Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/508

470 had also worn down the facilities of transportation to such an extent as to make it already difficult to haul troops and supplies with sufficient rapidity and safety. The rate of speed was now reduced to ten miles per hour, and the tonnage lessened nearly fifty per cent. All railroads had become necessarily part of the military organization, so that their condition was to be considered in estimating the efficiency of the military corps. Besides this disadvantage the area of food supply had shrunken one half. At first nearly the entire country south of the Ohio river, and even in some measure beyond, could be relied on for the means of subsistence. But now a large part of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina were occupied or raided by Federal commands, and the blockade shut out the world. Unfortunately, also, the wheat crop of 1862 had failed to an unusual extent, so that with insufficient supplies and a deficiency in the means of transportation the Confederates went forward into the year 1863 with many misgivings but not without a hope of achieving the independence for which they ventured on secession.

Congress took up the serious question of supplies early in the session and by resolution requested President Davis to issue an address to the people. The address was accordingly issued April 10, 1863, containing a frank statement of the situation and appealing pathetically "in behalf of the brave soldiers now confronting the enemy, and to whom the government is unable to furnish all the comforts they so richly merit.&quot; The address of President Davis was followed at once by similar appeals from the governors of the several States, and by resolutions which were passed at public meetings. The commissary general suffered great anxiety and sought by personal travel throughout the South to secure effective answer to the appeals thus made. The agitation preceding and following these appeals fortunately occurred