Federal Commissary Building

Federal Commissary Building. . While its location was strategically important, Smithland was a small community at the outbreak of The War. The Federal military presence quickly demanded the construction of buildings to house the many departments that supported the operations of a large force-and Smithland was an essential part of the support for Union operations in the lower South. This building was constructed in March 1863 for use as a warehouse by Federal forces in Smithland, specifically for the Commissary Department. The Commissary Department was responsible for feeding the Army., An anonymous commissary officer in 1863 described the soldiers' rations..., ...the regulations provide that each man shall be entitled to a certain fixed amount daily, which amount is designated "a ration." Rations consist of beef, salt and fresh, pork, bacon, flour, pilot or hard bread, cornmeal, coffee, sugar, beans, peas, rice, hominy, molasses, vinegar, soap, candles, and desiccated vegetables. The latter are usually potatoes, cut, scalded, dried, and put up in barrels. When thus prepared they have very much the appearance of coarse cornmeal, and are used as a preventive of scurvy. Each day's ration subsistence for one man-in bulk averages 3 pounds in weight.....All of these rations, forming the entire subsistence of the army are under the charge of the Chief Commissary, by whom the corps commissaries are supplied, and these in turn supply the division commissaries. Brigade officers draw from the division commissaries, and regimental from brigade officers. The men draw their rations by companies, and they are then divided among the messes. The cost of each ration, including transportation, is about 20 cents., Montgomery C. Meigs (above) was Quartermaster General of the United States Army with the rank of brigadier general. He served as head of the department, providing the armies in the field with all kinds of supplies, except those with which they ate or fought. His responsibilities also included transportation by railroad, wagon, and ship of both the army and its supplies, including army clothing, camp and garrison equipage, cavalry and artillery horses, fuel, forage, straw, material for bedding, and stationery. His department also oversaw the operations of the Military Telegraph Corps., All food for the Army was purchased by contract and administering such a large scale operation took a large number of men and a great deal of space for storage, processing, and shipping forward to troops in the field., The building was also used as a hospital during the War. After the war it was used as a Masonic Hall. The First Baptist Church also met here from 1687-1913., This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (caption) Unlike the Smithland commissary, many Civil War commissaries were little more than a simple tent similar to commissary in above photogaph.