Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-02-17
oFFICIAL..
Laws of Ahe United States,

Passed at ms Frs, Session Of The 1ty-eighh
Congress-
TPuBLIc-NO. 2i2
AN ACT TO provide for the better organisation O
the Quartermaster's department.
lie 1t enacted by the Senate and House of Re
preaentatives Of the United States of America ia
Congress assembled, That there shall he estab
lished in the Office Of the Quuartermaster Gene
raj Of the army, to exist during the present re
bellion and one year thereafter, the following
divisions, each OF which shall be placed in the
charge Of Il competent officer Of the Quartermas
ter's Department. TO be assigned to such duty
by the Secretary Of War, who shall under such
rules as may be prescribed by the Quartermas-
ter General, with the approval of tho Secretary
OF War, transact the business Of such division as
hereinafter provided, to wit:
The first division shall have charge of the pur-
chase, procurement and disposition of horses and
mules for cavalry, artillery, wagon and ambu-
lance trains and ali other purposes for which
horses or mules may be procured for the armies
Of the United States.
Tho second division shall have charge of the
purchase, procurement, issue and disposition Of
cloth and clothing, knapsacks, camp aud garri-
son equipage and all accOutTements of the soldier
which are provided by the Quartermastors De-
partment.
The third division shall have charge of tho
puiCuAbet CHhTloIg ulfb uHu maintenance Ot all
vessels to be used In the transportation Of the
army and of prisoners of war, aud Of their sup.
plies on the ocean md the bays and sounds con.
neoted Herewith, and upon the northern and
noihWestern lakes, including all vessels propel.
led by steam or Otherwise, owned or employed
by the War Department, except ting river steam
vessels and barges upon the Western rivers.
The fourth division shall have charge of the
purchase, charter, hire, maintenance and pro.
ourement Of all transportation for the army, and
its supplies by land and upon the Westoren riv-
ers, (olher than transportation by animal power
in the field and at camps, gRrrisOns, posts, de-
pots and stations,) including all railroad aud
telegraph lines operated by tho United States
for military purposes, and of all steam rams and
gunboats owned or employed by tho War De-
partment upon the Western rivers, until other
disposition shall be made Of them by competent
authority.
The 6fth division ehall have charge of the
purchase, procurement, issue and disposition OF
forage aud straw for the army
The sixth division shall have charge of the
erection, procurement, maintenance. disposition
and SO forth of all barracks, hospital buildings,
storehouses, stables, bridges, (othor than railroad
bridges) wharyes and other structures composed
in whole or In part Of lumber, and Of all lumber,
nails and hardware for building purposes; and
of the hire and Communication Of quarters for Off
GERS, tho hire Of quarters for troops the hire Of
grounds for cantonments or other military per.
poses, and the repair and care Of all buildings
and other structures herein mentioned, and of
all grounds owned hired or occupied for military
purposes except such as are lawfully under the
charge Of other bureaus Of the War Department;
and Of extra pay 10 soldiers employed in erecting
barracks OF other fatigue duty, under tho acts
Of March second, eighteen hundred and nine
teen, and August fourth, eighteen hundred and
fifty four.
The seventh division shall have charge Of the
| purchase, procurement issue and disposition OF
wagons, ambulances, travelling forges and har-
ness, Except such as are furnished by the Ord
nance department) and Of all hardware except
ns herein provided; aud of all fuel for Off
GERS and enlisted men, camps, garrisons, hOspi=
tails, posts, sorehOuses, offices, public transports,
steam rams and army gunboata and oil trans-
portation by animal power in the field at camps,
garrisOns, posts, depots and stations; and Of the
construction and repair Of roads other than rail-
roads, aud Of the compensation of wagon and
forage masters, aud of clerks to officers Of the
Quartermasters department. and Of the pur-
chase OF heating and cooking stoves; and of the
expenses Of court martial, military commissions,
courts Of inquiry; and ofmieHge and allowances
to officers for tho transportation Of themselves
and their baggage when travelling upon duty
without troops, escorts or supplies, and of sup
plies for prisoners Of war and such refugees As
rily provided for; and OF the purchase of sta
tiontry blanks AMI blank books for the Quarter
masters Department. aud of the printing of the
division and department orders and repOfte; and
of the proper and authorized expenses for the
movements and operations of an army not ex-
pressy assigned to any other division or depart.
ment
The eighth division. shall have charge of all
inspections OF the Quartermaster's department
Il md af ull tnnle hy oilOaru 70
inspection duty, nnaly2ing and preserving tho
reports as received and communicating through
the Quartermaster General, 10 the chiefs of the
nroper divisions snoh portions Of these reports
as may he necessary for their information und
use PROVIDED, That the oilicers assigned 10 in
speetiOn duty shall have power not only to re-
| port and 10 point out any errors or abuses which
they may dlsoovcr in tho practical operations of
the QuartermRster's department, but to give,
| by order Of the Quartermaster General, the or
| ders which may be Immediately necessary to
correct aud TO prevent continuance of such
abuses or errors Provided, further, That all
such orders shall be Immediately reported to
the chief OF the inspection division for the ap-
pr0val or otherwise of tho Quartermaster Gene
raj
The ninth division shall have charge Of all the
correspondence, returns, reports and records
received, filed and preserved in the office of the
Quartermaster General, aud of the transmission
thereof 10 the several other divisions Of this Of
hce and departments Of the Government.
Sec. >. And be it further enacted, That the
heads OF the several divisions above mentioned
shall under the direction of the QuarteTmAster
General, from time to time advertise for propo-
sails for the supplies necessary for the move
ments and operations ofthe several armieR, posts,
detachments, garrisons, hospitals and for other
military purposes, in newspapers having general
circulation in those parts Of the country where
such supplies can be mott advantage fufn-
ished, having regard also to the places where
such supplies are to be delivered and used; and
all suoh supplies 80 purchased or oontrIct-
I'd for shall be subject to careful inspection, and
ali clothing and camp and garrison equiFage
shail be subject to double inspection, first as 10
the quality of the material, and second, as to the