The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1862-02-01

When the present civil war broke out tho
Quartermastcr Depot of the L Unitcd States at
this city WAS little more than nominal aii air
l. employees were iow in number and the la
Dor performed was, whom viewed by tho side
Of the work Of the past six months, nothing.
There was here no clothing department, AMI no
provisions for equipping 'olliors at this point
were made; but now, New York is the great
central depot for the whole United States.
True the Iuartermaster Generals oAigs Is in
Washr gton, and the headquarters arc there,
but in point OF fact, this is tho point from
which 20 the main portion OF the necessary
supplies for the army Of the Union, and there
fore we choose to speak Of it as the central
depot. That portion Of tho Quartemas-
ter's Department which is 80 ably man.
aged by Colonel Tompkins and his eli
cient assistants, at No. State street, in
cludes the receiving, lodgment and forwarding
of volunteers, the chsrtering Of transports, and
lacing them with ordnance stores, s.. A tOler-
able memory will assist the reader in coming at
once to our conclusion that the business Of this
branch Of the Department has been very great,
but for two reasons we are unable TO give any
definite particulars. One Of these IL that too
great publicity TO affairs Of tho Department ia
not deemed prudent the second that the facts
cannot be got at. Not unfrequently, since tho
| beginning Of the war, transportation had 10 be
provided for three or four thousand men in a
| single day vessels wora At tfe same time TO be
Chartered, htttd out, laden, and dispAtchei,
quarters provided for troops, ntraCts TO be
| made, and a hos, Of other things all requiring
| lime and la or to be done. Notwithstanding
the energy the D0partnen' it il not s1rprs-
| inE then, that occasionally the reports o. work
| tone would be incomplete.
Bat our especial business at present is wi the
| clothing and equpping department, which takes
| the M IN IL pbTts HgtQJaiibus and TRANSFORMS him
| INTO a soldier thoroughly uniformed and equip.
| pod ready for the rifle and the field.
The commanding officer Of this branch Of the
department is Lieut.. Col. d. II. Yinton. Capt.
4. NJ. Potter is military storekeoper, Mr.. j, +.
| Rodgers is assistant military storekeeper and
Mr.. j. J. Poillon chief Inspector. A sub-divi-
sion Of the department Ia made, by which all
the articles passing through the department are
| classified under some one Of the fourteen d fer
ent heads, ard are taken charge Of by the head
Inspectors Of the several branches TO which thoy
| belong. Each Of these inspectors has one or
| two assistants, and the number Of clerks and la
borers employed in tho department varies from
| 200 TO 400, according 10 the ntcessitlel ot the
| occasion. In all the branches OF this United
States q Qlartermasters department, tho most
| thorough care has been taken that no in
| teror or SPURIOUS article Is purchased
| by the GOveTnmt mt. Except at tho outbfeaking
| Of the rebellion, when an immense number Of
men were to be equipped almost at tho same
| moment when certain necessary articles wefo
| scarce, or in tie hands Of greedy and unBcrapu-
| lOuB contractors, in pursuance uf apeciI orders,
many blankets ard other ariclo', which would
sir ce have beon rejsc cd, were accepted gladly.
| The supply has sinca become equal 10 tho de-
mand, asd the lrspeo ors all o' whom are
| thoroughly practical men, now exercise dis
| crorion which secures the Government ia the
| knowledge that every article fIrni he'd to IN q
army, from this depot, at least, is Of the very
best quality in tho market, and is purchased a,
the lowest prices. ludeed in the matter tf pri,
ces, incompre hensbe as the fact may seem, som,
things, axes and hatcheis for example, the former
at an average Of 80 cts and the latter 20 c each
are supplied at prices which scare sy cover tn,
actual cost TO the manufacturer. We propos,
giving b. ief statement Of the business d. no II
the several branches or sub-depart tments, anC
the amount still subject to'requisitien, and from
some facts in this connection the reader will b
enabled TO appreciate the vigilance of the In
! speOtors and the amount Of efficient service the