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