The Portland daily press., 1862-11-11
Gen. HalIeck's Official Report.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, Oct. 2Sth. 1862.

HON. f. NJ. STANTON, Sec'y OF War:
In reply to the general interrogatories con-
tanned in your letter of yesterday, have to
report,
LIST, That acquisitions for supplies to the
army under Gen. Mcclellan are made by his
stan officers on the Chiefs of Bureaus here;
that is for quartermaster's supplies, by his
chief quartermaster on the Quartermaster
| General; For Commissary supplies by his
| chief commissary on the Commissary General
etc. Such acquisitions have been made to my
knowledge upon the Secretary of War, and
| none upon the General-in-Chief.
I'd, On several occasions Gen. Mcclellan has
| telegraphed to me that his army was deficient
in certain supplies. All these kilograms were
Immediately referred to the heads of bureaus
| with orders to report. 1t was ascertaned that
| in every instance the acquisitions had been
Immediately filed, except one, where the
| Quartermaster General had been obliged to
send from Philadelphia certain articles of
clothing, tents, etc, not having full supply
here. There has not been, so far as could
ascertain, any neglect or delay in any depart
ment or bureau in issuing all supplies asked for
by Gen. Mcclellan, or by the officers of his
staff. Delays have occasionally occurred in
forwarding supplies by rail on account of the
crowded condition of the depots Or for want of
cars. But whenever notified of this. agents
| have been sent out to remove the difficulty
under the excellent superintendent OF Gen.
Haupt. think these delays have been less
| frequent and of shorter DURATION than is usual
! with freight trains.
| An army of the size of that under Gen. Nc
Cleilan will frequently be for some days with
| out the supplies asked for on account of neg
lect in making timely acquisitions and unavoid-
able delays in forwarding them and in distrib-
uting them to the different brigades and regi-
ments.
From all the information / cen obtain. am
/ 10 haf fba uisit hat
army have been filed more promptly, and that
the men, as general rule, have been better
supplied than our armies operating in the west.
| The latter have operated at a much greater
distance from the sources OF supplies. and have
had far less facilities of transportation.
3D.. Soon after the battle of Antetam Gen.
Mcclellan was urged to give me information
OF his intended movements, in order that if he
moved between the enemy and Washington
achievements could be seIt from this place.
| On the 1st OF October finding that he proposed
to operate from Harpers Ferry, urged him
! TO cross the river at once and give battle TO
the enemy, pointing out to him the disadvan-
tages OF delaying till the autumn rains had
swollen the Potomac and impaired the roads.
On the 9th of October he was peremptory
ordered to cross the Potomac and give battle
| to the enemy or drive him south. "Your army
must move now, while the roads are good
1t will be observed that three weeks have
elapsed since the order was given.
4th. In my opinion there has been no such
| want OF supplies in the army OF Gen. Mcclellan
as to prevent his compliance with the order to
advance against the enemy. Had he moved
to the south side of the Potomac he could have
| received his supplies almost as readily as re-
naming inactive on the North.
| 5th. On the It'll of October, in a telegram in
regard to his intended movements, Gen Me-
Clellan stated that it would require at least
| Aa 70 1..-t 4. 4,
that they needed shoes and other indispensa-
bic articles of clothing as well as shelter tents.
| No complaint was made that any acquisitions
had not been filled, and it was Inferred from
his language that he was only waiting for the
distribution of supplies. On the 18th he tele-
graphed that portion Of supplies sent by rail
| had been DELAYED as already stated Agents
| were Immediately sent from here to investi-
gate this complaint, and they reported that
everything had gone forward. On the same
| date, the 18th, he spoke OF many of his horses
being broken down by fatigue. On the 18th
he complained that the rate OF supply was only
$50 horses per week for the entire army there
and in front of Washington. l Immediately
directed the Quartermaster General to inquire
into this matter and report why larger sup
| ply was not furnished. Gen. Meigs reported
on the l4th that the average issue of horses to
Gen. McCleans army in the field and in front
| OF Washington for the previous weeks had
been 1859 per week, or 1854 in all. And in
addition that large numbers of mules had been
supplied, and that the number of animals with
| Gen. McCleans army on the upper Potomac
was over $1,000. He also reported that he
was then sending to that army all the horses
| he could procure. On the 18th Gen. McClel-
Ian stated in regard to Gen. Meig's report
that he had filled every requisiton for shoes
| and clothing. Gen. Meigs may have ordered
these articles to be forwarded but they have
not reached our depots, and unless greater
effort to insure prompt transmission Is made
by the department of which Gen. Meigs is the
head. they might as well remain in New York
or Philadelphia, SO far as this army is con-
eerned."
Immediately called Gen. Meigs' attention
to this apparent neglect OF his department. On
the 18th he reported, as the result of his in
vestigation, that $4,000 pairs of boots and
shoes had been received by the Quartermaster
of General McClellan's army at Harper's Ferry.
Frederick, and Hagerstown-that 10000 pairs
were at Harper's Ferry department on the 2lst,
that 10000 more were on their way, and l5,-
900 more ordered.
Col. ingalls,, Aid-tle-Camp and Chief Quar-
termaster to Gen. Mcclellan telegraphed on
the 18th, the suffering for want of clothing
Is exaggerated, think, and certainly might
have been avoided by timely acquisitions of
regimental and brigade quartermasters. On
the Z4th he teiegraphed to the Quartermaster
General that the clothing was not detained on
the cars at the depots; such complaints are
groundess. The fact il, the clothing arrives
and Is issued, but more is still wanted. have
ordered more than would seem necessary from
any data furnished me. l beg TO remind you
that you have always very promptly met all
my acquisitions so far as clothing is concerned
Our department is not at fault. II provides as
soon as due notice is given. foresee no time
when an army of over 100000 men will not
call for clothing and other articles
In regard to Gen. McClellan's means of
promptly communicating the wants of his ar
my to me, or to the proper bureaus OF the war
department, report that in addition to the
ordinary mails, he has been in hourly commu-
ncation with Washington By telegraph. 1t is
due to Gen. Meigs that should submit here
with copy of telegram received by him
from Gen. Mcclellan.
Very respect'y your ob't serv't,
(Signed) H. w. HALLEcK,
General-in Chief
L. S. MILITARY TELEGRAPH.
Received Oct %, 1862, $40 P. NJ.