The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 348
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The Southwestern Historical Quarterly
agents could not buy enough cotton, partly because speculators
raised the price of cotton beyond what they were authorized to pay
and partly because they lacked money. These agents asked the
government for power to impress cotton, but neither the president
nor the secretary of war would consent.7"
Such was the condition when General Smith became head of
the department. Quartermasters, agents and even Major General
Magruder appealed to him to authorize impressment, urging the
immediate need of the staple. In June, 1863, the Sea Queen and
other vessels come to, the mouth of the Rio. Grande with army sup-
plies for which they were to receive cotton; but as the govern-
ment officials at Brownsville had not been able to, procure it, Gen-
eral Smith, June 27, ordered Magruder to impress the cotton and
transportation necessary for meeting the immediate wants of the
department and for sustaining the credit of the government.7
Impressing officers were sent throughout south and central Texas,
but were required to exempt from impressment cotton exported by
the state, by associations for the benefit of soldiers' families, and
by Major I-art, quarteraster and special agent of the war de-
partment, and all his subordinates. Planters were allowed to ex-
port free of impressment thirty bales for each one hundred slaves
owned.s0 Later, by Magruder's orders, the planter was allowed
forty bales to one hundred slaves, but he was forced to pay a
twenty per cent impressment tax if he shipped by way of the Rio
Grande. If he shipped by sea, no tax was charged, provided he
had a contract to bring in arms equal to the amount of cotton ex-
ported, or if he brought in arms equal to the value of one-fourth
of his return cargo.8-
The second step in securing control of this staple came August
3, 1863, when the commander established a cotton bureau under
Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Broadwell as chief, with headquarters
at Shreveport, Louisiana.2 All officers and agents engaged in the
"Hart to 'Seddon, with endorsements, June 20, 18163, Off. Recs., LIII,
873. I
,Smith to Magruder, Off. Recs., LIII, 885.
8OThe Galveston Tri-Weekly News, September 9, 1863.
"8General Orders No. 304 [Mfagruder], November 8, 1963, Off. Recs.,
XXXIV, ii, 882. See also Oldham to Davis, January 4, 18,64, ibid., 820-
821.
82General Orders No. 35, August 3, 1863, Off. Recs., XXII, ii, 953.348
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/354/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.