The New York herald., 1865-03-12

q u0Y1Yet8 u
been the earliest employment Of baterng artillery
found be the best well - the most economical re-
dsng mass to oppose an enemys nre both on the land
and see front& This material s uniformly adhered TO-
wherever the locality permits.
Nine officers Of engineers, out Of total number Of
ot them have given their lives 70 the service Of the
country
course of studies and practice in the Military Academy
and were commissioned in the army. The smallness OF
this number grows Of the resgnatons which occurred
in this class In the beginning of the rebellion The classes
this time have the usual strength corresponding 70 con-
gressional representation.
rpr ooMNrsA sARy GExERAL's DEpI RTnrr
Tho Commssay General Subsistence reports that the
supplies Of subsistence stores have been mostly pur-
chased in Boston, New York Philadelphia, Baltimore,
cattle furnished by contracts Of short duration
convenient places and driven from the places Of
purchase to ncd Most Of the purchased
BY advertising accepting lowest bids offered for suit-
BILE articles cash prices Attempts have In some cases
by individuals and associations 70 monopolzs
and control the prices OF articles required by the subss
ence bureau, thereby creating much difficulty.
The armies have been supplied with good and whole
food and large numbers OF prisoners and suffering
Union fsm rs have been furnished with subsistence.
Generally e contractors and others have faithfully
piled with their obligations Ofcers employed IN this
branch Of the service with but few exceptions have
performed their duties with promptness IN the heid and
as depots During the year ending June 80 1904 afty-
two thousand four hundred and eghtytwo quarterly
monthly have been examined and referred 70
the Treasury Department.
NE ouARrERmAsTER GENERALS DEPARTMENT
The report Of the Quartermaster General contains
statement OF the operations and exp nditures Of the
bureau under his control during the fiscal year.
The clerical force authorized by law is In his opinion,
still insufficient to make that prompt examination OF
accounts reports Of dsbusing officers desirable, and
indeed necessary rigid accountability for the
expenditure OF the public money and property.
An Of the increase Of compensation granted
by the last Congress TO clerks OF the lower grades 70 as
to include those Of higher grades, is recommended by
the Quaremaster General h view of the increased cost
Of living in Washington. e
The General es gyss sss9an. :, hs
War for eQuppng supplying and moving the large army
which, concentrating last November the banks Of the
Tennessee fought under General Grant the battle OF
Chattanooga and opened the way for the victorious
pan Of the army under General Sherman resulting In
the capture Of Atlanta and the operations which
The vast efforts made, the wonderful resources
In men and material developed, tho manner in
which the steamboat and railroad interests tho
agricultural mechanical products OF the valley Of the
Mississippi laid under contribution in feeding, sup
plying and moving vast army IN an advance Of over
dred and lfy miles from its primitive base, are de-
scrbed The record s creditabe TO the people who
have developed such vast and placed them
patriccay the disposal of the government, and also
10 the officers their agents In this great work.
The report gives tables Of the quantities Of Me prnc
pal military supplies fuel forage clothing and materials
purchased transported, and used during the year II
also contains statements Of the steamboats, employed
upon Western rivers and Of the steamers and other
vessels upon the Ocean, engaged the transportation Of
troops and supplies.
In this service it is believed many abuses have been
reformed great economies have been effected during
the past year The indications derived from Congress
sional examination and reports have baen followed up
The army has DO n we'll supplied with tho essentials
OF military equipment and with fuel, forage and all
The losses by capture and destruction trains by
burn ng OF transports by inccnarcs employed by the
rebels have been great but the movements OF the armies
have seldom been delayed by them.
The most losses OF material during the have
been tho destruction OF portion OF the train OF tn army
Chattanooga in the fall OF 1863 and the consequent do
slrucon or animals there and In East Tennessee, the
destruction OF steamers on the Mississippi and Ohio by
the oss OF tho trains during the Red river
expeon aud these may be added the destruction Of
train Of two hundred wagons, near Fort Smith, in
Arkansas since the close of the fiscal year.
