Commissary Department.
Major D. T. Carraway, of
Newberne, N. C., our first Brigade Commissary, was an excellent officer.
He continued with us until after the
battle of Chancellorsville, when he was transferred to
General Pender's staff.
Major Thomas H. McKoy, who succeeded
Major Carraway, volunteered as a private in the “
Wilmington light infantry,” was appointed
Second Lieutenant Co. C, Seventh North Carolina Troops, and after serving two years in the line was made Commissary of his regiment with the rank of
Captain.
He was a brave and gallant officer and gentleman in every sense of the word.
Having been in the ranks, he knew how to sympathize with the soldiers at the front and on their long, weary marches.
He would always take charge of our cooking details, and often sit up all night to prevent delay in preparing the rations.
At
Liberty Mills he scoured the country, collected tax in kind, stored his provisions in a log house, built in camp for that purpose, and thereby prevented a great deal of suffering that winter.
At Moss Neck he purchased moulds and wicks in
Richmond and commenced making
tallow candles, which he issued regularly to the officers of the brigade.
The
Major had a faithful, efficient and most valuable assistant in
F. L. Alexander,
Commissary Sergeant, detailed from Co. C, Thirty-Seventh regiment.
Our men made large quantities of turpentine and lye soap for their own use and for sale whenever they could find purchasers.
That which I bought and sent to the rear was pronounced excellent by those who used it.
