598 or to have them on the Rio Grande by the time the mounted ops reach General Taylor. Captain A. R. HETZEL, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, St. Louis, Mo. JULY 18, 1846. SIR: Several hundred wagons are required for service in Mexico. I am informed that in Newark, New Jersey, there are many establishments in which wagons are manufactured for the West India. market. You will proceed to that place and purchase all the wagons you can get. There must be four complete sets of mule harness with each wagon. Enclosed you will find a description of the wagon, and you will take with you a description of the harness. All the wagons you can get must be purchased immediately, with harness for each; but for such as you contract to have delivered at a future day, say in August, September, or October, the specifications enclosed must be adhered to. If five hundred wagons can be obtained, with harness, you will purchase them. Get, if possible, one or two hundred at once. Keep me constantly advised of your operations. Captain M. M. CLARK, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, Washington city. JULY 18, 1846. COLONEL: In my instructions to Colonel Whiting, I directed that a train sufficient to supply five thousand men at San Antonio, most of whom it was known would be mounted, should be organized to keep that force supplied from the depot at Linnvil e, on, La Baca bay. The colonel says nothing on the subject in any of his letters, and I fear that he has overlooked it. As that train was counted upon as an important portion of that required for active operations in the field, I am apprehensive that our means of transportation may not be sufficient. At the present season I am told mules may be had at New Orleans in great numbers from the plantations. Purchase and send forward all the well broken mules, and all the harness you can obtain. Could they not be taken by steam to La Baca, and those not wanted for the train to San Antonio be sent by land to Matamoras? Purchase all the suitable wagons you can obtain; also three or four thousand pack saddles, if in your opinion pack mules or pack horses can be obtained from the Mexicans. At all events, whether you think horses or mules can be obtained near the army in Mexico or not, send a good number of pack saddles Energy must accomplish now in a few weeks what, if we had early means, we might have accomplished without hurry. Lieutenant Colonel THOMAS F. HUNT, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Deputy Quartermaster General, New Orleans, La. JULY 18, 1816. SIR: In addition to the mules already ordered, you will purchase and send on as rapidly as possibly two hundred additional mules. If wagons and harness can be obtained in Tennessee, so as to be gotten to the army at once, you will purchase them and send them forward. I have directed several of the lately appointed assistant quartermasters to report to Lieutenant Colonel Mackay. I know not whether they have any qualifications for the stations they now fiil, but I understand they are all respectable men. You must avail yourself of their services as far as possible; not, however, to endanger the efficiency of your operations. You may charge them with detachments of mules, if they report in time, and send them on to the army, with funds to defray the expenses of the march. If you can obtain well broke mules át Memphis, Vicksburg or Natchez, I wish them purchased and sent to Lieutenant Colonel Hunt, who can send them by water to La Baca bay, whence they can be taken by land. Purchase all the wagons and harness you can obtain in those places, and send them to Lieutenant Colonel Hunt. I rely on your energy, activity and capacity, to have everything ordered that can be obtained sent forward with a certainty of arriving at the army by the time the mounted troops arrive. Keep me constantly advised of your operations. Captain A. R. Hetzel, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, St. Louis, Mo. JULY 18, 1846. SIR: Your letter of the 13th instant has been received. The wagons of Mr. Tomlinson are unsuitable, and of course you will not purchase them. Captain D. H. VINTON, 1 TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, New York, JULY 18, 1846. MAJOR: Of the officers recently appointed in the department, I have directed Captain Drum, of the army, Captains Thomas Wilkins, George P. Smith, T. S. Gilbert, Robert Mitchell, and S. H. Webb, of the volunteers, to report to you for duty. You can send them on to the army in charge of stores; such as wagons, harness, camp kettles, mess pans, tents, (if you have any on hand,) axes, spades, and other tools, or in charge of mules. Purchase all the wagons and harness you possibly can in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, and send them to Lieutenant Colonel Hunt. Get the mules off by water, and on boats that can certainly take them out of the Ohio. You will purchase two hundred additional mules, and send them forward as rapidly as possible. All must reach the army by the time the mounted troops arrive there. Keep me constantly advised of what you do, and inform me of what you have done. TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Major D. D. TOMPKINS, Quartermaster, Cincinnati. JULY 18, 1846. SIR: Captain Clark has been ordered to Newark, New Jersey, to purchase and contract for wagons and harness. You will give him all the aid in your power in the undertaking You will also yourself purchase all the wagons and harness you may be able to obtain in New York suitable for service. Captain D. H. VINTON, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, New York. JULY 