# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 4/19th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 74

Chap. LXXIV.—An Act regulating the accountability for clothing and equipage issued to the army of the United States, and for the better organization of the quartermaster’s department.
Every captain or commander of a company, &c., at the expiration of every quarter, to make returns of supplies.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That every captain, or commander of a company, detachment, or recruiting station, or other officer, who shall have received clothing or camp equipage for the use of his command, or for issue to the troops, shall render to the quartermaster general, at the expiration of each regular quarter of the year, quarterly returns of such supplies, according to the forms which may be prescribed, accompanied by the requisite vouchers for any issues that shall have been made; which returns and vouchers, after due examination by the quartermaster general, shall be transmitted for settlement to the proper office of the Treasury Department.
Duty of all officers charged with the issue of clothing, &c.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of all officers charged with the issue of clothing, or other supplies, carefully to preserve the same from waste or damage; and, in case of deficiency, on final settlement, of any article of supplies, the value thereof shall be charged against the delinquent, and deducted from his monthly pay, unless he shall show, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War, by one or more depositions, setting forth the circumstances of the case, that the said deficiency was occasioned by unavoidable accident, or was lost in actual service, without any fault on his part; and, in case of damage, he shall also be subject to charge for the damage actually sustained, unless he shall show, in like manner, to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War, that due care and attention were given to the preservation of said supplies, and that the damage did not result from neglect.
Two additional quartermasters, and ten assistant quartermasters, to be appointed. Act of March 2, 1821, ch. 13. Proviso.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, the better to enable the quartermaster’s department to carry into effect the provisions of this act, there be appointed two additional quartermasters, and ten assistant quartermasters, to be taken from the line of the army, who shall have the same rank and compensation as are provided for like grades by the act, entitled “An act to reduce and fix the military peace establishment of the United States,” approved the second day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one: Provided, That assistant quartermasters be entitled, also, to receive the allowance of forage heretofore authorized, by law, to regimental and battalion quartermasters.
Each officer appointed to give bond and security.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That each officer appointed under this act, shall, before he enter upon his duties, give bond, with sufficient surety, to be approved by the Secretary of War, in such sum as the President shall direct, with condition for the faithful performance of the duties of his office.
Approved, May 18, 1826.