National Republican., 1883-10-29
AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
Were the Quartermastcr's Volunteers
Actually In the United States servicef

Were the Qunrtern,astcr's Volunteers
Actually In the United States servicef
During the raids that were made on Wash
ington in the late war by Gen. Early and
others the clerks of the various departments
were organized into battalions and armed
and equipped for the defense of the city.
They were regularly drilled, were several
times ordered out TO perform duty, and some
of them participated in at least one engage
mcnt with the enemy. They were oilicered
from among themselves, quite q number
having seen some service early in the war,
but their appointments were not made by the
president and confirmed by the senate rs
was tho case with regular troops. The COM
missions all bear the signature of Charles
A. Dana assistant secretary of war. The
clubs were thus organized on the recommen-
daton of the secretary of war, but as far as
what was known rs the quartermastor's vol
unteors is concerned there appears to have
been no regular order given disbanding them;
they ceased to drill, and to exist as an or
ganization soon after the surrender of Gen.
Lee. At this late day curious question
arises in regard to the extent of their being
in the service. 1t arises in this way:
There are some seventy national cemeteries
throughout the country, each of which is in
charge ola uperintendentap appointed from civil
life One ofthe qualifications Necessary 30 make
must have served in the army of the United
States, either regular or voluntear, and must
have been disabled for active fold service in
the line of duty. The applications for those
appointments are numerous. Recently Mb
w. W. Writ, of this city, made application for
appointment, and the department in reply,
in addition to the information usually con-
veyed that there were at present no vacan-
cies, called his attention to his apparent lack
of the essential qualification mentioned
above In reply he stated that he was
captain Of one of tho companies of quarter
masters volunteers that did service about the
defensessof Washington. Accompanying his
reply was letter of Gen. Meigs's, who stated
his opinion that the quartermasters volun-
teers were branch of the service. He also
briefly recites some of the duties they per-
formed, and the reports of the qunrtermaster
general confirm his statements About Wash
ington the force numbered some 5000 men,
and there are in the departments to-day quite
number of employees who well remember
tho drill twice week to which they were sub
ject They did some guard duty, worked in the
intrenchments, and some of them took part in
the engagement on the Seventh street road.
They were commended for their efficiency by
the quartermaster general several times dur
ing their existence rs an organization, and
their last appearance was to participate in the
funeral of President Lincoln. 1t does not
appear that any were killed or wounded while
in service here, however much they might
have been otherwise disabled. TEc Ea:ne
organization existed at other stations for
military supplies, and in Tennessee they saw
active service in one or more battles.
The question raised by Mr. Writ is being
investigated, and upon all the facts decision
will undoubtedly be rendered. Should it be
favorable to Mr.. Wrt's claim it would still be
incumbent upon him to show that he was
disabled for active field service while in the
line of duty.