[Communications from the Secretary of the Navy (Feb. 7, 1865) and the Postmaster General (Feb. 8, 1865) relative to the number of white men between the ages of 18 and 45, and of negroes, whose services are necessary to their respective departments]

Duke University Libraries

D03212070F

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SENATE, Feb. 16, I860.— Laid on the table, and ordered to be
printed.

MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.

Richmond, Va., Feb. 15, 1S65.

Tu the Senate of th" ionj'edenite States :

In partial response to yonr resolution of the *24th
ultimo, I herewith transmit coniMinnications from the Secretary of
the Navy and the Postmaster General, relative to the number of
white men between the ages of 1 > and 45, and of negroes, wliose
services are necessary to their respective Departments,

The Secretary of War has been called on to furnish rejtorts on This
subject from the several bureaux s|>«'('ified in yonr resolution; which
will be transmitted when received.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

COMMUNP NATION FROM SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.

Confederate States of Amekha,
Navy Dkpaktment,

lUc/iinonil, Feb. 7, ]>i)5.
To ihf. President :

Sir:

In response to the second clause of the following resolu-
tion of the Siiuate, referred by you to this Department for attention-:—

"ResolvL'd, Tliat the President of the Confeds'rate States ot Amer
rica be respectlnll}' re(|nested fo furnish the Senate —

First — With intbrmation as to the nuniber of white men bc^twceri
the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and of the number «»f negroes,
who, in addition to their own officers, may be required for the ne-
cessary employments and pro|)er dischaige of the functions (jf the
Departments of ]\Iedicin«', of the Couauissary General, of tlie Qua. -
termaster General, of the Engineer, of the Ordnance, ami ot il-e
Nitre and Mining Bureaux.

Secondly — A like estimate as to the Post Office aii'i Xaw De-
partments.

Thirdly — A like estimate in regard to the rail road tr;iu>jioni,:ion
of the country, including not only the working, but the et|uij)uient,
jt^pairsand construction, in his consideration ot tije numi/ r r<-i[ui!ed
for such transportation.

Fourthly — To specify the rail roads, if there be any such, whose
repairs and construction, in his opinion, will be necessary for military
purposes, and ought to be effected, in whole or in part, by appro-
priations from the confederate treasury" —

I liave the lionor to suljniit tlie acconjpanying statements of the number
of white meuj artisans, experts, &c. between tlie ages of eighteen
and forty-five, and of the number of negroes " required for thi) ne-
cessary employments and the proper discharge of the functions of
the Departments" of construction and rei»airs of vessels, 'boats, &c.;
of construction and repairs of steam machinery; of ordnance; of
medicine, and of provisions and clothing :

For the Construction and Repairs of Vessels at all Points within the Confederate

States.

Virfiinia, . . - .
North Carolina,

South Carolina, ...
Gi^orgia, - - . .
Alabama, - . . .

Whit<* Men
be I ween
18 and 45.

Negroes.

>

100
75
50
25

80

120
50
30
20
60

3:50

280

For the Construction and Repairs of Steam Machinery.

■

Richmond, -
Columbus, Ga.

-

White Men
between
18 and 45.

Negroes.

48
95

43
93

14;!

]3()

Ordnance.

Virgrinia,
North Carolina,
Alabama,
South Carolina,
Private establishments
ordnance work, -

employed on

White Men

between
18 and 45.

Negroes.

'

115

198

150

20

49

42
139

300
30

30

532

541

%

Medical Department.

In Hospitals, at Batteries, on Ship Board, and in the Medical Purveyor's:

Department.

SfC

White men between 18 and 45,

Negroes, - - .

52

56

Department of Provisions and Clothing.

"White men between ]8 and 45,
Negroes, ...

25

Recapitulation.

Construction and repairs of vessels.
Construction and repairs of steam

niachinerj,
Ordnance, _ . .

Medical Department,
Provisions and clothing,

AVhjte Men

• '

between

Negroen.

18 and 4.5.

;i30

280

J43

136

5;{->

541

52

56

','5

13(1

10H2

1143

The force of meclianics required by this Department will depend
much upon the movements of the enemy.

