can be taken apart, as all the rest can be that I am to receive beyond the number mentioned above. Should I be too late for the steamer that is to sail from Philadelphia, I would most respectfully suggest that a barque of 3,000 barrels, which has been offered to me at $2,500, be taken up for the remainder of the wagons that I cannot ship on board the oat vessels by the 20th instant. The barque could take out the pack saddles sent me from Washington, and many other articles that might be required to be shipped; or, for greater expedition, it would perhaps be better to charter first a vessel of about 1,500 barrels, at a reasonable rate, which might take all the wagons the bodies of which can be taken apart. I beg that you will give me an early reply. I very much wish that you could see the wagons I am getting at York and Shrewsbury; the running gear cannot be surpassed the world over. S. B. DUSENBERY, Assistant Quartermaster. Washington city. To General TH. S. JESUP, [Extract.] BALTIMORE, August 18, 1846. I have the honor to report that I went to York, Pennsylvania, last night, and received there this morning thirty-three wagons, which I had taken apart, and securely placed upon the cars, which started for Philadelphia before I left York this afternoon, at 3 o'clock. S. B. DUSENBERY, To General TH. S. JESUP, Washington city. BALTIMORE, 9 o'clock, p. m., August 19, 1846. GENERAL: I have the honor to enclose you herewith a note which I have this instant received from Major Bache. I expect to receive about twenty wagons to-morrow, which I proposed forwarding on to Philadelphia, but deem it proper not to do so now, in consequence of the major's note, until further instructions by you. The bodies of all the wagons I am to receive hereafter will be made to be taken apart. The wagons will now be coming in to me daily until the last of the month, and I propose shipping them as fast as possible on the decks of several provision vessels which I am called upon to furnish, or to take up vessels and load them with wagons, harness, oats, and other stores that may be required, so as to take on board the wagons as fast as they arrive. I beg for your instructions on the subject by telegraph as early as possible to-morrow. I have engaged no vessel as yet for the wagons, not knowing but that you might still prefer taking one of the steamers which I mentioned in my communication to-day. It is probable that Major Bache had not received my letter of yesterday from York, advising him that I had sent thirty-three wagons from that place, and which are consequently not included among those he reports on hand to go in the Neptune. To General TH. S. JESUP, S. B. DUSENBERY, Assistant Quartermaster. Washington city. BALTIMORE, September 14, 1846. GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I have shipped to La Vaca bay, in two vessels, eight thousand seven hundred and sixty-six and a half bushels of oats, and seventy-six wagons, with harness complete. I have left on hand sixteen wagons, which I propose shipping to-morrow in the vessel that is to take Captain Ker's company of dragoons to Point Isabel, Texas. To General TH. S. JESUP, Washington city. S. B. DUSENBERY, Assistant Quartermaster. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, July 25, 1846. SIR: I have just returned from Troy. I have found that it is impossible to get the work done according to the specifications; there is not material enough in the country for that purpose. But I can, by varying the materials, be able to get from three to four hundred wagons by the 16th day of August, and they will be equally as strong; they will have to use a great deal of ash, and oak, and elm for hubs, thirteen inches long instead of fourteen and a half inches, and nine and a half inches in diameter. I shall have to pay an enormous price, in order to have the work pressed forward. I will have them at all hazards. I leave Newark to night for New Haven, Worcester, and other places on the Connecticut river. I travel during the night, to save time. All communications will reach me at New York. Major General JESUP. H. L. THISTLE. ON BOARD STEAMER RHODE ISLAND, July 27, 1846. DEAR SIR: It is not unlikely that you may receive some reports from Newark of my interference in that place. On my way to Troy, I stopped in Newark a few hours, (on Thursday, July 23,) to inquire if they could make any wagons. They said that Captain Clark had called there, and they had concluded not to make any, on account of its being impossible to make them by the 15th and 17th of August, and did not think that they could make more than twenty by the 1st of September. I convinced them that they could get them up. They set about procuring timber immediately. Now they have concluded to make one hundred and fifty, or thereabouts. I can assure you, if I had not stopped there, there would not have been ten wagons delivered by the 15th of August. If it should be important, I can have my statements certified to by twenty or thirty of the most respectable citizens of Newark. I enclose a copy of a letter, dated July, to Captain Clark. I have a promise of fifty wagons from Troy