The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-06-19


Report of Col. Geo. w. McCOol
and James N. Bi 0vFn, Agents fOl
Furnishing the First and SocOns
Ohio Regiments with Subsistence,
Clothing and Equipm euts, 10 tn
Governor.
s]sszg,.5a COLUMBUS, June s. 1861.
Uov4nor:-In addition TO my former report
rs TO the First and Second Ohio Regiments,
have the honor to submit this statement as I
. their condition aud their clothing equipment
} and arms:
AS the troops. by directions from Washing
ton. were ordered forward in companies, betor
muster, without uniforms or arms, which wer
to be furnished there you requested me to pre-
cede them, make arrangements for quarters or
ganixe the Regiments, supervise the election
field officers, and have them properly mustere,
into the service of the United States. Fo
these purposes had your authority to com
mand ;the officers were directed to me for orders
was furnished with your letter OF credit fo
ten thousand dollars, and l expected TO repor
to you in person in ten days.
Nothing but the pressing emergency wticl
then existed would have justified you in adop
ting this course, and when made objections t.
moving the troops without equipments Of any
kind, they we're silenced by the production o
a telegraphc dispatch to you which no mar
could ouestion-"I it is possible, two Regiment
should reach here this week; arms, equipment
ETC., will be furnished here's" had no author
ity to purchase anything except for the neces
sary subsistence of the troops on their arriya
at Washington, and was to reach that pon
some hours in advance of the foremost compa
MES. At Pittsburgh met G. P. Wocott, who
was going 10 New York 10 make purchases fol
the State, and was introduced to Mr. Jane:
NJ. Brown, who was going forward Tor the SAINT
purpose.
Ascertaining at Harrsburgh that the railway
routes were broken up, remained there TO a
wait the troops, as 1t was impossible for then
to 20 forward As wifhed to be aided by tbs
advice of MIR. Wolcott he stopped with me, and
Mr.. Brown was directed 20 proceed by the first
train to Philadelphia TO purchase blankets, ab.
solutely necessary, as we understood the men
had none wi them. As the original expecta-
ton of equipment ct Washington was thus de
! eated. Mr. Wolcott. who had your general au
lhority for purchasing, communicated with you
on the subject OF supplying these Regiments. -
The great object was the immediate supply fol
the protection of the health ol the men, ard re-
sort was first had to Gov Curtin to furnish
clothing from the State establishment in Phlla:
delphia, upon terms which we're communicated
| to you by Mr.. Wolcott, and which met your
approval This arrangement was abandoned by
Mr.. Wolcott upon inquiry at Philadelphia, be-
cause a day could not be fixed wher The C oth-
| ibg would be delivered, and on the 22d OF April
he teegraphed me from Philadelphia that "he
had made arrangements independr mt OF the
State clothing depar artment of Pennsylvania for
outfits, consisting Of the articles mentioned in
my message to Gov. Dennison." Under this
arrangement, which was made by Mr.. Brown
the clothing for the troops was furnished. The
purchases had 10 be made in great haste, as it
was impossible to know at what time the troops
might be ordered to march to points where nc
supply could be obtained and until they reached
Philadelphia, there was no time when it was
certain they weuld remain the nsxt day in the
same camp.
| There was furnished by Mr.. Brown, to each
man, a blanket, overcoat, blouse, pair Of pan
taloons two flannel shirts, two pair Of socks,
one pair OF shoes and hat, and when learned
that drawers had not been included in the Or
der requested him to furnish two pairs for
each man.
! The blankets, half Of which it was necessary
to order by telegraph from New York; were
generally excellent, and those which were light
in weight were issued in pairs, and not singly.
About one half OF the pantaloons were oil the
quality of the pair left with Col. Whittlesey,
and they we're, in my opinion, good; the resi-
due were OF ofsatinet and with the exception OF
four pairs, found at the time Of issuing to be
defective, were believed by me to be serviceable
and that was the opinion OF a number Of per-
sops who examined them at my request. There
was no regular ins pecion, article by article, he
cause the goods were bought by Mr.. Brown,
acting as an agent for the State, and not on
contract by sample, and because the clothing
was frequently required to be issued when an
inspection was impo sible.
The tight the troops arrived in the wet camp
near Philadelphia, | required MIR. Brown to
collect all tn, overcoats which we're finished
and send them to camp, where nearly six hun
dred were issued to the men, between nine and
eleven o'clock at night. But did understand
that the material from which the hing was
made, was exam ned before, at the time Of pur
chase by competent persons. and | attach
copy Of letter to me from Capt Woods, Ninth
Infantry, an officer Of the u S Army FROM
Ohio who was on duty in Philadelphia at the
time. And now believe that, with the excep
ton OF portion Of the pantaloons, the article.
furnished were o good material and as we'll
made as could be expected under the circum
stances attending the purchase and manufacture
of the goods. And know that, whilst the
troops were marching to Washington, they pas
sed Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by
officers from Philadephia who had not yet sue
ceeded in getting their overcoats.
When we arrived in Washington, an effort
was made by the proper officers to obtain regu
lation pantaloons from me government, bnt no
requisition would be filed except in behalf Of
troops mustered for three years.
deem IT but an act Of simple justice to Mr.
Brown, to say that have unablted confidence
in his capacity and integrity, and do not be-
iieve there was any profit or advantage to him
or the house with which he is connected, except
the commission charged in his bill for purchas-
ing the goods, advancing the money and super.
the manufacture.
The demands upon him to furnish the cloth
ing were lmportunate, and | know he labored
to provide it at the earliest moment.
No person who has not undertaken similar
task, will be able to appreciate the difficulty in
accomplishing it a5. ssag 1sga ..t...( s.srs
The equipments Of the two Regiments, for
which, up to The last. we had relied upon the !
Government to furnish, were with the exception
Of canteens only, supplied by the State. The
knapsacks and haversacks were purchased by
Mr.. Wolcott. and there are certainly none bot
ter in the service. The belts, cartridge-boxes
bayonets. scobbirds, &c, were selected by ms.
and delivered on your order, from those made |
by Schuyler Hartley & Graham, OF New York
under their con rae. with the State requi
sition for these was approved at Washington.
butt as it was impossible to ascertain when they
could be supplied frcm the arsenal at Philade!-
phia, resort was again had TO your purchases