The New York herald., 1865-07-21
An Official Report of the Rebel Com
missary Department,
&c., &C., &c.
HOW THESE FACTS WERE BROUGHT OUT.

The following Is the substance Of my testimony be-
the joint committee Of the two Houses of Congress-
engaged under joint resolution, adopted, as
learn n secret session. and requiring them among other
things investigate and report upon the past admins
tation of the Bureau Subsistence and present
condition of the commssariat It is possible that this
statement may contain things not given in evi-
dence, and may omit things that In mat
of such minuteness and voumnousness Of detail,
either is hard avoid But whatever has been, may
be stated If not already proven, is abundantly
ceptible of proof.
HOW MUCH BACON THERE WAS In THE CONFEDER-
ACY WHEN THE WAR BEGAN.
In January 1862 made by Colonel Northrops
der, report to committee Of the House Of Represen-
tavos tho general administration Of the Bureau Of
Subsistence particularly with reference to certain
tracts for obtaining supplies which had boen unfavor
bly, reported to the public and to Congress In that
port the following occurs:sIn the packing Of
ISGO-61 upwards Of three million head of hogs were
packed at the various porkeres Of the United States
besides those packed by farmers at home Of which less
than twenty thousand packed At regular establish
mens south Of the lines Of armies. or this whole
number experts estimate that the product of
million two hundred thousand hogs imported In the
early part Of the last year from beyond lines
into what is now the Southern confederacy. This was
accomplished and to the extent OF bountiful supply
bv the action Of State authorities cases. by the
enterprise of private parties, and by this department
through agencies OF its or this number it is est
mated that about three hundred thousand hogs in their
ba,on equivalent have been consumed by state and
Confederate since the commencement Of hosi-
ties Tennessee then became the main reliance for the
of army which, together with the
sble portions OF Kentucky had boon ravaged oy hog
cholera and injured BY short crops three years
preceding the year just coscd that tho number saugh
tered at tho porkerics within her limits had deviatcd
from two hundred Thousand head to less than twenty
thousand. into this field just recovering from
these dtcrs and almost tho sole Of the army
and the planters inhabitants Of Cities that tn de
partment had to purchaser, dubious OF sum
ciency but assured Of heavy and active composition"
THE MAIN RELIANCE LOST BY THE CAPTURE OF
FORT DONELsOS AND OCCUPATION OF rENNEsSEE.
Shortly thereafter the successive captures OF Forts
Donclson and Horny caused considerable portion Of
these supplies be lost Tho subsequent campaign lost
Kentucky and much Of Tennoss Q, and left US com
paiatively bare OF meat
PROPOSAL TO DELIVER THIRTY THOUSAND HOGS
HEADS or BACON THROUGH The LINEs.
On the 3Oth Of October isG2 active, energetic
Of ability appeared to ask hearing on proposition
submitted several days before to supply the department
''with thousand hogsheads Of bacon certainly aai
probably twenty thousand hogshcad his letter
enough cotton w hci he offered to take ayncnil 10
feed and cothe army a section tributary to Mem
pills. which city them and had been for some tmo
previous in the possession OF the enemy; that
such cotton must otherwise probably bc destroyed to
prevent its falling into the hands of tho enemy; but
that the general rule though willing to 10,
the government have their crops, If not stub
bornly opposed to having them destroyed On the same
day the Commissary General enclosed 10 the TfonG W.
Randolph the Secretary Of War urgent application,
including brcf aryumentatve statement OF some lead
ing facts for authority accept the offer.
THE PROPOSAL Is SUBMITTED TO JEFF. DAVIS.
On the same day General Randolph addressed letter
to Exccllcncy President Davis enclosing the proer
of this contract and Colonel Northrops endorsement OF
H. in which hc says 'the alternative Is thus presented
OF yola ng policy Of Withholding cotton from the
enemy or risking the starvation Of armies and ad
vis ng that Comnssary cncra DO arc orzcd TO con-
for bacon and SAT-, limiting the amount Of purchase
10 what absolutely necessary TO feed the army and
supply 10 with blankets and Shoes showing that no law
forbade this traffic. the precedonts OF other wars
justified IT. and advising that the Commssary General
should under such circumstances, upon his state
ment of the necessity be allowed 10 make the contract
which, he added nothing less than the danger OF sacr
acing our armies would induce ''him acquiesce In
Upon tha. letter the President endorsed follows
SECRETARY or wAR-Is there necessity for Immediate
acons Is there saS acory evidence that the present
opportunity Is the last which will be onercdY Have you
next accruing interest their public debty You Will
fail TO perceive the effect OF postponng the proposed
70 as asu ro% the well d.nsd policy
| ernment In relation TO cotton. JEFF DAVIS
| OcroBgR 81, 1852
This endorsement was sent to tho Commissary General
by the Secretary OF War, November l, with this en-
coissARv GKxrRAL--observe the Presidents endorse
ftrob ifv af
proposed purchases until after tho LIST OF January next
IL will necessary state for the Presidents informa
ton, your estimate Of the probable receipts under you'
''''' O. W RANDOLPH, Secretary Of War.
NovnBKR I, 1852
HR Is ASSURED THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THI
REFUSAL WILL BE SERIOUS.
And was returned to him November 3, BY colone
SGsSSp .n .a,. this sssS f will not poduc
cured bacon BY the 1st Of January Tho Departments o
the East been exhausted while the increasing mum
Der refugees the The results hopet
for from arc not probably equal 10 the demands
Of the troops tho west Of the mountains and IN Ten
wsSas sps some evidences On
Respectfully, L B. NORTHR0P, G. g. 9.
Nothing favorable having been heard on,<hs question
for several days Ind interview with General Ran
doph, who instructed me 10 send him comparativ
ter OF November 8 That report General Randolph sub
mitied 10 the President, endorsed as folows:-
Respectfully submitted 70 the s sss sapDy y Sos
this year will be about one hundred thousand short
last years supply and that the supply OF beof s wei
nigh exhausted Unless the deficiency be made up b.
purchases beyond the mi6 Of the confederacy appre
'''.' ''' q. W. RANDOLPH. Secretary of War;
NOVEMBER IL, 1862
DAvIs DON'T BELIEVE ALL BE HEARS, AND WANT
TO KNOW HOW MANY SOLDIERS THERE ARE.
TO which tho President returned the following =
Respectfully returned 10 the Secretary OF war In
question submitted Is which constitutional advise
would advantagcously bring TO conference The paper
enclosed particularly the statement Of bacon on hanS
does not sustain the conclusion presented TO solve IN
question statement from the O. a. NJ and compar'
ave view based Q return Of the tro0U~ w ~