Description:

LUCIUS B. NORTHROP
(1811-1894) Confederate Commissary-General appointed by Confederate President Jefferson Davis, a personal friend. Northrop was responsible for the logistics and supply chain that transported food, clothing, and forage to the Southern armies of the American Civil War, particularly the Army of Northern Virginia. Northrop was also responsible for supplying the prison camps that housed Federal prisoners-of-war.  Rare, fine association war-date manuscript L.S., 3pp. 4to., Richmond, April 13, 1864, to Gen. Braxton Bragg, then chief military advisor to Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Northrop, who like other cabinet members and generals had long-standing disagreements with Bragg, rather acidly responds to Bragg's assumptions regarding the supply situation in the capital and elsewhere. In part: ‘In my letter of the 9th inst. I made no complaint against Genl. [Alexander] Lawton. If such had been my design, I should have addressed myself to the Sec. of War. My letter to you was written in order that you should not be under a misapprehension in relation to the condition of affairs here; and as I had been for a long time anxious to interest any one who could in any way be of service in pressing some remedy, I resorted to you as one suitable to be approached. In none of the papers sent for your inspection was it stated that 3,000 bushels corn were needed at Richmond for daily use, Nor was it stated that 3,000 bushels per day were required, for issue here and to Genl. Lee's army. Your statement of the number of men to be subsisted, including those here & Genl. Lee's army, cannot be reconciled with the returns recd. Here… The demand at Richmond for Troops, Hospitals, Employees, Prisons & Laborers on Fortifications, was, from reports handed to me about 1st inst. 20,644 men… In the forgoing estimate no provision is made for the troops at and drawing from Petersburg, numbering about 7,000 men, for which supplied are, to a great extent, drawn from the south, therefore, in considering the requirements on the Railroads from thence, it is proper to include that force…' He signs ‘L B Northrop' in black ink at the conclusion. Northrop's signature is a tad light, and the letter is mounted, with the original mailing folds showing splits repaired with archival tape, otherwise in very good overall condition.

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March 27, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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