service. I have had serious apprehension that the source of
supply might be exhausted by the retreat of the Army of Tennessee
and the consequent exposure of the Atlanta and Montgomery Railroad
{Atlanta & West Point RR and Montgomery & West
Point RR}, the possession of which by the enemy would compel
the army to draw its supplies from the same quarter which is relied
on to furnish corn for the Army of Virginia. West of the Alabama
River there is an abundant supply of corn, large quantities of which
are stored along the railroads and navigable rivers. The reported
amount now at Montgomery is 300,000 bushels, and the receipts are
said to be equal to the amount sent forward from there daily. The
600 wagons were put on the break on the West Point railroad, and
another train of wagons is running from Montgomery to the railroad
at Union Springs {to the Mobile & Girard RR}.
If General Hood is successful against Sherman, and we suffer no
serious disaster, so as to deprive us of the supplies in Middle
Alabama and East Mississippi, I think we shall be better able to
sustain an army here than we were the first year of the war. I
directed inquiry to be made for oats in Virginia and North Carolina,
but have been disappointed by learning that but a small amount can
be obtained. It would seem, therefore, that for the supply of forage
we must mainly rely upon the railroad connection with the south by
way of Danville and Greensborough. I trust the enemy will not be
able to reach that road. I cannot say I was surprised that the enemy
have been able to break through the Weldon railroad, though I regret
they should have had time to fortify themselves as a consequence of
feeble attacks made upon them at the time of their first occupation
of it, which, as I understand, was during the absence of the force
he had detached to the northern side of the James River. Interposed,
as he now is, between your army and Weldon, I have felt increased
apprehension lest an attack should be made upon Wilmington. The
Northern papers clearly indicate the change of plan on the part of
General Grant which you think suggested by his operations, and they
seem to render it quite certain that his movement to the north side
of James River was not intended as a feint, but adopted as any easy
line under existing circumstances to approach Richmond. I will do
whatever is in my power, and in the manner you request, to aid you
in defeating the new plan, and I hope you will be as successful as
you have heretofore been against this and other generals of the
enemy who have been sent to reduce the capital of the Confederacy
and to humble the pride of Virginia. |
| Very respectfully and truly, yours, |
| Jeff'n Davis |
|