Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-06
A NEGLECTED Duty.

battle OF Bull Run, puOllSneQ In tne NOVem-
Der number of the Century, reminds me of
long neglected duty due to the memory OF
two of Alexandria's former citizens.
HE refers to the preposterous misman-
agement of the Commissary General, who
not only failed to furnish rations, but caused
the removal of the army commissary, who
under his orders procured from the untry
in front-to keep the army from absolute
tvant-provsions that would have fallen
into the hands Of the enemy"
Being at Manassas during the Time re-
ferred to by Gen. Beauregard, and occupy
ing position that afforded an opportunity
to know what transpired at the commissary
department I consider it incumbent on me,
even at this late day, to reveal some facts
which transpired at that time, that will
show how maliciously and unjustly those
faithful army commissaries were removed.
Col. Richard Bland Lee, Chief of Sub
sistance on General Beauregards staff, aud
| Mr.. VIM. H. Fowle, Post Commissary at
Manassas, by order Of their Commanding
| General. invited the citizens in the neigh
boring country to bring to the department.
all the provisions they could spare, which
sensible policy was disapproved OF by the
Commissary General, who required that all
supplies should come through the Rich
mond department, whereupon Col. Lee and
Capt. Fowle, in their zeal for the good OF
the service, undertook to show the udVant
age of obtai ming all the supplies possible,
from the country likely to be abandoned to
the enemy, thereby relieving the over-taxed
railroads from Bringing supplies from Rich.
mond and Lynchburg, and aiding The citi'
zens in the exposed districts to market their
products that otherwise would be LETT for
capture or destruction by the enemy But
the Jealous efforts Of those faithful officers
were met by positive orders to buy nothing
at Manassas except beef cattle, TO obtain
which most advantageous arrangement was
made by Capt. Fowle with Mr.. Robt Beverly,
of Fauquier county, whose superior Judg-
ment in the selection and purchase of cattle
saved the government very large sum.
while he and his coadutors lost money,
though their inability to properly secure the
hides and tallow" the fifth quarter, that
being their compensation for purchasing,
driving, feeding, Strengthening and deliver
| lug to the various camps scattered over
many miles of country, which favorable
arrangement was soon repudiated by the
Commissary General, he alleging tia
|
| SatiOn for the services rendered.
Officers were appointed to purchase cattle,
which were driven to the camps, and there
unskilful butchers spoiled the hides, which
were left to putIify with the tallow and
become a nuisance until later Oh, when
they were collected and secured in Il build.
ing, erected and fitted for the purpose,
where the accumulation of months was
destroyed by fire, when the army vacated
the post the following spring. So went the
coveted fifth quarter" That was considered
| too much compensation for the superior
Judgment and valuable services of Mr..
Robert Beverly and his associates.
So uncertain and meagre were supplies
received at Manassas, through the Rich
mond officials, that al times there were not
sufficient raticns to meet the daily require
ments of the army. Well do remember
being sent to Warrenton Oh Sunday morn
ing, several weeks before the battle, to pro
cure bacon to meet the wants Of the army
for that day, the Richmond authorities hay
ing left us without supplies.
| Again, the evening after the battle of the
2lst July, thousands Of men gathered about
the empty commissary warehouse, clamor
ing for food to appease their hunger, to
satisfy which Capt. Fowle sent to Warren
ton and procured from private sources, II
quantity of flour, which, on reaching Ma
nassas, was taken possession Of by the fam
ishing men and scarcely warmed at the
bivouac fires before being devoured, and
the beeves that were slaughtered scarcely
ceased breathing when they were skinned,
| cut up and eaten almost in raw condition
| by the brave men who had withstood the
shock and fatigue Of that ever-memorable
day.
When complaint was made of the unpar
donable dereliction of the Richmond author
| tiles and commission appointed to nvesti.
gate the matter, the commssary general
proved that supplies had been sent to Ma
nassas sufficient 10 furnish full rations for the
army during the month Of July, but when the
committee arrived ut Manassas it be-
came my duty to prove to them that
there was not two days full rations re-
ceived between the 18th and 23d July,
but after the 231 the railroad was crowded
with trains hurried forward with supplies
to enable the Richmond authorities to make
up their .fallaciOus report Of there having
been full supplies sent to Manassas during
the month Of July.
The warehouse capacity at Manassas
being insufficient for this e1 traordinary flood
of supplies, necessitated the detention of
cars that were sadly needed for the removal
of the suffering wounded from the battle
field hospitals to more comfortable quarters
in the interior.
A short time after the battle, many of the
men were disabled from the effect Of eating
BADLY cooked wheat four" when the sur
geons Of the army recommended corn meal
being issued in place Of -four, as most of the
men from the rural districts could prepare
corn meal into wholesome food but had
neither experience or facilities for the pro-
per preparation of wheat -four.
General Beauregard endorsed the recon-
mendation, and requested his Chief of Sub
sstence, Col. Lee, to obtain the supply of
meal, which request with the recommended
ton of the surgeons was sent to the Com
missary General, and after waiting due time
without response, Capt. Fowle teegraphed
and asked what should be doue about the
corn meal supply" He was answered,
Issue such supplies as we send YOU" Then
GaDaro1 Raouro1or oscppno6 ba roopopo;.