meat to subsist the troops well until beef-cattle can be furnished. There have been received at Vicksburg since this report was made up 600,000 rations of rice and other stores that were in transit on the Mobile and Ohio and Mississippi Central Railroads. Many of the stores that were on these roads are not reported at all, for the reason that they were shipped before the 1st instant, and not received prior to that date at Vicksburg. It will be seen by reference to the report that there is a larger accumulation of stores at Port Hudson than elsewhere; a portion of them has been ordered to Vicksburg. There is a boat recently out of Redd River, now in Big Black, with 180,000 rations of bacon, 530 hogs, and 3,000 pounds of lard for Vicksburg. The railroads being now in running condition, large quantities of stores will be sent to Vicksburg from points on these roads. Besides the boat now in Big Black, the steamer Hine, with a load of commissary stores out of Red River, is now at Port Hudson.

I am, major, &c.,

THEO. Johnston,

Major and Chief of Subsistence.

OFFICE CHIEF OF SUBSISTENCE, DEPT. MISS. AND E. La.,

Jackson, March 9, 1863.

Major R. W. MEMMINGER, Assistant Adjutant-GENERAL:

MAJOR: Inclosed is a letter from an officer at Canton, and copies of dispatches from officers at Macon, and replies thereto. * I respectfully request that the lieutenant-general commanding determine upon such course as he may deem advisable in relation to the purchase of bacon, bulk pork, and beeves within the department, and authorize impressments of the articles that cannot otherwise be obtained.

I am, major, &c.,

THEO. Johnston,

Major and Chief of Subsistence.

JACKSON, March 18, 1863.

Major General FRANK GARDNER, Port Hudson:

Reports are daily made to me of the waste of stores at Port Hudson.

Whether these reports be true you are best able to determine. I would respectfully request that, in view of the scarcity of subsistence stores and the difficulty of collecting them, you will urge upon the subsistence officers the importance of a proper preservation of all stores that arrive at Port Hudson.

THEO. Johnston,

Major and Chief of Subsistence.

HDQRS. DEPT. OF Mississippi AND EASTERN LOUISIANA,
Jackson, MISS., March 18, 1863.

Major [L.] MIMS, Chief Quartermaster:

The general desires to know how many wagons he can calculate upon to transport provisions to Port Hudson via Osyka. He directs that, as the roads are in pretty good order, you obtain all the wagons practica-

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*Not found

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