The New York herald., 1863-10-30
THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
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The Transportation Bureau
and Its Value.
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Extensive Nature of the
Establishment.
What It Is to Supply an Army
with Transportation.
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HOW 1T Is DONE AND WHO BY,
&s, -. ~
Our Washington Correspondence.


Our Washington Correspondence.
wAsHiSoroS, Oct 20, 1853.
During the excessive duness OF these autumn days
and the quietude OF military affairs, sketch OF portion
Of the vast machinery by which the Is carried
fail Of being interesting to tho HKRALDs readers
Probably not OF thousand among III SO who
Washington have the remotest idea OF tho
operations being conducted in the several departments
II would be impossible properly describe them whout
nlling volumes-a single bureau requiring
lengthy description Than the columns Of ordinary
nal will accommodate II seems difficult TO decide where
shall begin. Each bureau has assumed such gigantic
proportions that loses himself In attempting
parson, and shrDks from the task Of remembering
Its intricaccs.
TRANSPORTATION Buar3u.
The Transportation Bureau FIRST arrests attention by
the extensveness OF Its operations the completeness
Of its arrangements We recollect the little oco opened
by Captain (now Gepera Rocker at the outbreak OF tho
rebellion and tho group OF officers that collected about II
morning after morning. who dreamed OF being at a
impeded their march the Cotton States QGarter
masters thougr Of their experience from the Rio Grnndo
TO Mexico and wondered their labors would assume
proportions OF equal magnitude; but for a
believed that aristocratic "wcst End" would DO
transformed into camp, or that the pariors where
beauty and fashion dwen would be changed ints Ink.
stained. dusty Offices. AL this has come 70 pass, and
moro. Moe trains havo parked on tho lawns OF
the Aristocrscy, and "nigger drivers danced their
fantastic shulcs In tho ladies' chambers Huge white
washed buildings have sprung up ike mushrooms
every square; tho streets resound with tho deacnng
rumble OF heavy wagons, and where the children
rolickcd tho grass stables and long gloomy
workshops tsint the atmosphere.
In the midst Of all this hustle and tumu, stands an un-
hvt~~ ~vtSh
above tho opcsrs ordsrlcs are passing and
out like ants whom their city invaded horses stamp
and nesn about tho porch, and along the sidewalk
drawn up half dozen ambusnces for tho of officers
within the building This 10 tho headquarters Of Captain
Tompkius through whom tho army supplied with horses
Wagons ambasncss harness. &C. &C. On tnc second noor
We nnd ths "capsains oncsn Ths Stars and ssripss
hang sns windows fos curtains sas,s Gags,
with cavalry gudsas are sasty ssrangsA acso9 the
eus,uv oOuss. str snrovy pssvsdsn u room
snat makes one forget the DIN and os---- '- - .
Through the open Windows look out upon tho ROOFS q
shops storehouses down upon tho river,
whsrc ships and lie and 70 tho hazy
hills and tho whencd barracks OF the
troops carly In tho morning. and yet the hall
thronsed with parties awaiting ther turn for ntcr.
view with the Captain Half . dozen are on hand with
requitons the reports from the several super
intendents; Of rant money that cannot be
gvon them III, pay day, and others running In and
out continuously with orders invoices, rocepts &c
CAPTAIN ToxrKxs SERVICES.
With Captain Tompkns chief Of this bureau, thsro has
been little change since his nrst came before tho
public a. lieutenant In the Second United States cavalry
connection with his gallant charge into Fairfax Cour,
House in April, 81. Many have wondered what became
OF Che young Lieutenant have forgotten
event which nrst brought him into notice. Soon after
this even, We him at the head Of tho First Vermont
in nd in he mali
Of Pore In tho fall OF 1891 be entered the
termasers Department. and assigned 10 duty with
General humphrey division OF Fiz John ortors oorps
Al Antetan he appointed Chief Quariermarisr Of
General sges corps. and declining the appointment of
lieutenant colonel Of volunteers, assigned duty
with General Ruckcr 10 Washington, with tho rank u
captain tho regular CO. and placed In charge OF
railroad From this post he Alter
transferred the head of the bureau Of land uanspor
ton which position be occupies, assisted BY Captains
Lacey Baker and Robinson.
Continuing the examination OF the establishment, vo
nnd private sios the General superintendent,
GnHrtr,
into whose APARTMENTS but tboso tran1actng The
most important business admitted. II ~o "a bore
long we shall teegrams banded In from Nashville,
CbatanoogA s. louis aud Vow Orleans. and others going
out 70 many points many different parts q
tho country orders for nnspor,aiop IA from tho
'front.' new h0rEes arriving at The stables and others
going - tho army, foremen waiting for directions
concerning the erection build ngs aud The reports
q tho previous days operations are being .Iamnsi
while amid all tho press q basinoAs thare crowd
up 70 tho opan window, hats IN hand. an
| anxious thr0ug d teamstcrs, iAbofers and uia.
ohancs begging "farIosghs To e. homo Abi vote"
Few words arc said but ths pen fies wondrous fast,
and before one u u the thropg has dispsrssd,
snatbs saporisendsut (~iihoai whose pass 90 visitor
cat enter the bubding.j q ready 70 attend " as
InE uoEulovsst
We nrnt ontsr tue stfshosscs. three lrnmsrto iso
story baldlngs hres hundred feet boo Jgss isfds tho
doors are racks of ares, and booklets hod with water
for use 10 case Of nro sun1ry oi m1sss psios ard
rabrea lor tho watchnso. aud little oos occugei by
the Psperin,endsut and bic ciorx Doe bundng niied
With hardware chains = ai flzrs snd fescf pious fon
rrlcs sies wagon spriags, bofseshoss. 80 sss dfns
oroubarg sboves. sxss bolts, hlage., Screws Irefy
Thing Kept ~ nfst ciiss hardware rtofo hcrs %
supplied. Upstairs asd 10 The other buidaTa .rs
stored harness, Mcclellan saidss, pscs stidies
sDd trace chains BY va tos. nsnifeia u ~
bosss pied tier On tpr alsd wiih u harusaa
read, % 30 assa - ~ ffont ani si ne teams eolat
oss rasdis are mounted tugs q plank. ftrs'eh
oyorhsadffam tasr rafsr ana s soor bcas "a
% % tbs roof rs~ blankets su-cisai 'or army Tls
taek s,ldsa ~efo rdsrsd ~ Ceusru Hossr dursy ils
Ctanoeirsvis eangasn, nd hayins bses iopad uisfg
unsTaass qusssinn has arisen 81 " Via, st ~ eos
wib them. Hsgs e1mtrous pssts. stiaE oua bunffst
aBd ibfy Drs pognfs ,tsy 10 sbsssrss bsi ~ =
mos. sHd os.id have besa ordered By sry ps'fa
posssss 90 ilE arp ssa " tts feqas i,f AMY wafs
poft.i0u. pied 10 ths giooul a Ne upgw seu' "'
shrovssi 10 dfagsry q dust AMI cobwsla nsg p'H1
fsiy rsinisdaa uDs q he nstoI1 dssfaf riiA ~hsh
tlair haA been sssocistsa ssssf 'e1 n''ti v
deaf hopss bufkd on lls tAois 4nd y cafeslfsT 70
ths rear a tbess bandlss are rsyasi y.fes Gsi ~a na
tsrsi iar lhs fsvar q vasans ssa anb4stcef Nagaa
bossaa ossy ns fs lss bsss. A., atfsi -
Ike ficss q straw 80 sa.si tIair fiast4s, sns g.
ssinetl.y s.se.a iosu.s ibs -. VI wsJ thoaN