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

position and retired from the service, TO as
sist which he bad withdrawn from high
position in the federal army. and abandon
ed valuable property to confscation.
Thus those efficient officers, Capt VIM.
H. Fowle and Col. Richard b. Lee, who
had gained the displeasure Of the Commits.
sary General by their Jealous efforts to
faithfully execute the orders of their Com.
mandipg General, were officially decapita-
| ted.
Iu further evidence Of how truthfully
| Gen. Beauregard characterized the manage
ment of the Commissary General will give
the sequel t. the history OF the Manassas
conmissaiy department..
A short Tune after Major Biair took
charge he placed in my hand n reqnisiiion
from Gen. Johnston, linen in command, for
ninety thousand marching raticns to he at
Fairfax stnliou by noon the next day. there
being ali unusual demand that day by the
brigade commiSsaries. for three days ralions
for their commands, and knowing that cur
supplies If bacon and hard tack were
scarcely sufficient to fill the special requis-
lion from headquarters, We stopped issu
ing TO all others until that order was com.
pleted, which absorbed ali Of our stock, and
the various army commissions compelled to
return 20 their commands without the re-
auired rations for the men 10 carry on IL
march.
As this extraordinary demand cor march.
ing ratioDs indicated a forward movement
our Alexandria boys detailed from their
companies to assist the commissury depart
ment Inspired with the prospect Of soou fac
ing the loved ones at home, worked so
faithfully during the night we were enabled
10 seEd the trains early next mniuiEg 10
Fairfax station with the ninety thousand
rations ordered by Gen. Johnston.
After remaining Oh the cars at. that sta
ton Two days ordrls were received TO re-
turn to Manassas such Of the supplies ~
we're not required by the troops encamped
nearby.
Why lhs retrograde move and the aban-
donmcnt Of the contemplated forward
movement OF the army has never been &C
counted for otherwise than owing to q lack
of rGtions al Manassas c0mmissary depart
ment FOR the troops to carry on the march,
with sufficient supplies to follow by teams,
without which no prudent general would
have risk ed protracted march in an enc
my's country al that early period Of tie
war. Whether this failure to meet
the acquisitions for a forward move
ment was the cause or not, orders
were TttelNS" lEUU MIC .UlOUu ~ nave
erected at MANASSAS immense warehouses which
was promptly done, and they filled with supplies
brought from safe places in the interior, and there
was also erected within short distance pack
| ing establishment to which salt and live st"rl;
were brought from he interior in large qnanti-
| ties tn bc cured and stored ut that cxpusCd ont
post almost uithiR sound of the eremys guns This
was duur when the army oaiiy diminishing,
aud continued when regiments had dwintcd 10
com pamics, and COM anies to corporal squads, so
that all knew that the skeleton of he army would
be compelled to f,ll hack OF thu kappahannock
5, soon the roads would permit the enemy to
advance, which occurred early in the Spring
and immense supplies with the warehouses and
| packing establishment were destroyed or left in
the hands of the enemy. Thus il is shown that
when the Army Of the Potomac had been reduced
by casualties, sickness and expiration of enlist.
meut 10 force scarcely sufficient 10 perform
picket duty along its extended lines much less
| protect Manassas from an attack immense sup.
plies were accumulated and held at that exposed
post aud finally destroyed. which if they had
been secured at interior places, would have proved
of vast benefit in subsequent campaigns And i!
is also shown that during the carly stages of It's
campaign when that army was defending from
tier of over fifty miles, extending from Evans
port TO Leesburg. it was forced Ia suhsist on the
Irregular supplies sent from Richmond by Ill over
taskcd railroad, when the surrounding country
was teeming with produce which the farmers
|
| les were Ridden tn purchase.
As prcpcstercus it may now appear, it is
M ve:lhclcss fact hat flour and bacon that had
been seat from Richmond to Man rs,as were hauled
over some Thirty miles of almost imp tssab!c roads
to Lcesburg to supply the troops III that vicinity,
when the Loudoun county granaricS and meat
houses were overlooking with similar produce,
which the Commssary General forbade the Amy
Commissioner from purchasing. aud which was
left to fall into the hands of he enemy.
But for the generous hospitality OF the
citizens of the country orcupied by the
| troops and the numerous boxes Of provisions from
loved ones at home there would have been much
suffering, and even more serious consequences
| than did occur from the irIcgularty which sup
plies were received and Issued ut the Manassas
commis>ary department during the early part of
! the campaign Of tho Army of tho Potomac.
| The facts aud incidents here related made such
| an impression on my mind at tho time of their
| occurrence as to cause them to DO distinctly re-
mcrnbe- ed, and their publication now is impcllrd
| by a sense Of duty 10 The memory of Gen. Bcaurc.
CARDS mot shamefully treated efficient army
commissarics, Col Richard Bland Lee and Cap.
W. H FowIc, whose confidence and friendship it
| was my privilege TO enjoy.
GEORGE Y. WORTHINGTON
| BALTIMORE, December 5.