The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-07-13
Clothing the Army.

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important problems presented to the
war and navy departments for solu-
tion. The Quartermaster General per-
forms the task for the army and the
Paymaster General for the navy. in
time Of peace the duty involves con-
siderable labor. In time of war, and
especially at the beginning Of hostili-
ties, when the public is crying for q
million men to be enlisted, clothed
and put at the front in minute, the
task assumes the proportions of a
mountain in fog.
Take the Quattefmastef GENERAL,
for instance. It is his duty to see
thnt the army is clothed at the very
earliest possible moment. His usual
sources Of supply are quickly ex-
hausted. Others must be found.
New clothing must be made. The
first thing the Quartermaster General
does is to ascertain, as nearly as pos
sible, the exact number of suits re-
quired, the kind Of suits, the number
Of shoes and underclothipg, also hats.
The exact kind is then specified in
detail, and manufacturers and jobbers
in chat line Of business are invited to
submit bids for the whole or part Of
the clothing needed. Accompanying
every bid is check to guarantee that
the terms of the contract will be car
ried out to tie letter.
These bids are submitted, together
with samples of the goods required.
The bids are carefully examined and
compared and the lowest bidder (the
quality Of goods being satisfactory
gets the contract. The goods con-
tracted for must be ready on time and
delivered to the government. When
they are delivered they are inspected
by government officials and, if all
righs, accepted. Then they are for
warded to the storehousc of the army
at Philadelphia to await orders.
When regiment is recruited and
sworn into the United States service,
the Captain Of each company makes
out requisition for the number of
uniforms needed and forwards the re-
quisition to the Quartermaster of the
regiment. The Colonel approves Of
the requisition, and thenit is forward
ed to the Brigade Quartermaster, who,
if he has not the clothes required on
hand, makes requisition on the Corps
Quartermaster. The latter, when uni
forms are needed, makes requisition
on the Quartermaster General, who
draws the supplies needed from the
depot at Philadelphia.
Upon the delivery of the clothing
to the Regimental Quartermaster, the
Captains of the several companies are
notified. The Captains march their
men to headquarters and there they
receive the clothing apportioned to
them, and for which the Captain gives
receipt to the Regimental Quarter
master, who keeps it for his voucher.
The same formula for the issuing of
clothing is followed in the navy.
The army and navy uniforms are
made in nearly every large city Of the
Union: and the cost of those for the
privates are about S., and of those for
the men before the mast is about So
per man. The officers uniforms range
in price from $50 to $75.
Quite as important as the clothes
are the shoes. They are common
brogans, these shoes, stout of upper
and mighty Of sole and heel. In fact,
the army shoeis not a thing Of beauty,
but on the march it is JOY forever,
as every veteran knows. They are
made of cowhide, and, if possible, of
the hide of very tough COW at that.
They are exceedingly broad of sole
and heel, and are made with the dou-
Bile view of securing durability and
comfort.
At the beginning of the civil war
shoes were considered feminine, and
were but little worn. Boots were the
fashion and they were made to fit like
kid glove. The volunteers, for some
months after the war began, clung to
boots, not fancying the uncouth shoe.
But after awhile necessity forced men
to accept the shoes (pontoons they are
called by the soldiers), and, after
being worn for few days, they were
voted luxury next to milk in coffee.
The service shoe is made by contract,
and averages in cost IS cents per
pair.
The regulation sockis made of wool,
and co aaarsa 90 70 n;rn nrom;co that Il