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Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell) (1821-1875) to Jefferson Davis

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00915 Author/Creator: Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell) (1821-1875) Place Written: Richmond, Virginia Type: Letter signed Date: 18 February 1865 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Official report to the president, signed as Confederate secretary of war, tracing the state of the Confederacy's finances from 1861 to the present. Declares that the current abysmal state of the budget, and the consequent inability of the nation to meet its debts, is causing desertion and a decline in civilian morale. "I invite your attention to the condition of this Department in respect to its claim upon the Treasury, and the necessity for prompt attention to that claim...Of the requisitions for 1864 and 1865 there remains unpaid the sum of $161,322,573.45 and besides this the sum of $69,601,422.58 which were drawn prior to the 1st April last in old issue returned to the Treasury...The army pay is in arrear for several months. This is an excuse for desertion, the sale of clothing, equipments, and munitions by the soldiers. The operatives in the workshops are suffering and many have deserted. The railroad service is reduced to the lowest point of depression from the same cause. The soldiers in hospitals and who have been furloughed or returned are deprived of many necessaries. Throughout the whole country discontent and discredit has arisen from the failure to pay for supplies of food and animals that have been impressed. It is plainly impracticable for this Department to carry on any of its operations under such a condition of things."

John C. Breckinridge was a Confederate General who was a native of Kentucky. Before the war he was a Senator and Vice President.

Confederate States of America
War Department
Richmond February 18, 1865
Jefferson David
President of the Confederate States
Sir,
I invite your attention to the condition of this Department in respect to its claim upon the Treasury and the necessity for prompt attention to that claim.
The requisitions of this Department on the Treasury since the commencement of the war have been as follows
1861 59.516.129.75
1862 398.259.436.51
1863 572.278.188.54
1864 670.663.396.89
1865 97.028.970.14
Total 1.737.746.121.83

Of the requisitions for 1864 and 1865 there remains unpaid the sum of $161.322.573.45 and besides this the sum of $69.601.422.58 which were drawn prior to the 1st April last in old issue returned to the Treasury. The amount actually drawn upon the Treasure in 1864 was but $422.344.319.10. Of this sum $320.721.116 was paid since the 1st July last showing that only $101.623.203.10 was paid during the first? ? this of the last year.
This statement will account for the large arrears in this Department. The whole of the facts will show that the arrearages must be much greater than is apparent from the preceding statement by a comparison of the expenditures of this Department with those of the War Department of the United States.
The expenditures of that Department for the year ending
30 June 1862 394.368.407.36
" " 1863 599.298.600.83
" " 1864 738.829.146.80
6 mos. of 1864 till 31 Decem 369.414.573.40
Total… $2.101.910.728.39

When it is considered that the currency of the Confederate States has been inferior to that of the United States during the whole term of the war, and that all of the material of supply has been obtained with difficulty and at exceptive prices in the Confederate States, the comparison is not out of place.
The estimated arrearages beyond the amount of the requisitions is $200.000.000, and this estimate is under rather thrice over the deficiency.
The army pay is in arrear for several months. This is an excuse for desertion, the sale of clothing, equipments and munitions by the soldiers. The operatives in the workshops are suffering and many have deserted. The railroad service is reduced to the lowest point of depression from the same cause. The soldiers in hospitals and ? have been furloughed or returned are deprived of many necessaries. Throughout the whole country discontent and discredit has arisen from the failure to pay for supplies of food and animals that have been impressed.
It is plainly impracticable for this Department to carry on any of its operations under such a condition of things.
Very Respectfully
Your Obed Servt
John C Breckinridge
Secretary of War

Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell), 1821-1875
Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

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