MILITARY RArr.R)ADs
As the rebel armies beaten back they burn all i'm
por.ant railroad bridges. ar up the railroad tracks
rlng stock and 90 all that is ia thor power 20 render
the railroads useless 70 our armies
The armies obliged TO follow generally the natural
lines OF transport and communication and the lines by
which the enemy rctrcs All tho railroads north OF the
Potomac, and Of the Tennessee and Cumberland and
within the territory which armies have penetrated
have rnately the hands Of the rebels aud al
our troops When abandoned by the enemy thse
immediate reconstruction and operation becomes q
Colonel (now Brevct Brgadier General) ~ G. McCdM
has been placed military director in charge Of -
work He has organized efficient construction corps,
provided rolling stock for which II was necessary ID
make demands upon the manufacturers OF tho
loyal Saics Tho report Of Colonel Me- on y record
of the expenditure Of eleven millions OF the appro
priatons Of tho auartermasers department II gives
information upon The and the cost of Supplying
army by railroad, aud tho manner OF repairing and ro
cons ructing railroads ia hostile country which Is ~
great soldiers and engineers The results
remark able triumphs Of military and engineering SIX IL
credabe to the system under which they nc.
compl She'd to the officers and engaged in the work.
and the country which has displayed cl energy and
such in defending and asserting ITS integrity
Already thousand miles Of railroad have been operated
by this department. In connection with the movements
OF the armies.
The mobility Of the armies has increased The opinion
held By officers Of rank in tho earlier history Of the
rebellion that army could not be maintained except
Thin reach Of navgable river or railroad has been
dispersed BY such marches those Of General Sherman
fIOn Vcksburg east Of Meridian and back TO Vicksburg
ffou Memphis 10 Knoxville and back TO Decatur, at
time when the railroads not In operation; that Of
General Burnside from Cincinnati and Louisvill' through
Southeast ntucky 10 Knoxville; that OF Lieutenant
General Grant from Wash ngton To Petersburg and tho
march OF Geaeral Sherman from Atlanta towards the
coast
proved by the Law OF the 4h Of July last Tho gsades OF
rank and authority beng IN proportion 10 the dut
and espondbties the officers work with
The present organization 10 fy detailed In the port Of
tho Quaferss,er General and no further changes ara
thought essary.
The acreeucn nj made by the War Department with q
convention OF railroad companies held in this city early
In the war; has remained In fore The railroads hs,
continued to do the work OF the government at tho
prices then established except modified by the inter
laws, though below those then charged to
priy ne which have since been considerably
increased
To few railroads, subject 70 depredations by the
enemy their being In districts where the depart
ment has not been able to give them entire protection
and safety, advance In rates has been granted
MILITARY rE.BdRArm
The telegraph has continued to be most efficient and
valuable aid 20 military operations Six thousand Ave
hundred miles of military telegraph have been In opera
ton, ~ which three thousand miles have beon con.
strcted during the year About one thousand persons
have been employ oil IN this work. The etcieDcy and
fidelity Of the officers and operatives Of the military telo
graph deserve special recognition
Full reports given Of the quantities. Of clothing,
camp and garrison equIpage furnished TO the armies
during the year No dnculty has been found In pro-
curing ample supplies Of good quality from domestic man
ufaturcrr with the exception OF tents and blankets
In portion Of these imported materials have been used
the domestic manufactures have not yet been able 10
supply all that needed Come frauds have been
committed the authors of WHICH II Is believed wR be
brought TO justice by In progress some
have already bCen convicted and sentenced 10 the pei
Tertiary.
The supplies Of forage needed for armies havo
been furnished generally with regularity. The difficulty
Of Transporting bulky article ~ hay has caused
rregulaty In It's supply 10 armies In hostile dis
tTicts and t s remarked IN this connection that the
k.a.r rtlw ahp