Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-11-13

troops ata cost of 81 so each You doubtless
received this information from the State Depart
ment and it il sufficiently transparent that il was
communicated, as in the case had occasion to
notice not long since in your paper, with the view
of putting wind into the sails of His Excel
lency - at the expense of the officers of the Gen
eral Government, whose duty it is to provide such
stores. In Justice to these officers, beg leave
to offer, through the columns of your paper, the
following explanations:
On the 22d inst received from Gen. Meigs,
Quartermaster General U. s. A.. the following
telegram:
WASHINGTON, October p. 1861.
To Captain aiken or Major Montgomery:
have ordered ten thousand l0,O00) overcoats
to indianapolis, at six fifty CSC 500 to seven fifty
(S7 5O) each. NJ c. MEIGs
These coats were contracted for by Major Vim
ton at New York, when the prices of material
and LABOR were much lower than at present
This telegram in answer to the follow
ing:
INDIANAPOLIS, October 10, 1861.
To M. c. Meigs, Quaftcrmaster General U. S. A.:
Great complaint is made because some Indiana
troops in the field are not supplied with great
coats can't buy for less than 50 SO for infant
ry and $ll rs for cavalry. What shall dof
A. MONTGOMERY,
Major and Quartermaster.
This telegram was prompted in part by note
from His Excellency, Governor Morton. enclosing
the following telegram and urging me to "direct
Colonel Rose to purchase them (great coats)
without delay"
HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARrxENrl
ST. LOUIS DIV, Oct. IL, lo6l.
To Governor o. p. Morton:
Major Hines is here He reports our troops
without overcoats, and suffering very much from
he 10 b,s L
can't buy any here. am offered 5000 regula-
ton over coats at so so thirty days after deiv-
cry. The parties viii not sell to the Government
on credit. Shall buy theml
Answer. ID. @. Rose.
/ declined authorizing the purchase for several
reasons. First, and chiefly, because l had been
directed by General Meigs not to give more than
81 rs for such coats; Il had advised Governor
Morton on the day previous to the reception of
his note, that had been so instructed.) Again,
had been offered such coats at 50 80 on the
same day this note was received. was not able
to perceive, either, why it was necessary to en-
ploy the agency of person not in the service of
the Government in making such purchase es-
pecially as there a Quartermaster of the
army on the spot, whose duty it was TO make it,
if necessary, and of whose ability to make it /
had no reason to doubt And last, but not least,
was my sense of the improperly of making the
soldier pay ten dollars and fifty cents for gar
ment which could be procured for him at a cost OF
Sc so to 81 So
/ believe it is not generally understood that the
soldier Is charged with all the clothing he draws
at cost prices. Cincinnati paper, in honoring
me with notice recently. makes allusion to ''red
tape" and Young America" Let us see how
the account stands:
Young America
5000 Overcoats at $40 So. ..... So. 900 90
Red Tape a -. -.
5000 overcoats at 81 (the average) $4,000 OC
Balance in favor of red tape. s2l 900 OO
So much for buncombe
But "rerenons rnoutons." 1t is claimed
that his Excelency has purchased 10000 over
coats for 81 50 each. have certain intelligence
from the most reliable source that overcoats are
worth at present in New York not less than 50 sc
each, as held by the manufacturers. contract
awarded in this city Yesterday TO the lowest
bidder, after due advertisement for proposals
throughout the Union, at 50 25. l apprehend
that no such contract as that claimed for his Ex
cellency has been made, but that advantage has
been taken of the order of the Quartermaster
General, directing 10 600 to be sent here above
stated to steal a little more thunder. 1t is proper
to state that his Excelency was in Washington
when the statement was published. above
mentioned, and that he may not have authorized
II. IL Is not the less necessary TO correct it.
would have left il for him to do so, but that he
failed to correct similar error on the occasion
above referred to.
am, sir, most respectfully, your servant,
A. MONTGOMERY,
Major and Quartermaster, u. s. A.
In connection with the last paragraph in the
foregoing card of Majo- MONTGOMERY, and in
explanation thereof, we reproduce his card which
appeared in the Journal on the 18th of October,
with the comments of that print in reference TO it:
A card.
0Fr1cE QUARrERxAsrER U. s. Al
t indianapolis, Oct. l3. 1861.
EprroR JouRSA1-Sir: i have Just noticed, in
your publication of the 18th inst, the following
paragraph: -,
s.Hon Robert Dale Owen yesterday made a
heavy purchase Of overcoats for the 18th and
10Th regiments and has been ordered to purchase
astill larger lot The Governor is determined
that our troops shall be clothed, and If the Gen.
eral Government, whose duty it is 70 provide
them, win not, Governor Morton intends to-
1t is but Just that you should publish, in cor
rection Of the false inference deducibe from this
paragraph, the following correspondence:
IxDIASAPoLIs, Oct. 8, 1861
RD. OwEs, (Care Winslow. Lanier Il Co..
New York: Can you purchase, at any price, four
thousand (4sO00) great coatss How soon ana af
what pricei
fSienedl "A MoSrGoxERY,
Sipf Major and Quartermaster u. g. A.