mend, therefore, that that portion of the Army Regulations, Numbers 1127, which authorizes commissaries to sell to officers for the use of their families be rescinded. I am confident that a large amount of supplies will thus be saved for the subsistence of the Army. At Richmond, Petersburg, Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, Augusta, Atlanta, Mobile, and a multitude of minor posts, many thousand rations are consumed for officers' families. This regulation was copied from the U. S. Army, where it was intended as a measure of necessity for the subsistence of officers and families on the frontier. The privilege was not designed to be used by those officers stationed in cities, where the market was open to all. The regulation is liable to much abuse, especially at the minor posts, which are very numbers, and causes great dissatisfaction among the people, who assert that their tithes, instead of going to the support of the Army, are consumed by the families of the officers. The posts are now so attractive that there is a constant effort to create new ones, or to accumulate officers at those already established. The change of the regulation would arrest abuses and place the officers at posts on a nearer equality with those in the field. They should make the same arrangements to provide for their families which their comrades in the field are compelled to make, with less opportunity. I hope this matter will receive your early attention.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

[First indorsement.]

BUREAU OF SUBSISTENCE, Richmond, January 27, 1864.

Respectfully returned to Secretary of War.

In respect to the vital importance of sufficient food for the Army of Northern Virginia and the ill effects of "short rations" now represented by General Lee, I refer to my letter to you in response to his communication of 21st ultimo, recommending the purchase of meat with coin or sterling exchange. In my judgement, his reasoning on this subject is as erroneous as was that against the exercise of the power of impressment vested by law in the general commanding. General Lee now recommends that officers be no longer allowed to purchase from commissaries supplies for themselves and their families, first, because a large quantity will be thus saved for the troops; second, that the regulation allowing it was taken from those of the old service, which was then made to enable officers at frontier posts to provide for their families, but was not designed for the benefit of those stationed in cities, where the markets are open to all; third, that the people are much dissatisfied, believing that the tithes are consumed by the officers congregated at small posts; fourth, that this inducement causes a constant effort to create new posts and more officers than are needed. Frontier posts generally afford a better chance of obtaining bread and meat than the cities mentioned by General Lee do now, and the commissariat has no superfluities to furnish. Nothing that is not issued to men is sold to officers. There is no doubt that some abuses occur which should be corrected when discovered. The creation of new posts should never be permitted when not necessary, and this bureau sees no difficulty in preventing the accumulation of officers at posts when not needed or of dispersing them by