Raynors 2012-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2012
A rare and unusual archive of Confederate quartermaster department letters and documents illustrating the Confederacy's desperate measure of destroying her infrastructure through the use of Black Southerners. By 1864, the blockade of the Southern Coast was having the desired effect on the Confederacy and the military supply of raw iron was depleted. In the Trans-Mississippi, the government authorized that slave labor was to be used in order to rip up Louisiana's railroad tracks; the iron rails to be used for scrap to be melted down and used in the building of wagons in Texas. Quartermaster Major Daniel N. Speer was authorized to oversee the tearing up the local railroad tracks and have it shipped. Slave labor was to come from the region's slave population and the department's Labor Bureau oversaw that the necessary slaves were supplied. Six Confederate letters and documents from the military archive of Daniel Speer are included here giving us a clear view that the South was suffering severely from lack of supplies and labor. The first is a letter, 1p. 4to., written by Major C. D. Hill, "Office Ch. Inspector…Q. M. D., Shreveport, [La.], Aug. 18, 1864" to Major Speer, reading, in part: "…I start for Texas on Sunday…Capt. McIntire will attend to the business of my office…I have not been able to get the Negroes required to move Rail road Iron, but think the Labor Bureau will furnish them…Mr. Harris will deliver the Negroes to you. I wish every [ex]ertion made to get a large quantity of iron to Shreveport…you can put a small quantity on the little steamer every time she comes up…the shops in Texas require iron for near six hundred wagons already made. I wish you to…send an officer or agent of the Dept. with parties going into the Enemy's country to get animals. We are very much in want of horses & mules. Col. Brent…makes a requisition for 150 horses and 100 mules. Can you supply any?…we have no money yet…". Minor paper loss, else VG. ...plus, Second, is a letter, 1p. 4to., written by Agent & a.a.q.m. William C. McIntire for Major C. D. Hill, "Office Ch. Inspector…Q. M. D., Shreveport, [La.], Aug. 30, 1864" to Major Speer, reading, in part: "…there will be shipped to you today Twenty negroes & if the boat should be delayed longer…I may be able to procure…about five more. You have no idea of the difficulty in procuring labor. Use every erection to get us up some iron…the destination of the troops that was to cross the Miss.-has been changed…therefore…the press for the wagons to haul pontoons will be relieved…". VG to near fine. ...plus, Third, is a letter, 3pp. 4to., written by the captain for transportation of the quartermaster's department, "Alexandria, [La.], Sept. 15, 1864" to Major Speer, reading, in part: "…I have now…about twenty tons of iron…I will ship as fast as I can…I will push the work as rapidly as possible. Another one of my negroes has run off. I sent the reseal to the Hospital sick & was notified this morning that he had absconded. I have written to Col. Soule's chief labor bureau for instructions as to how to act…to avoid incurring responsibility…Sept 17th…I will ship a lot of iron this evening on the Era…I am hauling to the falls as fats as I can. I am compelled to weigh every pound…as I find…the Bars are all of different length & thicknesses…". Near fine ...plus, Four, a partly-printed, 1p. oblong "Headquarters District Western Louisiana", Special Orders No. 271, signed in type MAJOR GEN. BUCKNER, Alexandria, [La.], Sept. 23, 1864 issued to Major Speer, in part: "…Col. Richardson…will furnish to Maj. Speer…a detail of one hundred men with the proper compliment of commissioned & N. C. officers for fatigue duty in recovering RRd Iron…". Signed and made official by Buckner's Asst. Adjt. Gen. J. N. Gallahan. Minor stains, else VG. ...plus, Five, a partly-printed, 1p. oblong "Headquarters Dist. Western La.", Special Orders No. 266, by command of Major Gen. Buckner, Special Orders No. 271, Alexandria, [La.], Sept. 24, 1864, in part: "…Maj. D. N. Speer…will hire or impress fifty (50) negors to be used in taking up the iron of the Alexandria & Bayou Boeuf Rail Road…". Signed and made official by Buckner's Acting Asst. Adjt. Gen. J. F. Chipley. Minor stains, else VG. ...plus, Six, is a, 1p. 4to. Quartermaster Department letter, written by Acting Chief Inspector for The Quartermaster's Department William C. McIntire, "Shreveport, La., Sept. 26, 1864 to Major Speer, in part: "Enclosed please find Extract from letters recd. from Chief Quartermaster…which I forward to you for your information & guidance in the future…". VG. A rare grouping on a subject rarely touched on in Southern Confederate military history!
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