The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-30

might have been deemed unnecessary By the,
Committee.
Be. pleased,
: Sir.
To accept my respectful compli.
meats, &c.
(sisued.)
WIZ. B. GILES,
zAe Hs. .,.s. 4. w z E1'asl
-. Wan DEpAarxENr. Jan. Is, 1910. 4
"a take the liberty of submitting for per,isu!
snd consideration the enclosed extracts from the
letters of Mr.. William Linnard, "a faithful and
indefstigahie military agent) which letters were
accompanied with ths names of several assistant
military agents, to. whom he had made dis.
bursements and from whom he lad not been a.
bic TO procure satisfactory statements and settle.
mcnts. Az 81
They are smong the evidences daily occur.
ring) which evince the necessity of reform..
zion IN the quarter masters department.
With respectful consideration,
Your obedient servant.
w. EUSrIS.
Honorable VIM B. Ciles,1
Chairman committee ofS
xxf'aese o. letter from William Linnar9, mi.
!'soty agent, da'ed Philadelphia, September
15fh, 1909.
With respect to instructing the assistant a.
gents toforward acquisitions and other evidence,
to slew on what. authority expenditures have
been made, beg leave to observe, that when.
ever have had occasion to write to newly ap.
pointed agent, nave never failed to inform HIM.
that such documents were indispensably ncces.
sary to accompany their vouchers; and al,ho'
have been very particular in those instructions,
In Ia Ar D. n
| TACT IN some instances, where the commanding
ofhcer was assistant agent. they have ridicued
the idea as extremely absurd to make requisite
ons on themselves. lido believe it to be imprac.
| ticable to obtain those documents in every in
stance, unless the assistant agents were more
stationary and the principals clothed with more
authority than they possess. ] shall however
not lose sight Of the object, but continue to use
my endeayors tn obtain them and if fail, il
ought not to add to my duties, already too much
multiplied"
Hstr0ef Of ieffer .jis,n William Linnord, mi
nda,, sgent, dated PAiiddel phia,i December 7th,
On receipt of your instructions relative to
the accounts, wrote circular letters to all the
assistant agents, aud in order to enforce your
| inJunctons, and that might not be msunder-
stood, enclosed copies of your Instructions to
| me- 10 press the necessity OF particular al.
tension to the vouchers, introduced the follow.
ing quotation from your letter -" That in all
| their disbursements the authority of the comman.
ding officer shOsad accompany the voucher, par
dcutarly stating the objsc of the expenditure >"
Some Of the assstsnt agents and officers have
! strangely construed those expressions, to REQUIRE
the authority the commanding officer had to make
requisition,& instead of writing to me for an ex
PLANTATION, they have delayed their accounts until
| the commanding officer could write to the Sc.
cretsry OF War for his authority, or an expla-
WASHINGTON CRY, Nov. IS, 1909.
SIR.
ON the eve of leaving the army, (unle,s
prospect OF active service should forbid it'll
perrnt me to address you on the important ne
cessity OF The auarter-mSster's department being
restored II 1t was only on tho ground OF SEQ.
Monty for to that department belongs the care of
all stores belonging 10 the array. BY the de.
rangement OF that department, were strctlen.
curry made. it would be found that more than
lOOsO0O dollars have been lost in the course of
law years by the abolition of the quarter. masters
| department, and the introduction OF system of
| military agency. Instances may be found of cha
racters being employed as agents, perfectly ig
| ,'orant OF military affairs and the great duties
! imposed upon them, 4 AZ times unsupplied with
he means necessary OF performance.
The quarter master general Of an army, 10 an
l ofhcer ofgreat Importance, and should be ofhigi
L ~"Ht ectNe, PsrSeVeriHR ana experienced, per
fectly acquainted with the geographical situation
| and advantages of the country, IN which an army
to act, SO as always to draw his supplies at the
| least possible Injury and expence. He is prima.
riiy charged with all the articles belonging to his
department: on him acquisitions are 10 be made by
the division quarter masters for such stores as
may be required for their divisions which, stores
IRE to be issued on the returns Of the brigade
quarter masters, and so to the regimen,s quarter
masters, who are to make and deliver returns of
1 all stores on hand and delivered, once in three
months, to the brigade quarter masters, who
will consolidate and transmit them to the diyi,,o:
quarter masters, who, in like manner, are to con-
solldats and transmit them &c the quarter master
general, who will transmit them to the Secretary
| of War
| Pursuing this principle, it can always be ascer
tanned in which division, brigade or regiment,
| there may be delinquency.
| You will please excuse the liberty have tax en-
IN addressing you on subject Of great impor.
lance to the army either on peace or war estab-
l slirnent. The importance of this subject will
perhaps be more fully impressed by an application
| 20 military gentlemen, who have experienced the
| 'nadequacy OF the present system to tie general
1 welfare Of our country.
Accept the assurances of my perfect esteem.
| A PARKER,
|. Colonel STU LufaDry.
SIR,
WAR DEPARTMENT, Jan. 90, 1910.