by the 15th or 17th of August next. One hundred and forty-five dollars is the lowest estimate that I could procure in that place. Mr. Eaton would have contracted to make from one hundred and fifty to two hundred wagons, at one hundred and eighty-five dol lars each. This was the lowest cent that he would make them for. I have the promise of one hundred in New York and its vicinity, at one hundred and forty-five dollars each. This is exclusive of any interference with Captain Clark in Newark or any other place. H. L. THISTLE, Agent for the Quartermaster's department. To Major General JESUP. BOSTON, July 30, 1846, half-past 11 o'clock, p. m. SIR: We are busy drawing up contracts, and shall not finish them till three or four o'clock in the morning. I have contracted, and am preparing contracts to be signed, for one hundred and fiftyfive wagons, to be delivered in Boston on or before the 15th or 17th day of August. I can do nothing back in the country. And when I first arrived in Boston, they said it was impossible to put up more than twenty or thirty. I convinced them that they could put up more, by arguing the point with them; and there is no doubt but that I shall have the one hundred and fifty, if not two hundred, ready by the above specified time in the city of Boston. There are now between four and five hundred men at work on them. The firms that I have engaged are worth from fifty to two hundred thousand dol lars. I have not contracted to receive any wagons after the 25th of August next; and if I can rely upon men's word, honor, and re sponsibility, there is no doubt but that I shall have five hundred by that date. Inform me whether they will be shipped from Boston, or shall I forward them to New York? I could not get the contractors to deliver them at the latter place. that it would be a great saving of time and from Boston. There is no doubt but expense to ship them It is important that I should have a set of harness for four horses, complete, in New York by Monday next. There is no difficulty in getting the harness. It is important for the makers to have a set. Please to forward the harness in my name, care of the agent of the transportation train, to be kept till called for. All communications will reach me most rapidly at New York. I must be in Troy Sunday morning or evening. I expect one hundred and fifty wagons from that quarter, and rising of a hundred in New York, Brooklyn, and vicinities. You cannot form the least idea of the troubles and difficulties I have to encounter to convince men that they can work. H. L. THISTLE, Agent of the Quartermaster's department. Major General JESUP, Quartermaster General U. S. A. PROVIDENCE, July 31, 1846. SIR: I find it difficult to get the traces for the harness according to the specifications, as the market is drained; and in case they cannot be got, must I substitute leather, with half a dozen links at each end, or shall I take an inferior kind of chain? I leave tomorrow morning at four o'clock for Albany and Troy. If I get through with my business on Sunday, I shall be in New York on Monday morning. Monday evening I shall leave for Boston, via Hartford and New Haven. I have all confidence that I shall have three if not four hundred wagons by the 19th of August next. Keep in remembrance the set of harness I sent for. H. L. THISTLE, Agent for the Quartermaster's department. Major General JESUP. BOSTON, August 1, 1846. SIR: We were detained to-day by the cars. We make another start this evening at 5 o'clock. I will give you the names of the contractors in Boston and its vicinity, and the furnish for certain by the 17th of August next. me more. number they will They all promise I visited the shops to-day. There are already 1,200 men at work. By Monday there will be 2,000. H. L. THISTLE, Agent for the Quartermaster's department. Major General JESUP, Contracts made and entered into by H. L. Thistle, for and in behalf of the United States, for wagons, in the city of Boston and its vicinity. With Davenport & Bridges, for.... With Andrews Lunt & Samuel Noah, of Salem, Total... TELEGRAPH OFFICE, NEW YORK, August 2, 1846. SIR: New York this morning. Yours of the 29th reports from assistant quartermaster interference on my part. So expected when I left Washington. My contracts, none to be delivered after 25th. Shall I attend to the business, or come to Washington? Names of contractors by the 17th. Number of wagons: A. Lamb & S. Noah, 50; Davenport & Bridges, 50; A. Blood, 25; W. Mansfield, 25; Adams & Whittridge and J. W. Russell, 25. Total, 175, at $170 each. Mr. Powell says I can have 50 or 60. I expect 50 from Troy. If I do not receive an answer by telegraph this evening, I start for Washington. Perhaps your complainants think that I am going ahead of them. Refer to yours of the 21st to me. I have obeyed orders as far as possible. General JESUP. H. L. THISTLE, City Hotel. BOSTON, August 4, 1846. SIR: I am in this city looking after the work that is now under way; and I assure you that where there are so many men at work, it requires three or four of us to watch them. I shall not be able to be in New York until Friday morning. |