If our works shall be exempt from interruption, a much larger
force than estimated for can be very usefully employed. All our
white mechanics and workmen are under military organization,
armed and equipped for service, and are frequently called into active
service.

With great respect,

Your obedient servant,

S. R. MALI^ORY,

Secntury of the Navy.

.4

COMMUNICATION FROM POSTMASTER GENERAL.

Post Office Department,

Ric/imond, Vu., Feb. 8, ls(j.5.
To the President:

Sir:

In answer to your Excelloney's reference of so niurli
of the Senate's resolution of Januaiy •24:tU, as a]>[)lies to the Post
Office Departnient, which is as follows, to wit:

" Resolved, That th(! President of the Confederate States of Ame-
rica, be respectfully requested to furnish the Senate —

First — With information as to the nmiiber of white men between
the ages of eighteeu and foily-five, and of the number of negroes,
who, in addition to thcdi' own ofHcers, may be i-equired for the neces-
sary employments and the proper discharge of the functions of the
• ' * * * Post Office and Navy Departments" —
I have the honor to say, that this Department has no means of mak-
ing an explicit aisswi^- to the enquiry submitted, by reason of the
fact that, though contractors for carrying the mails on routes over
tt'H miles iu length, and the necessary drivers of post coaches and
hacks, are exempted from the perfornjance of military duty by the
act uf April 14tli, ISG;}, the nuujbei' of persons actually exempted,
as will be Sf^'u from the facts herein aftei- to be stated, does not cor-
respond with the number which iuight be exempted under the law.

As the nearest approximation to an answer in relation to contrac-
toi-s and drivers, which the Department is enabled to give, I submit
the following table, which shows the numl>er «»f routes under con-
tract east of the Mississipj)i river; the number of routes discontinued ;
i^he uumlx'r undei' ten miles in length, on which no exeniptions are
allowed; the number of routes which have been transferred from the
original contractors, on which exemptions are not allowed; and the
number of routes let to persons who are contractors on other routes,
and are only entitled to exemption on one route — with a column
^liowing the toial number of routes on whicli no exem[)tions can be
allowed, and another showing the total number of routes on which
exemptions might be made, given by States au;i in the aggregate :

...;r

' i

n3

s

4^

5 ^

QL

■a V

■^ .£ -

S«2

s "2

Hi

? 2 o.

X ■■,

V.'"

X ■^

*«

«52

«sr.

STATES.

"; -

z ^

~-~

c

5 c s

„ •- a

It!

/5 ^

t^

"^1

v<

c -^

ore

c

iz;

K

a

k5 "

E-

H <= -

VirjifiiiiH,, - - - -

yr>;j

_

19

()

19

44

2U9

N'udi Oirolina, ...

2-M

1

8

If)

10

'M

264

S'ititli Caiolina, ...

124

1

5

17

18

4!

83

(ie(>r^''i;i, ....

]-i

-

Vi

8

23

4:5

141

Fkivida, - - - -

;!6

-

•2

-

-

2

34

Alubama. - - . -

IT"

-

h>

:«

54

J21

Mi.'?is)!ssii)pi,

]:;•)

-

■'

1

51

58

81

Totals,

l:2(iy

2

54

66

154

276

933

With this table, I submit the following copy of a communication
from the Bureau of Conscription, showing the number of persons now
actually exempted as njail contractors and as drivers of post coaches
and hacks :

Confederate States of America,
War Department,

Bureau of Conscription,

Richmod, Va., Feb. 3, IS65.

Hon. John H. Reagan, Postfnostcr General:

8iR :

I have the honor, in the absence of Brig. Gen. Preston,
to acknowledge the receipt of your connnunication of this date, re-
questing to be informed of the nuuiber of mail contractors and drivers
exempted, and I enclose herewith, a tabulated statement conveying
the information desired.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) C. B. DUFFIELD,

A. A. G. 8f Acting Supt.

Number of Persons Exempted as Mail Contractors, Drivers of Post Coaches and

Hacks.

Mail
Contractors.

Drivers.

Total.

