Item No. 7943253

A pair of telegraph messages sent in the summer of 1864 by Captain Charles K. Smith to Lieutenant Colonel Andrew J. Mackay, regarding shipments of military supplies sent from Chattanooga in support of General William T. Sherman’s campaign against the Confederate industrial center at Atlanta. Both Smith and Mackay were quartermaster officers on the staff of General George H. Thomas, commanding the Army of the Cumberland. The messages mention railcars full of ammunition, sanitary supplies, subsistence stores, forage, medical supplies, and more, to support Union troops at the front.

The larger of the two documents measures about 5” x 8 1/2”. Creased at the original folds. The transcripts appear below:

No. 1

By Telegraph from Chattanooga 19 1864
To Col. Mackay
C.Q.M.

The following shipments have been made to the front this afternoon up to 3 o’c—

2 Cars Amn
1 Car San Stores
4 Cars Sub Stores
3 Cars QM Stores

C. K. Smith
Capt &c.

No. 2

Aug 30 186[4]

By Telegraph from Chattanooga
To Col. A. J. Mackay
C.Q.M.

The following shipments were made to the front yesterday up to 8 o’clock P.M.

63 Cars sub stores
26 Cars forage
8 Cars med stores
1 Car ammunition
1 Ord stores
1 Mail & mess stores
1 San stores

C. K. Smith
Capt. &c.