The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-29

(CoNcLupED)
ROUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
s April 81, 1910.
CD No. i.
Instructions 70 the n.iitdy ageat a. Meu Orleans,
ard amount Of disbursements in thar depart
mem.
The following instructions to A. d. Abrahams
the military agent at New Orleans, "to procure
and deliver, on the order of the commanding Of.
heer, such articles as he may deem necessary
Tor the public service" was given by the Secre.
tary OF War, general Henry Dearborne) ON the
18th OF Dec. 1903,
..4Ss (L.) No. 8. :.
The Secretary of war, (Wm. E,istis, estuire,)
May ath, 1909, wrote to r.. McCuIloch, and in
formed him OF bis appointment as military agent
"A. d. Abrahams having resigned, This letter
contains many regulations for the agents obser-
vance, IN executing the duties Of his office The
anove mentioned instruction is repeated, and the
following additional one given: Is the expendi
lures should be as economical as the fsood of the
service Will permit. No article, it is presumed,
VIII be required of you, but such as the nature
and good of the service actually demand. Should
happen, however. at any time, that demands
are made upon you to large amount, the proprf.
ely OF complying with which you NAV doubt, <
where delay may not, in your judgement, prove
this department" 1t appears Mr. Mcculoch
died in few days after his arrival at New. Orle-
ans on which Major Zebulon M. Pike, of the
sixth regiment, was appoiated by gen. Wilkinson,
Is successor to Mr.. McCulloch, and continued to
discharge the duties of that Office under the in
structions given to Mr.. Nc Culloch, until the re.
moysi OF the troops from the ensampment at Ter.
re au BGuf.
(L.l No. z & 8.
The Secretary of War, in a letter addressed to
the committee, bearing date the 10th April, 1910,
says, " representation being made by the sccoun-
tant OF this department that many articles in the
accounts rendered by Mr.. A. d. Abrahams, the
military agent, were charged at extravaganza pri-
ces, the necessity of someof which did not appear
and the prices ofothers being deemed exorbitant,
the military agent was informed on the 10th of
August last that he was not authorized to com
ply with such requisition in future. This is the
ou!y limitation of the instructions before menti
oned, which has been made by this department"
This last instruction to the military agent, could
not have reached him until some time in Septem-
Der last. The military agent, whenever he wan.
ted funds, drew bills on the department of war,
which were regularly paid.
~ $500. (L) No. 4, S, & g.
,Dis6senaerts in the quarter master und medical
and hospital departments, BY d.. d. A6raha,ns
military agent
On account of that part of the army stationed
AZ NeW Orieuis, ana In It's vicinity, between the
hrst OF January and twentieth of July 1909 (see
document K) including payments made for the
charter OF part OF the vessel employed to
transport the troops to that place, s SIS, 1888 43
Disbursements made by major
Pike, on same account from Dist
July to 3lst of December, 1909 o. AZ 7S
,..~ S 80, 66s Is
Mare. The above sums embrace no part of
the expenditures made on the Notifications e.
recting at New. Orleans.
William Linnard, military agent at Philadel-
phia, IN his letter of the 31st of March, 1910,
states, that medical and hospital stores were
shipped on board the Hilsman that she sailed
from Philadelphia the 9TH of January. 1909 /:
was detained by ice-saiIed again the 5th of
March following, and srrived at Orleans
ihe 5th OF April and delivered the stores the 9TH
and 9Th.
(M) MOL & 9.
CLOTHING.
BY the same letter from William Linnard. mi
htary agent, it appears, that the brig North Star
sailed from Philadelphia the 9th Of July, 1909
with clothing for the troops-arrived at New
Orleans the 22d of August, and delivered lthe
same in three days after his arrival which was
within twelve months of the time that the men
OF that detachment had generally received their
clothing for the preceding year.
Here follows the dispositions Nos. I. 9. Q. 4.
S, 9, z, 8, 9, 10, IL, and IL
The committee, from knowledge which they
have acquired the climate of N. Orleans & OF
the country surrounding it, and from the facts
stated in the depositions are of opinion, that the
mortality in the detachment ordered to New.
Orleans, is to be ascribed to the following caus
es:
I. The detachment consisting ofnew leyies.
2. The insalubrity of the climate the sum.
ner and autumn of the year 1909 being unusually
sick ly.
9 To the nature Of the ground on which the
aeta chment was encamPed at Terrc al Beuf,
and the detention Of it at that place during the
whole OF the summer; contrary, as the commit.
the conceive, to the Instructions contained in the
letter OF the Secretary of War, bearing date the
30th Of April, 1909.
a. To the want of sound and wholesome pro-
Visions and of vegetables the want of an hospi.
tai & hospital stores and medicines
5. The excessive fatigues to which the troops
were subjected in clearing, ditchng and drain
ing the ground on which they were enca1nped
8. To the want Of repose during the night
owing to the troops not being provided with bars
or nets TO protect them from the ANNOYANCE of
musquetoes.
z. The want Of cleanliness in the camp. the
nature of the position rendering it almost in,prac.
ticabe to preserve it,
g. The sick and well being confined to the
same tents, which nettIer protected them sun.
ciently from the heat ofthe sun, nor Kept them
dry from the dews and rains.
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