The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-03

TO volunteers: and in the disbursement osi8S0
Lions 0T dollars lars in hs1asds smS tbe Snd sd great
Government, in expenses OF p ~ cost 70 the
Opt gsrT rTaCsiSnf tSr Ss bee OF one pes cent
comfort and health o. e made 10 promote the
best %SdeaI tre 10 aSe a%o Wou1eG and
pearance Of ,dfded apprehensions OF the ap-
early in Asiatc cholera as an epidemic,
milf or the protection of our troops. A rigid
$ .tefy quarantine was established on the
IS'1tnern Atlantic coast, and sanitary precau-
tfons enforced The adoption Of these measures
aVailed to control or eradicate the disease, ,a AZ
the recruiting depotsand forts where lteppeereu,
before it assumed its usual alarming epidemiic
form; and official recognition has oeen gwen u 10
lne eriIorioos services SkilfI Sdminstra.
tion succeeded in avertng or dimlnisnlng sne
horrors OF wide spread pssten@9e @ ,roons m bes
been good. Among white troops the proportion
of deaths, from all causes, TO cases treated, has
been one TO every hfty-two Among coiored
troops the proportion of cases taken sick has
been greater than with the white troops, and
the mortality rate one death TO every twenty
nine cases treated. There were remaining in
general hospitals, June 80, 1855, and admitted
during the year, ,43S patients, of whom, on
June 80, 1866, only 81 remained under treatment.
The comfort and proper medical treatment of
the sick and wounded are secured In well
arranged post hospitals, of which there are at
present 1877, with a total capacity of 1881 beds.
Measures have been adopted for the purpose
OF providing suitable shelter for the troops now
stationed on the plains and for those which
may be ordered thither, and TO prevent suffer-
Ing during Ile winter. Inc army mas Deeu well
supplied with forage, about one half the guam
tity having been supplied from the stock re-
naming on hand at the cessation OF hostlltles.
The consumption for the year has been 3,30O,000
bushels of oats, 5061 900 bushels of corr, 10000
tons of hay 200 tons OF straw.
Subsistence stores of good quality have been
supplied to the army, and though the larger
part has been obtained at the principal market
centres OF the Northern States, yet the general
productiveness of peace, and the consequent
reopening of the customary channels and
~ hos lNl oil
ton of the course of procuring suppl les at the
points where they are to be consumed. Eighty
nine contracts for fresh beef have been made IN
the Southern States, at general average price
OF 1l06 cents per pound, and in the interior of
have been purchased. The market at New Or
leans is now SO well furnished, and has so far
resumed o healthful mercantile condition, as
to render 1t possible to procure there, at salts
factory prices, most of the subsistence stores
required in the Department of the Gulf.
On the Pacific coast, for several years after
California was admitted to the Union, all the
supplies for troops there stationed were re-
qulrcd to be shipped from New York, but an
ample and reliable market, comprising the
products of California and Oregon, and the
foreign countries bordering upon the same
ocean, is now found in San Francisco, and most
of the subsistence stores for troops in the Divi-
sion of the Pacific have been there obtained In
general the subsistence supplies purchaseu
during the year have been procured upon con-
tracts, concluded in pursuance of advertise
ments for sealed proposals, written proposals,
and acceptanceS.
army with breech-loading small arms of the
best pattern has been recognized and acted
upon. By an order of January 3, 1866, board
of competent officers was convened Tor the
purpose of examining, testing and reporting on
the various models of original breech-loaderS.
and the various plans for the conversion into
oresoh-ioaders of the arms heretofore borne by
This Board met on March 10, and continued In
session until June A, when its report was sub
mitted, and directions have been given the
Ordnance Department for the speedy manu-
facture of breech-oading arms. In view of the
been deemed advisable to convert Springfield
rihe-muskets, at comparative small cost, into
efficient breech- leaders, rather than TO incur the
cost of the entire manufacture of new arms OF
that description at time too, when the inven-
tion may not have been perfected. This altera-
ton of the Springfield musket has been effected
SO successfully as to render 1T an arm believed
TO be better in all respects than the Prussian
needle gun while its metallic ammunition is
REGARDED as superior to that of the latter. The
Department has already on hand breech-loaders
of approved patterns adequate for the supply of
the cavalry, and mounted and light infantry.
Besides the measures that have been men,
toned to provide for the comfort and promote
the efficiency of the army, stated monthly in
spections have been made in every military
command during the year, with view to bring
to notice and promptly remedy any irrTegularl-
tions have also been made throughout the
whole country, for the purpose of correcting
abuses, suggesting improvements, and effecting
retrenchment in the service. The inspection
service has not been changed by the return to
meeting the requirements as nearly as practi-
cable, is still continued.
The present organization of military depart.
ments and divisions Is as folowS:-
The Department of the East, Major General
George q. Meade to command, TO embrace the
New England States, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Fort Delaware. Head-quar
tiers at Philadelphia.
Brevet Major-General Joseph HoolSerto COM
mand, to embrace the Sttaes of Ohio Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Head-quar-
The Department of Washington, Brgadier
and Breyet Major-General e. r. s. Candy to
command, to embrace the District of Columbia,
Alexandria and Fairfax counties Virginia. and
the States of Maryland and Delaware, except
Fort Delaware. Headquarters at Washington.
The Department of the Potomac Brigadier
and Brevet Major General John NJ. Schodeld to
command, to embrace the States of Virginia,
except Alexandria and Fairfax counties and
West Virginia Headquarters at Richmond
The Department OF the South, Major General
Daniel Il; siekles to command, to embrace the
| quarters OF Charleston.
The Department OF Tennessee Major General
George Il; Thomas TO command, to embrace the
States OF Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Ala
bama and Mississippi. Headquarters at Louis.
| vile.
The Department of the Gulf, Major-G General
Phillip H. Sheridan to command, to embrace
| the States of Florida, Louisiana and Texas.
The Department of the Arkansas, Brigadier
and Brevet Major General e. o. Q. Ord to COM
mand, to embrace the State of Arkansas and
Indian Territory west Headquarters at Little
Rock.
raj Winfield s. Hancock to command, TO en-
| brace the States of Missouri and Kansas and
| the Territories of Colorado and New Mexico.
Headquarters at Fort Leavenworth.
The Department OF the Platte, Brigadier and
BreVet Major-General Philip st. George Cooke
| Territories of Nebraska and Utah, so muck OF
Dacota as lies west of the l04th meridian, and
SO much Of Montana as lies contiguous to the
new road from Fort Laramie to Virginia city,
Montana. Headquarters at Omaha.
n The department Of Daeota, Brlgadier and