OR, Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1297

Bureau of Subsistence
Richmond, Va.
March 10, 1865
 
General I. M. St. John
Commissary General
 
General,
   The following memorandum is based upon the lines of communication in Virginia being at once restored and protected, and independent of voluntary contributions; also upon the ability of the Treasury to meet the requisitions of this Department, and the Quartermaster General to provide the necessary transportation for the stores when purchased and collected. With gold or United States currency to operate with (in sections of the country where Confederate money is not current or acceptable), I am satisfied the estimate made could be doubled -- in other words, the subsistence necessary for the troops operating in Virginia and North Carolina is only limited by the amount of specie and Confederate money available for its purchase.
   The crops south of North Carolina, in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, were never so large, and with the railroad communications restored could at once be made available, although not included in the estimate.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. B. French
Major and Commissary of Subsistence
   From North Carolina: Rations bread, 7,500,000; rations meat, 6,000,000. From Virginia: Rations bread, 5,000,000; rations meat, 5,500,000. Total -- rations bread, 12,500,000; rations meat, 11,500,000 {in other words, in the best case, there could be rations for 75,000 (army and Richmond/Petersburg population) for less than 175 days}. With the loss of the {Virginia} Central railroad and the James River Canal, we must deduct 2,000,000 rations meat and 3,000,000 rations bread.
   N. B. -- With East Tennessee in our possession and protected as far as Morristown, and local transportation to haul the supplies, 15,000,000 rations of bread and 5,000,000 rations of meat may be added to the above.

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