The National tribune., 1903-05-14

safely be asserted that tie veterans thus
organized and retained performed III the
closely contested campaigns subsequent to
their reenistment a part essential to the
final success which attended cur arms. In
this official report of 1861, the Secretary
Of War says in relation to this subject:
I know of no operation connected with
the recruitment of the army which has re-
suited in more advantage 20 the service
than the one referred to-
The patriotic determination of these
troops who had taken Il prominent part III
the war to continue it until brought to
satisfactory close was the foundation OF
the success which attended this enterprise.
It's advantages We're not only those result.
ing from the actual military force thus re-
tained. 1t produced a favorable effect Oh
the recruiting service generally, and was
as encouraging to the friends of the Gov
ernment as discouraging to the insur-
gents"
The accession of the veterans to the
military forces was deemed so valuable by
Congress as to warrant that body in eX-
tending thanks, by the Joint Resolution
approved March 5, 1864, General Orders
No. IS, Adjutant- Generals Office, series
of that year.
The conditions of the reenlistment and
the inducements connected Herewith. as
submitted by the Provost Marshal-Gen-
eral, were promulgated in General Orders.
Nos. I91 and 316. series of 1863, from the
acknowledgements Office.
2. Involving the materiel through the Sup
ply Departments.
QUARTERMAsTER's DEPARTMENT.
During the whole war there was no fail
ure of operations through lack of trans
portation, or the supplies required of the
Quartcrmasters Department. Its vast and
various stores had not only to be ready
at numerous and widely extended points
when needed, but it had to transport to
all points, there to be in readiness at the
proper time, the extensive quantities of
provisions, medical and hospital stores,
arms and ammunition, provided by the
other supply departments.
Brevet Maj.-Gcn. Meigs. Quartermas-
tcr-General, in his annual report for 1863,
said:
81 have imperfectiy set forth in this re-
port some of the more important opera
lions OF the Quartermaster' Department
during the past year. | hope at Il future
time TO be able to present to you more
complete and detailed information Of the
| extent of these sources, in material and
men and money. which, under your adj
ministration of the War Department. have
&
armies in every part Of the wide field OF
| operation, during the past four years Of
war.
This information. properly digcsted. if
| published, will stand before the world as
an example and Il warning Of the power
and resources of n free people, for any
contest into which they heartily enter and
| from it the soldier and statesman will be
able TO draw valuable lessons for use, in
case it ever again becomes necessary for
| this Nation to put forth its strength in
arms"
With reference to animals alone the De-
partment supplied ESQ., 600 horses and 49,
0G0 mules. In the third year the armies
in the field required for the cavalry, artil-
| lcry. and trains one-half as many animals
as there We're soldiers.
MOVEMENTS OF Troops LONG DISTANCES
WITHIN SHORT PERIODS OF TINE.
l. The transfer in 1868, by rail, of the
| Twelfth Corps. the command aggregatine
$1,000 men-accompanied By its artillery.
trains, animals. and baggage-from the
Rapidan, in Virginia. to Stevenson, in
Alabama, Il distance Of lisp miles in
seven days, crossing the Ohio River twice
| q The transfer of the Twenty-third
Corps, 1900 strong, with its artillery,
trains, animals, and baggage. from Clifton,
Tenn. by the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers,
and Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, to the Po-
tomac, in IL days, distance 400 miles.
This movement began on Jan. 10, 1865,
| within five days after the movement had
been determined iii Washington. 1t was
continued, by water, to North Carolina,
where. early in February. Wilmington was
captured. On March 22, when the right
wing of Gen. Sherman's army reached
Goldsboro, it found there the corps which
a short time prior had been encamped on
the Tennessee.
The movement was much impeded by
severe weather-rivers were blocked with
ice, and railroads rendered hazardous by
frost and snow.
3. The transfer, by water, of the Six
tenth Corps from Eastport, Tenn, to
New Orleans. The entire command, in
Guiding brigade Of artillery and a divi-
sion of cavalry, consisted Of 1874 men,
1,03S horses, 2,371 mules, 351 wagons. and
So ambulances. Three days were required