The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-08

master In this or any other country
curing an equal period Of time. And
not dollar Of 1t stolen or misappro-
priated. To gain some idea of the mag
hltude OF this amount and what it rep
resents, and what the civil war cost US,
IL may not be amiss to add that the
total disbursements Of the Quartermas-
ter's Department for 1860 by all its Off
cers-from Boston to San Francisco
and from the Lakes to the Gulf-were
only about $6.000.000!
Enormous Figures.
To enumerate the supplies purchased
and transported by this great sum of
money Is, OF course, impracticable. But
few of the principal items are sug-
gestive, to wit: 26.234,423 bushels Of
oats, 8,864,173 bushels of corn, 337,313
tons OF hay. 100,364 horses, 1929
mules, 60,854 sets of harness. 6,63S
wagons. 1868 ambulances.
Other heavy items will occur to the
reader, but those above cited are diff
cult to realize SO vast are the figures
suppose We try to. For example, If YOU
hitch six mules to each of his wagons
the usual army team, and allow 60 feet
to each team and wagon, the usual
.harch,ng distance when teams are well
closed up" they would extend about
70 miles. II you hitch two more of the
mules to each Of his ambulances, and
allow 40 feet to each team and ambu-
lance, their usual marching distance
they would extend 10 miles more. This
would still leave about 10000 of his
mules ungeared. If you put these in
column, two by two, and allow Is feet
to each span, which is as close as they
can we'll travel, they would stretch out
about 48 miles farther. If to these we
add the surplus horses, at the same
rate, they would extend $50 miles more.
That Is, altogether, they would consti-
tute an army train or travelling caravan
2S3 miles long. which is 43 miles farther
than from New York to Washington;
or, to turn the other way, the train
would reach from New York, through
Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New
Hampshire. to Portsmouth.
If. now, his wagons are driven UP to
his huge pile Of forage, and loaded at
the rate Of 1000 pounds to each wagon,
the usual marching load, 1T would take
1,O87.178 wagons more to move the re-
mainder of his oats, corn and hay. These
wagons all put in line, with teams in
marching order. would extend to the
enormous distance of 1927 miles, or
more than half around the earth. If,
In addition, we were to load up the
clothing and the tentage which he re-
ceived and issued, of which no figures
are given above. we would require sew
eral thousands of wagons more
To load up the rest Of his Quarter
master stores such as iron, coal lum-
Der, lime, hardware. paints, oils. rope,
etc. would complete wagon train that,
altogether, would belt the globe. IT,
now, at the head of this grand column
we were to place his garrison equipage,
In the hands of his numerous civilian
employees CLERKS, mechanics, Transfers
laborers etc.,, amounting to the many
thousands-at Nashville alone over 49,
600 in 1865-with orders to Forward,
march," what a blare Of bugles, and
what q futter and waving of guidons
and colors there would be!
Such was Robert Allen, soldier, gen.
tleman. Christian-a great staff officer;
an American and Quartermaster of
whom we may well be proud. I had
two years I863-65), chiefly at Nash
Vile, Tenn.
Other good Quartermasters we had
such as Rucker, at Washington; DON
aldson, at Nashville; Ingalls,, In the
Army OF the Potomac; and Easton, in
the Army Of the Mississippi. All these
were great and brainy officers, too-all
old West Pointers, Of course. / knew
and honored them ALL But Allen, II
in history as the Great Quartermaster
Of our civil war.
His Omclal Record.
The following is Gen. Aliens official
record:
ALLEN. ROBERT.-Born in Ohio;
appointed from Indiana. Cadet. Mill
tary Academy, July /, 1892. Gradual
cd from Military Academy July 1, 1886,
and brevettsd Second Lieutenant, I'd
U. 8. Art: appointed Second Leuten-
ant, Aug. Is. 1885: First Lieutenant,
July 7. 1888; Captain, Oct. 10. 1847;
which he vacated the same date; Cap