19, 1846. SIR: You will proceed without delay to have wagons made of the material which the different manufacturers have on hand, in as great number and as rapidly as possible, and despatch them as they are furnished to Lieutenant Colonel Hunt, at New Orleans. Captain E. HARDING, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. JULY 19, 1846. SIR: Your letter of the 13th instant has been received. You will proceed immediately to purchase all the wagons and harness you may find suitable, in Kentucky and Indiana, and ship them as they are purchased to Colonel Hunt, at New Orleans. You will also purchase four hundred good draught horses, which you will have transported as far as possible by water, to be forwarded on Colonel Whiting. These instructions are given you in addition to such as you may receive from Major Tompkins, whom I have charged with the purchase of mules, and directed to order you in aiding him. You will take care to procure such transportation for the above wagons and harness as will insure their safe and speediest arrival into the hands of Colonel Hunt, at New Orleans, and for the horses to such point as Major Tompkins shall designate. You will oblige the department by retaining your post in it at least until you reach your regiment. Captain S. P. HEINTZELMAN, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, Louisville, Ky. JULY 19, 1846. SIR: I have received your letter of the 13th instant. I enclosed you a blank bond yesterday, and directed you to report in person to Lieutenant Colonel Hunt. Before executing those instructions I wish you to purchase all the well broke mules and draught horses that you can obtain, with wagons and harness. If you can obtain a hundred wagons and harness, and four hundred draught mules and horses, purchase them, and take them by the best route, and in as short a time as possible, to New Orleans. Could not the whole be sent to Montgomery, and thence in steamboats to New Orleans? If one hundred wagons and harness cannot be gotten, purchase half the number, or as many as you can, and proceed with them to Colonel Hunt, at New Orleans. I am told you are the son of my friend Major Howard. He I am sure will aid you with his advice-at least in performing the duty with which you are charged. An officer now at Savannah will visit Columbus with necessary funds in a few days. Captain R. R. HOWARD, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Assistant Quartermaster, Columbus, Ga. JULY 19, 1846. COLONEL: On the 22d of May last I requested you to send Captain Irwin to La Baca bay to superintend the formation of a depot at San Antonio de Bexar for about five thousand troops, principally mounted men, and informed you that a competent train must be formed for that purpose; and I afterwards, in my instructions to Colonel Whiting, directed that such a train be formed. Not having heard directly from you on the subject, (which I have ascribed to your constant and laborious attention to your duties,) and Colonel Whiting not having alluded to the subject in any of his letters, I feel some apprehension that the train may not have been organized. I had counted largely upon it as auxiliary to the transportation of General Taylor's army; and I now call your attention to the subject, and I desire you, if a full train has not already been formed there, to have it done immediately. In addition to this train you will direct Captain Irwin to purchase in Texas at least two hundred ox, horse, and mule teams, with the wagons, harness, and yokes. The horses, mules, and oxen of that State being acclimated and accustoned to graze, will be better for our service than those on the way from the west. The volunteers I fear have not been supplied with sufficient trains; and it is doubtful whether wagons, harness, and mules will reach the scene of operations in time for the movement of the army. Send Captain Cross also into Texas to purchase all the wagons, mules, and draught horses that can be obtained, and have them as early as possible, on the Rio Grande. Major Eastland informs me that large numbers of well broke mules can be purchased at this season of the year in Louisiana. Purchase and send forward to the point in Texas where they can be most readily landed all you can obtain, as well as draught horses. Send agents to the Mississippi to purchase all that can be taken across by land, or be sent by water, as you may think best. Send all the wagons and harness you can purchase. I feel so much anxiety on this subject, that I have concluded to send you a duplicate of this letter by an express. Mr. George M. Henry, an acting wagon and forage master, is the bearer. I desire you to send him to Captain Irwin as speedily as possible, with your instructions and an extract of so much of this letter as relates to the subject of the purchase of horses, &c. The captain, I presume, cannot give his personal attention to the matter, but can employ agents, and among them the assistant quartermaster appointed from Texas. How far can we avail of the mules and horses of Mexico? I have had no information on that subject since the death of Colonel Cross, and know nothing of Major Thomas's arrangements. Mr. Henry is to be paid as forage master; he has received his travelling allowance to New Orleans, and a month's pay in advance. You will pay him his travelling allowance, or furnish him transportation to La Baca bay, and either you or Captain Irwin will pay him his pay and allowances whilst he remains in service in Texas. Lieutenant Colonel T. F. HUNT, TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster General. Deputy Quartermaster General, New Orleans. |