Virginia. ....
North I'arolina, ...
youth Carolina, ...
Georgia, ....
Mi.^-sir-siinji, - . . -
Alabau.a, ....
Florida ....
Ertst Louisiana,
East 'J'euiiessee,

138

99

47

106

'29

4ti

8

2

2

72
47
10
11

19

1

210
146

:,7

117

29

H5

9

2

2

Totals,

477

WO

6:37

There are in this Department tw^enty clerks and one messenger
between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years. Of this number,
eight have been wounded and so disabled in battle as to be rendered
unfit for military duty, and have been discharged, or otherwise honor-
ably r(>tired from the militnry service. Seven have been declared
unfit for military duty by the proper military authorities, in conse-
quence of permanent physical disability; and six would be able to
perform military duty, but have been detailed, by the proper military
authorities, at the request of the Postmnster General, on account of
their long experience and special skill in the performance of their

respective duties in this Department. The remainder of the clerks
of this Department are men over fifty 5'eiirs of tige, and women.

There are in the Post Otfice of this city thirty-four clerks. Of
these, fifteen are women; four are nnfit for military duty, and recom-
mended by the military board for light duty; four are under the age
of eighteen, and two are over the age of forty-five, leaving only nine
clerks fit for active service in the field. These are all experienced
clerks, whose places cannot be supplied, and who are absolutely
necessary to the proper management of the office.

Those clerks in the Richmond Post Office, who are between the
ages of eighteen and forty-five, have been detailed, upon application
by the Postmaster General, made in pursuance of General Orders,
No. 77, of the Adjutant and Inspector General's office, on the ground
of their services being " absolutely indispensable." Similar applica-
tions have been made for the detail of certain clerks, between those
ages, in the larger post offices in the States east of the Mississippi
river, who have been certified by the postmasters to be experts, and
necessary to the efficiency of their offices. The Department is not
aware whether all of these details have been granted, nor has it any
means of knowing how many of those for whom they have been asked,
are able-bodied men, or how many are unfit for military duty. Care
has been taken, however, in applying for these details, to limit them
to the smallest number consistent with the efficient management of
the important interests connected with the distribution and delivery
of the njails in the larger post offices.

The following is a statement of the number of clerks, for whose
details application has been made by this Department, and of the
post offices in which they are employed, viz:

Virsinui. — In the Post Office at Lynchburg, one clerk. In the
Post Office at Petersburg, two clerks.

Nort/t Carolina. — Fayetteville, one clerk ; Raleigh, two clerks ;
and Wilmington, three clerks.

iSoufh Carolina. — Charleston, two clerks ; Columbia, three clerks.

Georcria — Columbus, one clerk; Macon, one clerk; and Augusta,
six clerks.

Alabama. — Mobile, one clerk ; and Montgomery, one clerk.

Mississippi. — For the Post Office at Jackson, one clerk; and at
Brandon, one clerk.

Application has also been made, under General Orders, No. 77,
above referred to, for the details of the route agents of this Depart-
ment, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, engaged in its
service on certain rail roads in the States herein after to be named.
It is probable, although the Department has no knowledge of the
fact in all cases, that all of these details have been made by the
proper military authorities. Upon the faithful discharge of the duties
entrusted to these officers, depend greatly the efficient distribution
and delivery of th« mails along the most important rail road lines in
the country ; and it is necessary, in addition to intelligence aiid busi-
ness qualifications, that they should be, as far as practicable, skilled
and experienced in those duties. It may be well to add, that many

of them are old and reliable agents, who have been in the employ-
ment of this and the okl government for many years. No route
agents have been appointed since the passage of the first Isl'w of con-
scription, except such as have been found for light duty by competent
boards, or who liave been able to present satisfactory evidence that
they were unfit for active service in the field.

The number of route agents, whose details have been asked for by
this Department, is as follows, viz:

For Virginia, 10; for North Carolina, 9; for South Carolina, 2;
for Georgia, 15 — Total 36.

Recapitulation.

