Saturday, April 26, 2014

Major-General Henry W. Halleck to Major-General George B. McClellan, October 14, 1862

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 14, 1862.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. McCLELLAN Commanding &c.:

GENERAL: I have caused the matters complained of in your telegrams of the 11th and 12th to be investigated. I am now informed by the Quartermaster-General that every requisition from you for shoes and clothing had been filled and the articles forwarded as directed; that all requisitions for tents and blankets had been filled so far as the stock on hand here could furnish supplies, and that the deficiency was ordered to be immediately made up from Philadelphia and New York. There has been no delay that was not unavoidable.

In regard to horses, you say that the present rate of supply is only 150 per week for the entire army here and in front of Washington. I find from the records that the issues for the last six weeks have been 8,754, making an average per week of 1,459. I inclose a copy of a letter of the Quartermaster-General, in answer to my inquiry on this subject.

It is also reported to me that the number of animals with your army in the field is about 31,000. It is believed that your present proportion of cavalry and of animals is much larger than that of any other of our armies.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 19, Part 1 (Serial No. 27), p. 15

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