The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-26

respectfully request that the above satemon which
before the general in chief and Secretary of War
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
II. TAYLOR,
Major General U. S. A. commanding.
The ADJurASr GENERAL Of the army,
Washington, d. C..
WAN DEPARTMENT Washington
September 81, 1915.
addressed to the adutant general and by him laid beoIe
me- pursuant the request therein OF such extra
terms the OF that branch of the public SER
vice committed to you, that have deemed il to be my
to direct your particular attention to it. ''' '''
The avowed object OF General Taylor in presenting
tsrmasters Department is to make then, matter of
ord. am extremely unwilling, and presume you
not be less SO than myself that they should there remain
without explanation or investigation.
am fully aware Of the great difficulties unavoidabl
in the management of the Department
the sudden occurrence Of war; when the country was
not prepared for such emergency. General Taylor
must be presumed 10 be well acquainted with all the
circumstances of embarrassment attending the Quarter
masters Department any other person. and yet his
raignmen OF 1t Ia not qualified by allusion to them
The inference is that, all proper allowances made he
considers that the management of the affairs Of the
Department has been such TO deserve
cenaure. Such appears to me to be his meaning, and
SUCH apprehond, will be the general impression result
ing from the perusal of his letter If this censurs is
really deserved is proper that those obnoxious to it
deserves but it, the contrary shall be found tina,
the officers Of the Department have done
their duty in proper and efficient manner, | trust
will be the steps must be taken to tho
neous impression, and vindicate their Official conduct
Very respectfully yaq, eSea s.1 servant
Major Gen. THOMAS 3 JEsur, Quarterniaster General
United States Army.
B. The copy has been furnished to the Quarter
master General by the Adjutant General.
New ORLEANS, December, S, 1896
SR,-When received your letter Of the 2lst Septem.
Der, the subject Of Major General complaints
was apprehsnsve that neglect or omissions mad &C.
Cured the parts OF more OF the subordi
nate officers OF department by which his operations
had been seriously embarrassed but have looked into
the whole matter and am bound IN justice to say that
no class Of officers General Taylor and the
most distinguished around him. have better
faithfully performed their duty and II anything has
been wanting which they could have supplied It has
been because the proper orders were not given or
timely acquisitions made.
In Conducting war; il the duty of the government
to designate the object to be accomplished is then the
duty Of the general who conducts the operations call
for the means required TO accomplish that object II he
quences Of his omission General Taylor complains OF
want Of water and land transportation, camp equipage
and shoes Tor his cavalry horses As TO water ansp0T
tation find that he called for single light draught
steamer early in May Lieut. Colonel Hunt could not
obtain suitable boat but he executed the order
1t possible. l. to in May, early in
june Gen Taylor considering four boats necessary
appointed his own agents to obtain them. at the
time taking under the orders of Gen Scott
to obtain suitable boats for the navigation of the Rio
Grande but having reliable information in relation
the alton OF that river and believing General
preferred that they should execute his orders and
limited my action in the matter to doubling the number
cal ed for by Gen Tay lor and authorizing further in
crease, considered necessary by his brother and one
| Of his agents The number required by the general
was, | believe, nearly qusdruped ultimately by the
officers Of the department As TO the complaint OF the
general that the steamers from Pittsburg then
(sep,ember is just arriving, it is proper to state ,hs
these tho very boats procured by OF his owl
agents When at PIttsburg, inquired into the delay
those Loats ami it is but justice to Captain Sanders Gen
Tayers agent, to soy that no effort was spared to &c
| them into service early possible.
AS to the complaint in regard to the want Of Ian
Information At Washington, so far as was Informed e
enable me- or the War Departmental determine whebe
wagons could DO used in Mexico. General Tay lor
though he had both mounted troops and topoaraphica
engineers, had not supplied the OF that niormG
ton besides, he had not as far as know believe
ntimated to any department his intentions wishes
regard to the means Of transportation TO be used II wa
known that he had wagon rsin amply sufficient fo
double the force he commanded before the arrival Of the
volunteers added TO that, he had General Arista
oil transportation; and he In country Astounding
mules the OF transportation best sdapoi TO the
country, and the only used by the enemy. gen
era Is expected to avail himself Of the OF the
country in which he operatcs IL General Taylor failed "a
do and without the necessary transportation he
alone il responsible means were limited only by
his own will lie had officers Of The QiaIicrmaster's
Department able have executed hs orders, eLd willing
| TO carry out his views His authority alone want
| ing.
| Az to camp equpage, you that the oppro.
pIiation which asked for last year was stricken out
and that not cent was appropriated which could be l
gally applied TO that object before the 9th and 18th OF
/
OF the department were compelled to obtain materials
wheresoever they could get them, and such az they
could get Cotton cloth necessarily substituted for
linen in the fabrication Of tents have no doubt great
deal OF the material OF the quality represented by
General Taylor but that under the circumstances
unavoidable. The officers obtained the best they could
get and deserve credit for their exortons In place Of
| the censure they have received.
| am somewhat a loss to imagine why the de fciency
Of shoes for the dragoon horses made subject
| complaint against the Quartermasters department. A
blacksmith allowed by Law to every troop Of drag,
is the duty OF every commander OF troop to have his
shoeing tools complete and to have at all times the
cesssry shoe and nail irons and II Is the duty ct the
mental commander 10 that timely acquisitions be
made. Now, If those officers failed to have what
necessary 10 the efficiency Of their commands lot Gen
Tsy lor hold them accountable. The Quartermastei
department is not responsible for their negl ecs.
Az came through the western country 10 this city,
was informed that report circulating that Genera
Taylor ould have taken forward 10 Monterey, much
larger force Of volunteers but for the neglect Of the
Quartermssters Department to fsln'sh the means o
transportation In reply 10 that report respectfully
attention to the letter OF General Tay Tor Of tho
I'd Of July, to tho Aduant General There he tells you
that officer that he proposes srerate from Ca
MARCO to Monterey he tells you that no will operat'
with . column Of about 600 men that he must rely
the country for meat and depot ct Gamsrgo for bread
and adds the reason for not taking greater force
that column exceeding six thousand mon cannot b.
supplied on that route with bread alone.
iee sir that every officer tho department has per
formed his duty faithfully. II not ably, and that TN
charges Of General Tay lor both and unmered
A. regards myself feel that have performed my Who'll
duty, both to the country and TO the army and II tn
slightest doubt remain that subject il my
to demand immediate aud thorough investigation
nv and rat oft ho dep