Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-03-01
GBY AuTaoRry.J
AN ACT
For the better regulation of the Ordnance De
AN ACT

Il
Presenta.ives ofthe UaiteS S,a,es of America in
Congress assembled, That from aad sitter the
| passage OF this act, the ordnance department
| shall CONSIST OF one colonel, one lieutenant CO.
| lionel. two majors, ten captains, ten first lieu,
| tenants, ten second ieutenints, and ten third
| lieutenants.
Sec. q Isd be it further enacted, That the
Colonel or senior officer ofthe ordnance depart
| nent IS authorised to enlist for the service of
| that department, for FIVE years, as many master
| armorers, master carriage makers, master black
smiths, artificers, armoreFs, carriage makers.
slacksmths, and laborers, as the public SER
| vice, IN his judgment, under the directions of
the secretary for the department of war, may
require.
| Sc 3, lad De ii, f4rth,r enacted, That il
shall be the duty ofthe colonel of the ordnance
| department to direct the i,spscti and prov
ing OF all pieces of ordnance cannon bells. shot
shells, small arms, and iiie arms, and equ:p-
ments, procured for the u,e of the armies of
the United States; and to direct the constrtic.
ton o' all cannon and carriages, and every i'm.
| plement and apparatus Eor ordnance; and all
ammunition Wagons, travelling forges, and ar.
tilcers, Wagons, the inspection and proving OF
powder, and the preparation OF all kinds Of am
muntion and ordnance stores And il shall al
| SO be the duty OF the colonel or senior officer
OIL the ordnance department, TO furnish esti
mates, and, under the direction of the $, creta-
| ny tor the department of var, TO make con.
tracts and purchases for procuring the neces
sary supplies of arms, equipments, ordnance
| aud ordasnce stores.
Sec. Ind Be IL further enacted That IN.
colonel of the ordnance department shall orr
Sanize and attach TO regiments, CORPS or gar.
risoRs, such number of artiicers, with pruper
| tools, carriages and apparatus, under such Re.
guations and restrictions rel tive to their go.
vernment and number, as in his Judgment,
with the appreciation OF the secretary for the
department of war, may be considered neces.
sary.
Sec. S. And be IL furher enacted That the
colonel OF the ordna.Ice department, or senior
officer of that department of any district. shall
execute all orders of the secretary for the de
! nartment OF war, and, in time of wsr, the orders
of any general, or field officer, COMMANDING, any
army, garrison or detachment for the supply
OF all arms, ordnance, ammunition, carriages.
torges and apparatus, tor garrison, field or siege
service.
Sec. s. Ind Be it fryhsr enacted, That the
keepers OF all magazines aud arsenals, shall,
quarterly, or oftensr If so directed, and in such
manner As directed by the colonel of the Ord
rance Department, make correct returns TO The
Colonel or senior officer of the ordnance de.
Partmant, of all ordnance, arms, and ordnance
stores, they may have in charge
Sec. 7. hnd be IL further enacted. Tia, ~
costs of repairs of damages done 20 arms, eu,lip.
nents, implements, in the use of the -i,.:.ss
~ the United States, shall be deducted fr n,
, the pay of any officer or soldier in whose care
or use the said arms, equipments, or Inple-
ments were, when the said damsges occ,, rred /.
ProviGsd, The said damages were occasoned
by the abuse or negligence OF the said officer
or soldier. And it is hereby made the dnty of
eYery ofEcer commanding Regiments. corps, gar
risons, or detachmcuts, 10 make, once every wo
months, or oftener if so directed, a written ra-
port TO the Colonel of The ordnsnce departm mt
stating all damages to arms, EQUIPMENTS and
Implements belonging to has command, noting
those occasioned hy neir'ig nee or abuse; and
naming the ofdctr or soldier by whose negli-
gence or abuse the said damages were occssi.
oned
Sec. 8. And be it further rnact-d, That the
Co onel OF the ordnance department shall make
half yearly, 70 the War Department, or oftener.
If thI Secretary of the Department shall so ii
rect, correct report of the officers, and ali ar
tihceFs, an5 laborers. in his department also,
Of all ordnance, arms, military sto es, impTe-
ments, and apparatus, of every description and
in such form as the Secretary Tor the Depart
rnent Of War shall direct
Sec. 9. dHd be IL further enacted, That To
insure system and uniformity in the different
public armories, they are hereby plsced under
the direction OF the ordnance department And
the Colone of the ordnance department. under
the direction OF the secretary or the DeDart-
ment Of War, is hereby authorized to estab isb
depots of arms, ammunition, and ordnance
stores, in such part Of the United States. and
in such numbers, as may be deemed necessa
ry.
Sec, 10. And be il further enacted, That the
Colonel of the ordnance departrant. undsr the
direction OF the Secretary for the Department
OF War, is hereby authorised to draw UP a sys
tenn OF regulations for tae ordnance depart
ment, forms OF returns and reports, and for the
uniformity OF manufactures Of all arms, ord
nance, ordnance stores, Implements, and APP
paratus, and for the repairing and better pre-
servation ofthe same.
Sec. II and be it, further enacted, That the
pay, emoluments, and allowances, for the Off :
GERS OF the ordnance department, shall be the
same as the pay, emolumen;s, aad allowances,
now allowed To officers Of similar grades res
Pectiveiy, in the artillery OF the United States.
And that the pay OF a master armorer shall be
thirty dollars per month, and one and half ra.
tions per day, of master carriage maker, tbir.
ty dollars per month, and one and a half rati-
ons per day Of q master blacksmith, thirty dol
lars per month, and one and a half rations per
day. The pay oil armorers, carriage makers,
or blacksmiths, each, sixteeR dollars per month,
and one and = half rstions per day, tie pay Of
srtlheers, thirteen dollars per month, AID one
ration per day and the pay OF isborers, nine
dollars per moRth, and one ration per day aud
TO all OF the said workmen, Rrti6cers, and labor.
ers, the same cloathing, and other allowances,
as ere allow ID % prTstes of infantry in the ar.
my Of the United States, except cloatbing TO
the master Yorkmen.
Sec. -. Ind be IL 6grf6er enacted That the
President OF the United States is hereby Autho