attend the efforts of the Bureau in furnishing its officers funds. I can only say that no requisition that I have made since the 1st of April last has been fully met. Without funds, with a credit impaired by a failure to comply with past obligations, and restricted to a low schedule of prices, it is impossible for the officers of my district to compete with the agents of other bureaus and speculators.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. W. N. NOLAND,

Major and Chief Commissary of Subsistence, 2d Dist. of Virginia.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE CHIEF COMMISSARY OF SUBSISTENCE FOR VIRGINIA,

Richmond, January 23, 1865.

Respectfully referred to the Commissary-General of Subsistence.

The subject referred to in this letter is a most important one. The supply of meat in the accessible counties of Virginia has bee for many months exhausted, and most of that used by the Army of Northern Virginia is brought from beyond our military lines. It can only be obtained with gold or U. S. paper currency. The supply of gold under the control of the Subsistence Department is exhausted, and no considerable supply of U. S. paper currency can be had. It is not in the country, and our purchasing officers are now in debt for supplies already sent forward, and report that the amount to be obtained of cattle, hogs, &c., is only limited by the amount of funds to be obtained. At present purchases are suspended for the want of means, and unless some steps are speedily taken to get a supply of such money as can be used for this trade these large supplies of meat will be lost to the Army. We are receiving now at least 1,500 cattle and as many hogs per months, besides bacon, lard, &c., from this source and I therefore respectfully and urgently recommend that the necessary arrangements be maade for the supply of the funds needed.

B. P. NOLAND,

Major and Chief Commissary of Subsistence for Virginia.

[Second indorsement.]

OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE,

Richmond, January 24, 1865.

Respectfully referred to the Secretary of War with the inclosed letter from Captain Taylor as matters of vital and immediate importance. *

L. B. NORTHROP,

Commissary-General of Subsistence.

[Third indorsement.]

JANUARY 24, 1865.

Respectfully referred to the Honorable Secretary of the Treasury. If specie or Federal currency could be commanded the difficulty in obtaining subsistence stores would, as the within shows, be greatly diminished.

J. A. SEDDON,

Secretary of War.

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*See Taylor to Noland, January 6, p. 1005.

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