The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-12-29
OCEAN TRANSPORTATION.


In all the active movements by sea during the
fiscal year, employ ing fleet In which neatly all
the sea going steamers Of the country have been
employed, but three vessels have been lost while
in the service Of the Department There were in
the employment Of the Department in the Spring
Of 1868. 7s3 vessels tonnage, $40, 507 tons. Av.
erage daily expense of this fleet. sg7 100. Very
full tables which accompany this report give de-
tails In reference TO the transport fleet and the op.
erations Of the Department upon the ocean and
upon the waters of tue coast.
WESTERN RIVER TRANSPORTATION.
The report details the property OF the depart
ment upon the Mississippi and its tributaries, by
purchase, by construction, or by capture. IL
contains the names Of VI steamboats,, 352 barges,
and l39 boats Nearly all these have been adver
tised for sale, and large number of them have
already been sold. The agreement made early in
the war with convention Of railroad companies
has continued in force through oil the changes in
values which the war has brought The number
Of passages granted to prisoners and refugees VINO
have been transported by the division during the
fiscal year is $50 SAL, costing over 81 800 ooo
This portion OF the report gives interesting de-
tail OF the difficulties overcome and the success
with which they were surmounted, by Gen. Sco-
fields movements from Chftoh, on the Tennessee,
by the Tennessee river, the Onio, and the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, 10 the Potomac, anl
complished In th midst OF very severe ,du
ring which the navigation of the Ohio and the
Potomac was at times interrupted by ice. With
In five days after the movement was decided ON In
Washington, the troopsupon the Tennessee, near
ly 400 miles distant, were embarking. The
movement to Washington occupied an average
time Of only II days. II took place during the
month Of January. The rspidity with which the
10Th Corps was transferred from Eastport Tenn.
to New Orleans, TO cooperate with Gen. Candy In
the reduction Of Mobile, is also detailed.
MILITARY RAILROADS.
During the war our government had ut its CON-
mand over 40, 900 miles Of railroads. Of this,
1869 miles were managed by the Quartermaster's 8
department, with an equipment Of 3b3 engines
and 1903 cars. aud was managed at an expense OF
s32 900 900. This branch Of the service has
been very costly one, hut its expenditures have
accomplished their objects. Without them II would
have required years, or would have been impossi
ble to supply our armies. The transfer OF militia.
~ railroads 10 their lawful owners has been ehec
tel, under executive orlers issued, prescribing
the terms upon which the transfer should take
place.
rELEoRAPH.
The military telegraph has continued TO he a
most important instrument in the conduct Of mill
tary operations. During the last year OF the war
there pere 622s miles OF telegraph, but during
the rebellion there $4,000 miles OF electric
WIRE constructed and operated, at an expense of
S2,655, 500. Upon the fall of the rebellion the
telegraph lines throughout the South were taken
possession of by the government, but are opera
tel aad maintained by companies. An account
ofgoyernment business is kept, subject to future
| consideration. f..'
YuEL AND REGULAR SUPPLIES.
The abstracts OF the report show, rs Approximate
results, that during the fiscal year there have
been supplied to the army 3,902,2I3 bushels oi
corn, costing IS, ,55S 900; %. 10, ,930 bushels Of
OATS costing s23 79i $50; a., al bushels Of bar
ley, costing SGl ,967; i07,799 tons ofhay, costing
si3 0i9, ,55S; 10, ,fe5 tons ofstraw. costing s2i3'
300; LAG tons OF feel, costing S2l9; 6it tons OF
fodder, costing 1904. Total forage st5,Gsl 3st.
Supplies of fuel during the same time: 1876, ,l69
cords of wood, costing 81 ,6S0,si0; S32, ,i32 tons
ofcoal, costing SS,32i, $40. The total quantity
Of fuel reported as purchased is; wood, 55l ,436
cords. costing s2.7s7,iso; coal, l,G20, ,9io tons
costing 81, I'll, ,735.
HOSPITALS ASD BARRACKS.
During the fiscal year, hospitals Of Importance
have been erected at indianapolis, Newark, Wor
cester, Mass. Manchester, N. H., Baltimore,
Nashville and Hilton Head, at an aggregates cost
Of s296, 800. The capacity of the hospitals in
this department Is l27. .s3i beds. rhe principal
barracks erected during the year have been bar
| racks for draft rendezvous, costing Sl2i 600.
The number Of intermeuts registered during the
war Is reporter NJ llo.i4o VI nesc .neio 49, W.
white, 95,sO3 colored, 20 ,3i3 loyal, oS.S27; Z;
disloyal. 1886; refugees, 600; contrabands, A.
i25. These include the victims OF Andersonviile.
CLAIMS.
There have been presented IL ,073 claims amonn.
ting to 81. .903 ,5i3; 5osS were passed, amounting
to 81 723 ,32i SO; claims remaining on file for fur
ther action, amounting to 81 .oS3 ,o99,4s.
MILITARY TRANSIT.
During the fiscal year ending June 30. 1865,
there were purchased 4762 wagons, 1856 ambulan
ces 2l7 carts, ,2i5 sets Of wheel harness, sets
artillery harness. 25SS sets irregular harness, 32s
sets cart harness, 81 trvelling and 500 portable
fbrges. There were manufactured in the repair
and other shops Of the Department ltt3 wagons,
10 carts. li,l32 sets wheel harness, 0,767 sets
lead harness, and i73 cart harness. There were
captured 1899 wagons, l7t ambulanccs, los carts
622s sets wheel harness, 777o sets lead harnes S67
sets irregular harness, IS sets artillery harness,
and 46 portable forges. There were expended,
lost and sold 22il $40 ambulances, 97 carts, H.
325 sets wheel harness. %, ,i5i sets lead harness.
1883 sets irregular harness. ~ travelling and 49,
portable forges.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The troops operating on the great Western
plains, and In the mountain regions OF New Mexi-
co, Colorado. Utah. AMI Idaho. are supplied prin-
cipally by the trains OF the Qusrtermaste, De-
partment from Depots established on the great
routes Of overland travel, to which depot suppli-
es are conveyed by contract The present mode
OF transport Is by heavy wagons, each drawn by
10 oxen. The expenses OF this department will be
reduced by the advance Of the Pacific Railroad.
Thecost OF transportation during the fiscal year
is SO, 3SS, ,SJj,37.
Ou the 30th Of June. 1865, there were in the
Quartermaster's Department, including military
store-keepers, 566 officers. During the year n
large number Of these have been retired and the
retlaction is still going on.
During the year there were ~, 900 accounts re'
ceiyed from disbursing officers, representing the
expenitute OF millions ~ dollars in money, and
the use and application Of tho property purchas'
ei Herewith.
~ Doctor N, Of North Carolina, rep
resented his district in Congress some twenty
years ago. lie was in the habit every session
Of "getting up" an eight.page speech for the