ANNUAL REPORT of the Quarter Master General.

His Excellency, John S. Barry,

Detroit, Nov. 15, 1845.

Commander-in-Chief:

SIR: In obedience to the provisions of the statute, I herewith submit the following report:

That during the last year, and since my last report, the following arms and military stores have been received at the armory, to wit: Returned by the Livonia Highlanders, six muskets and bayonets, with accoutrements in part.

Returned by the Clinton Guards, seventy-seven second hand mus kets, with 41 bayonets, and destitute of accoutrements.

Returned by Col. R. C. Baker, Division Inspector 9th Div. M. M. 1 carbine.

Returned by Brig. Gen. J. D. Davis, commanding 17th brigade M. M., 1 do.

Returned by the Scott Guards, of the first battalion Frontier Guards, 5 do.

Returned by the First Battalion Frontier Guards, 1 brass six pounder cannon, with carriage, and harness for four horses complete.

One U. S. carbine, heretofore delivered to Col. E. J. Roberts, late Adjutant General, has been accounted for by him to the Auditor General. This, with the five remaining on hand at the armory, and the five others reported in the annexed schedule, together with thirty-nine which have been returned to the ordnance department of the government of the United States, and passed to the credit of the State of Michigan, will account for the number (fifty,) originally received from that government in 1843.

Up to this date, the quota of arms to which this state is annually entitled by the provisions of the law of congress of 1808, has not been received. The undersigned, however, is advised, that in accordance with the requisitions of the commander-in-chief, the following arms

and accoutrements have been issued by the ordnance department at Washington, and are on the way to this state, to wit:

Four hundred U. S. pistols,

Four hundred cavalry sabres,

Four hundred sets cavalry accoutrements.

The annual distribution of arms to the states is usually made at a much earlier season of the year, but the undersigned is informed by Col. Tallcot, the gentlemanly, experienced, and efficient head of the ordnance bureau, that it has been impracticable for him to effect an earlier transmission of the arms directed to be sent to Michigan, on account of the demand for cavaley equipments for the public service of the United States, which pressing upon the contractors, rendered it impossible to provide a surplus for distribution to the states at an earlier day.

It will be perceived that the rumber of pistols is equal to the number of sabres and accoutrements, thereby providing but one pistol for each individual, instead of two, or a pair. In 1843, the state received two pistols with each sabre and set of accoutrements, as will be observed on reference to my preceding reports. The issues of arms to the volunteer corps of cavalry, and to individual officers, was in the same proportion. Col. Tallcot informs me, that it has always been customary, in the absence of specific orders, to provide but one pistol, as in the present instance, for each set. What were the reasons which prevailed in the mode of distribution in 1843, I have no means of knowing, but it would seem, that for all practical purposes for discipline merely during a time of peace, a single pistol would fulfil the object. This explanation is deemed necessary, to avoid the suspicion of favoritism or partiality, which might have been engendered, by the issue of a more limited proportion of pistols than heretofore.

The undersigned would respectfully recommend, that the armchest containing the the apportionment of the past year, remain unopened until the next spring, inasmuch as they will be kept in a better state of preservation while in that state, and it can hardly be supposed that these arms will be required for actual use at an earlier day..

It was intended that the amount which would be due to this State

for the thirty-nine U. S. carbines, which were returned as hereinbefore stated, should have been received in such infantry accoutrements as would render the issues of 1843 and 1844, more nearly uni. form, a subject which will be hereafter referred to. But the orders to that effect were not presented to the Ordnance department until directions had been given to the officer in command at the Troy Arsenal to issue the whole amount of the balance due to the State of Michigan in cavalry equipments, including the value of the returned carbines. Col. Tallcot however, is well disposed to receive our orders for the dividend which may be due to the State for the approaching year, at the very earliest opening of Spring navigation, when our ac quisition may be made to conform to the exigencies of the State service.

The undersigned further reports, that the following arms and military stores have been issued from the armory since the date of the last report, to wit:

To a Company at Monroe, denominated the Cass Infantry, forty muskets and bayonets, and four artillery swords, severally with accoutrements complete.

To the Scott Guards, belonging to the First Battalion of Frontier Guards, twenty-eight muskets and bayonets, and,

To the La Fayette Guards, attached to the same battalion, twenty muskets and bayonets, severally with like accompaniments.

To the Volunteer Company in the county of St. Clair, called the St. Clair Guards, one six pounder Brass Cannon, with carriage and harness for four horses, with appurtenances complete.

To U. S. Arsenal at Dearbornville, under an arrangement with the Ordnance Bureau of the War Department of the United States, thirty-nine U. S. carbines, with their swivels and slings.

All the foregoing issues are exclusively of arms received under the apportionment of 1843.

To the Ypsilanti Guards, forty muskets and bayonets.

To the Clinton Guards, forty muskets and bayonets.

To the Montgomery Guards, a corps belonging to the First Battalion of Frontier Guards, thirty muskets and bayonets-severally with full and complete accoutrements.

To the Union Greys of the county of Berrien, fifty second hand muskets and bayonets, with new and complete accoutrements.

With the exception of the second hand muskets and bayonets issued to the Union Greys, of the county of Berrien, the foregoing arms, &c. are of the U. S. apportionment of 1844.

I also report as on hand at the armory at this time, eight muskets and bayonets, with accoutrements complete.

Three Cavalry sabres, with accoutrements complete,

All of the distribution of 1843; and, fifty muskets and bayonets, and one hundred and nineteen rifles, respectively, with complete accoutrements of that of 1844.

Also, seventy-six second hand muskets and twenty-five bayonets, mostly out of repair and useless.

The undersigned would respectfully recommend that these last mentioned arms be sold, as they are of different calibres and length, some having bayonets and others being destitute, and there being no equipments whatever attached to them. To retain them at the armory, without having them put in repair, would be wholly useless, and the cost of repairing would amount to more than their value when repaired.

It will be perceived that I have made a distinction between the apportionments of 1843 and 1844. The statements which follow furnish the reasons for this discrimination.

The muskets are all uniform, being of the same length and calibre, bronzed and having brass pans. Each arm chest contains, Twenty muskets,

The accoutrements furnished with the issues of arms in 1843 com

prised the following items, to wit;

One cartridge box and plate,

66 do do belt and plate,
66 waist

do

do

bayonet scabbard with frog, <6 gun sling,