No. of employees of Post Office Department proper, whose
details have been applied for under General Orders, N«. 77,
A. & I. G. O., twenty clerks and one messenger, - 21

No. of clerks in larger post offices, - - - 39

No. of route agents, - - - - - 36

96
From this total of 96 must be taken fifteen clerks in this De-
partment, who have been declared by the military boards
unfit for military duty, by reason of wounds, disability,
&c., and four clerks in the Richmond Post Office — making
in all, ....--. 19

Leaving number of men detailed, as above stated, who may
be, so (iir as is known to this Department, liable to military
service, -------77

This number would doubtless be materially decreased, for the
reasons already given, if thr Department were in possession of such
accuiate information with regard to the liability of these parties, as
it would be proper to embody in a report of this kind.

I also submit the following extracts from the report of Dr. James
H. Starr, Agent of the Post Office Department for the States west of
the JMississippi river, as the only approximation to the inlormation
called for by the resolution, wliieli it is in my power to give, as to
the country beyond the INIississippi. And I beg to call especial atten-
tion to it, as showing the indisjiensable necessity of preserving the
exeni[)tion from military duty to contractors for carrying the mails
there, as the only means of keeping in operation the postal service.
The mails on the great truid^ r"utes west of the Mississippi are
carried mainly in post coaches and hacks, and not on rail roads, as on
this side of that river. I need not call attention to the calamitous
consequences which would necessarily flow from depriving a people,
so remote from the capital, ot" tlie means of postal communication.

Extract from the Rej)ort of James H. Starr, Agent of the Post OJice
Dtjiarttnent, Trails- Mississippi, to the Postmaster General^ October
31sf, 1864.

" Prior to the organization of the Agency, the occupation by the
enemy of a portion of the States west of the Mississippi river, and
the devastating effects of their various expeditions into the interior,
had broken up mail connnunicntions in large portions of Arkansas
and Louisiana and a small part of Texas, resulting in the suspension
of service on about ] 15 of 138 of the routes in the State of Arkan-
sas; on about 150 of the 170 routes in the State of Louisiana; and
about 42 of the 2\o routes in the State of Texas. Some purtion of
these results were attributable to the want of fi^rage in the vicinity
of our own armies, and the presence of banditti near the enemy's
lines, and ii» sparsely po})ulated and unprotected localities.

" In addition to these facts, and owing to tlie embarrassing inter-
ruption of mail comumnication with the Department at Richmond,
whitvli hns existed from the time when the enemy obtained possession
of the Mississi[)pi river, and consequent inability of the Department
to obtain evidence upon which the accounts of contractors could be
adjusted and the amounts <lue to them paid, many contractors, in
regions not molested by the enemy, had been compelled, for want of
meiins. to abandon their undertakings; and others, who were not de-
pendent upon mail contracts for exeujption fiom military conscrip-
tion, finding that the reduced value ot tlie currency rendered their
contracts unprofitable, availed themselves of the excuse furnished by
the failure of the Department to pay them at the periods stipulated,
to abandon their routes.

" Thus had the mail transportation west of the Mississippi been
reduced to a most serious extent."

" It will be observed that but little was done in Arkansas and
Louisiana in restoring mail transportation during the quaiter. This
results partly from the fact that the proximity of the enemy had
caused many contractors to remove with tln'ir property and means
of transportation farther into the interior, and partly irom the scarcity
of f rage and supplies occasioned by the presence of our own arujies."

" I will remark, however, that the success of the Agency, in re-
newing and continuing mail service, except upon a few prominent
stage lines, depends entiiely upon the exemption from military ser-
vice which the law secures to mail contractors. Without tit is ex-
empti(jn during this period of depreciated currency and great scarcity
of horses, mules and carriages suitable for njail transpoitation, and
the uncertainty, and in some regfons, constant scarcity of provisions
and forage, any efforts to furnish mail facilities would prove un-
availing."

I will add, that it is not probable any contract for carrying the

9

mail east or west of the Mississippi, other than on rail roads, on
which exemptions are allowed for other reasons, can now be made
which does not involve exemption from military duty. And this ap-
l)lie.s equally to the mail messenger service, by which the mails are
carried between post offices and rail road depots, and without which
they cannot be carried even on the rail roads.

This response to the resolution of the Senate has been delayed on
account of the amount of labor which the ascertainment of the flicts
presented involved.

With grcMt respect,

Your Excellency's obed't serv't,

JOHN H. REAGAN,

Posfma .Icr Gnicral.

r.

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