OR XLVI P1 #252: Report of Captain Henry F. Hawkes, Chief Commissary, 2/XXV/AotJ, Mar 26-Apr 9, 1865

No. 252. Report of Captain Henry F. Hawkes, Commissary of Subsistence, U. S. Army, Chief Commissary.¹

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWENTY-FIFTH ARMY CORPS,
Camp near Petersburg, Va., April 28, 1865.

SIR: In accordance with Special Orders, Numbers 77, paragraph 3, headquarters Department of Virginia, Army of the James, before Richmond, Va., March 18, 1865, I reported for duty as commissary of subsistence of this division on the 26th of March. By orders received from Bvt. Colonel M. P. Small, chief commissary of subsistence, Army of the James, I was directed to have four days’ marching rations in the haversacks of the men and ought days’ rations in the train, but owing to the insufficiency of transportation, and after having, through the personal exertions of Colonel M. P. Small, procured fifteen additional wagons for the supply train, I was unable to fully comply with the order, and when we broke camp and commenced our march on the 27th of March the troops had four days’ in haversacks and seven days’ in the train. By anticipating contingencies that might arise and by procuring supplies as opportunity offered, notwithstanding the deficiency and poor quality of the transportation, which was constantly decreasing by the death of animals and abandonment of wagons, I have been enabled during the entire campaign to issue full marching rations to the troops of this command. In addition to this I have issued 7,000 rations of beard and 2,800 rations each of coffee, sugar, and salt, to Confederate prisoners, and have in additional transferred to other commands, to supply their deficiencies, 18,462 rations of coffee and 11,820 rations of sugar, besides the small stores forming a component part of the ration. During the entire march from the James River to Appomattox Court-House and return to this camp, the troops of this division have had issued to them full marching rations, and have not been a day without food except in individual cases when they have wasted or squandered the rations issued to them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. F. HAWKES,
Captain and Commissary of Subsistence of Volunteers,
Chief Commissary of Subsistence, 2nd Division, 25th Army Corps.

Captain IRA H. EVANS,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

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