Paul Jackson brought up a topic below on the stores of clothing and equipment in North Carolina late in the war.

That is true and further more the blockade seems to had little effect on the ports of Wilmington, N.C. and Charleston, S.C. late in the war also.

I found a very lengthy report from December 20, 1864 from Jefferson Davis and G.A. Trenholm, Secretary of the Treasury.

"The number of vessels which arrived at two ports of the Confederacy (Wilmington and Charleston) between the 1st of November and 6th of December was forty-three, averaging more than one per day, and indicating no check in the trade."

"When the regulations were first adopted each Department was charged with the duty of managing its own exports and imports, but experience indicated the propriety of consolidating these operations and placing the whole under the control of the Treasury Department. This was accordingly done on the 1st of July, and from that date to the 1st of December the quantity of cotton exported was 11,796 bales. Of this quantity 1,272 bales were lost, and 10,522 bales have arrived safe at foreign ports. At a moderate computation the value in gold is £320,000 sterling, or $1, 500,000; a sum capable of purchasing supplies of the value in currency of $45,000,000."

"The following summary, embracing a period of about twelve mouths, from the 1st of November, 1863, to the 25th of October, 1864, exhibits the results attained under both. These details are derived from the report of Col. T. L. Bayne, chief of the Bureau of Foreign Supplies of the War Department.

The leading articles imported are as follows:
Lead.........1,490,000 lbs
Saltpeter....1,850,000 lbs
Meat.........6,200,000 lbs
Coffee.......408,000 lbs
Boots and shoes pairs.... 420,000
Blankets.....292,000 lbs
Arms (muskets, rifles, and carbines)- 136,832"

For a complete list of these ships and cargoes go to...

http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/pageviewer?frames=1&cite=http%3A%2F%2Fcdl.library.cornell.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fmoa%2Fmoa-cgi%3Fnotisid%3DANU4519-0129&coll=moa&root=%2Fmoa%2Fwaro%2Fwaro0129%2F&tif=00967.TIF&view=50

Also found who was probably the source for the large amounts of clothing in Wilmington at the end of the war...

"January 7, 1864 Hon. J. A. SEDDON: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Raleigh, N.C....

I have now at Bermuda and on the way there eight or ten cargoesbof supplies of the very first importance to the Army and the people, consisting chiefly of some 40,000 blankets, 40,000 pair of shoes, large quantities of army cloth and leather, 112,000 pair of cotton cards, machinery and findings to refit twenty-six of our principal cotton and woolen factories, dyestuffs, lubricating oils, &c., in addition to which I have made large purchases of bacon...Z. B. Vance"

____________________
David Upton