Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-10

cessarlly and constantly chaneing) and the fla
clhty OF access to the information they shoult
supply, are IN the immediate present, and will b
for many years to come, objects of grave practi
cal Importance The relief afforded BY the
towns 10 the families of volunteers the REIN
Dursement of the town therefor, the adjustmen
OF questions concerning national bountes boun
| ty lands and PENSIONS are among the more an
parent reasons for solictude in rendering these
records full, authentic, and easy to be consulted
| ana understood Nor is ii any moro than lust tC
| volunteers, their families and posterity to say
! hothlng OF the claims of history upon the fide
| ~ with which We record the great transactions
| OF our time, that the name and fate Of every ac-
tor in the war should be preservedin permanence
ana without error, Ihave therefore caused meas
uTes to be recently taken in the office of the adj
Jutant general for the thorough revision of all
the reSimental rolls, with an alphabetical ar
rangement containing in eleven columns, a con-
| solidaied outline of the particulars needing to be
known and of possible attainment.
respectfully call your attention to the cundi-
! ton OF families dependent on volunteers who
nave laiitn III the service by wounds resulting
| fatally or in permanent disability The death
| or discharge Of SUCH in many cases, puts their
'amIieS in danger Of pauperism, which the tenn
pofafy cohlnuahCe of the state relief might per-
manenily avert am aware, there is a sense in
Whlch 1t seems true that you can scarcely do one
more harm than TO help him; and yet the duty
OF society imposes the utmost socitude 10 assist
those to help themselves who have lost their nat
ural stay and staff in serving the common cause
but no public benefacti0n can supply the deep
est want of all. The gentle and sympathzing
| offices OF neighborly kindness and personal good
VIII, alone, can cheer the sorrowing heart OF wild
owhood, encourage the sinking hopes and
smooth the rugged way of orphanage
Inc act for the relief of the families of volun-
teers includes amorg its beueficiares the BROTH
ers and sisters, standing in need of aid depcn-
dent on the volunteer at the lime of his enlist
" 1eSif .,,,1.. l..
tent, 1t does not include them in the class of de-
pendent relatives, the expense of whose relief
shall be reimbursed to the towns by the com
monwealth. | recommend an amendment sup
plying this omission.
THE ORDNANCE BUREAU.
have already alluded to the change in the
methou OF equlppng our troops which has &C.
Cured within ihe year, the stale having provid-
ed their original supplies in 1861 the United
States in 1862. This was the case also with their
armament During the past year, the state re-
celved from England nearly six thousand En-.
,held rlfled arms, being the remainder of the pur-
chase made there by its agent in 1861. Ali of
these, together with such other effective arms as
II ALREADY held were issued to its troops but for
the remaining arms necessary, it was obliged to
draw upon the federal ordnance bureau, from
which there were received during the wear s 100
Springfield, 1900 Enfield, and 5000 Austrian
muskcfs, all ri1cd Of the thirteen volunteer
three years infantry regiments, which marched
rom the state in 1862, one, (the 2Sth received
its arms in 1861, and two, (the 30h and 31st,)
were furnished independently OF the state gov
ernment. The remaining ten were armed, five
with Springfield aud five with Enfield rhed mus.
kets' OF the seventeen regiments of nine
mGnths infantry; four received Springfield rifles
five Enfield rifles two Windsor rifles, four Aus
tilau rifles. and two Springfield smooth bored
muskets so far as the state government was
able to discriminate, it issued the superior arms
TO the regiments having the longest term of ser
wee; but owing to the receipt of the arms from
the United States by instalments proporoned to
the progress of the recruitment, its discretion in
This respect was nconsiderable.
Ihe sale arsenal is now almost empty of arms
smooth bored muskets TO arm single regiment.
OF the fragments of our volunteer militia, the
cadets OF the fl st and second divisions, four
companies of cavalry, one section of artillery
and single company of infantry alone re-
main; and these are not all armed. In
time of peace such destltuti0n of military
supplies would awake apprehension In such a
time as this, | can regard it only with the ut
most anxiety. | have the honor, therefore, to
repeat earnestly the recommendation which |
addressed to the legislature OF the last year. that
contracts be Immediately authorized for the sup
ply to the state of not less than fifteen thousand
stand of frst-cAss arms, and that domestic in
dustry and skill be employed for their manufac-
ture Our Springfield rifles are unquestionably
superior TO any Of foreign make which can be
imported at equal cost.
In this connection | regret to be Obliged again
to allude to the abuse of arms issued to militia
companies, and at the camps of rendezvous,
more especially at those of the nine months than
of the three years volunteers. The report of the
master of ordnance will afford exact information
concerning this grievance, which is important
not only on account of Its pecuniary consequence
but as indicating an inadequate standard OF mill
tary discipline. And of even greater possible
consequen is the fact that upon sudden emer-
gency dependence must sometimes be placed
upon the arms so abused
A new national militia law may reasonably be
expected Congress cannot long defer this duty.
Meanwhile this commonwealth can by certain
notifications of its own legislation, and by fur
nishing the needed arms and equipments, create
an active body of troops adapted 10 all the pur-
poses of a stale militia
The reasonable security of the state demands
a militia organization which shall include, in adj
dtion to infantry two regiments of cavalry and
at least five batteries of light artillery, for whose
arms and equipment recommend that an ap-
preparation be made. The park of field pieces
now owned by the state would be inadequate for
actual service in view OF the modern improve
ments in artillery The larger paft of this mill
tary material, when obtained, should remain on
deposit in the arsenal; and for the ordinary use
of the infantry regiments of militia, Tor drill ana
parade. q number of second-class arms shohld De
provided, which can readily be purchased on
the country during the past year having exceed
cd the demand for them for active service.
Two unserviceable iron guns, siX-pounders,
have been delivered by the master OF ordnance,
on consultation with the governor and council,
TO DIR. Upham, the Massachusetts surgeon III
charge OF the hospital at Beaufort, North Caro-
lima, to be used as gae-posts OF fence whlch
he was erecting at his own expense, around the
hospital cemetery where rep0se the remains OF
many of the soldiers of our commonwealth, he
roae of Roanoke and of NeWDern.
Since the summer of 1852, several of our vol
unteer corps, which reported that their coors
had become unfit for use by heing torn in battle
and worn by the exposures Of service, have been
supplied kby the master Of ordnance with new
flags, upon the return to his charge of those
which they had borne so honorably through two
campaigns | respectfully ask an appropriation
to cover the expense thus incurred, and of the
replacement when needed Of the eoors of all the
Massachusetts troops. 1t is our proud satisiac-
ton to know that never yet has the white stan
dard of this commonwealth been surrendered TO
the enemy.
FoRTIFICATIoNs AND COAST Defence.
Under date of Oct 18th, 1861, circular letter
was addressed by the federal secretary of state
| TO the governors on the seaboard and The lakes,
requesting them TO submit to the legislatures of
| their states the subject of coast defences, and
| uruinp that such detences should be perfected by
| Temporary use of the means of the states, on
| conference with the federal government and with
| the assurance of reimbursement from the federal
| treasury These suggestions were Immediately
| acted upon, especially by the governments OF
Massachusetts and Maine, whose seaboard is
more extensive aud exposed than that of any
others of the loyal states. Information was re-
| ouested and partially obtained from the war de-
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