General of the State of New Jersey, for the Year 1867

1, u '.'t^^ '. l".,.>- . U, mM^ •Is i^iiii^ Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2009 witin funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/reportofquarterm1867newj i R. E ]R O R- T OF THE QUARTERiMASTER GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, FOR THE YEAR 1867. : REPORT. Quartermaster General's Office, I Trenton, November 30, 1867. j His Excellency Marcus L. Ward, Governor and Commander-in- Chief of New Jersey : Sir: —I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the opera- tions of this department for the year 1867. At the close of the last year there had been recruited, armed and equipped, under authority of the act of the Legislature of March 30, 1864, entitled "An act for the more effectual organization ot the New Jersey Rifle Corps," and the act of April 6, 1865, entitled "An act for the more effectual organization of the militia," thirty-two (32) companies of the rifle corps, organized into three (3) regiments and two (2) battalions, and one (1) cavalry company, and three (3) batteries of artillery of the active militia. The entire force of riflemen and militiamen clothed and equipped by the State, prior to November 30, 1866, was about one thousand eight hundred and fifty (1850) men. There have been armed and equipped during the present year, twelve (12) companies of the rifle corps, and six (6) of the active militia mustered, as follows One (1) in the Second regiment, numbering forty men. Four (4) into the Third regiment, numbering two hundred and eighty men. Six (6) into the Fourth regiment, numbering four hundred and twenty men. One (1) into the First battallion, numbering sixty men. Three (3) into the First Yeteran regiment, Newark, numbering one hundred and seventy men. Three (3) into the Hudson brigade, numbering one hundred and thirty men. The active military force of this State consists at this time of thirty-nine (39) companies of riflemen, one (1) company of cavalry, three (3) of artillery, seven (7) of veterans, and five (5) of the Hud- son brigade, organized as militiamen, and numbering about three thousand (3000) men. This force is well armed and equipped, and is as thoroughly drilled and disciplined as any other militia troops in the United States. Tabular statement A contains in detail the issues of : ]018 QUARTEEMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT. clothing to the different companies equipped, during the present year. Tabular statement B contains the issue of arms and accoutrements during the same period. There have been issued during the year, the following uniforms : 732 caps. 534 caps, Zouave. 720 jackets. 474 jackets, Zouave. 720 trowsers. 474 trowsers, Zouave. 474 vests, Zouave. ' 474 sashes, Zouave. 474 leggins, Zouave. 694 great coats. The following companies have been recruited and armed during the year, and requisitions for clothing are on file, but owing to the want of funds for this purpose, clothing has not been furnished : Company G, Tliird regiment. New Jersey rifle corps. Company H, Tliird regiment, New Jersey rifle corps. Company F, First regiment, Hudson brigade. Company E, Second regiment, Hudson brigade. Company G, Second regiment, Hudson brigade. Companies A and B, First veteran battalion, Passaic brigade, have been organized, but neither armed nor clothed. The following arms have been issued during the year 1,222 muskets, T. A. Company, calibre 58. 80 rifles. United k^tates, brass mounted, calibre 54. 1 Griffin gun, 3 inch rifle. Under the act of the Legislature of March 31, 18^4, for a more effectual organization of the militia, section 4 provides that there shall be paid annually to the Treasurer of each company of active militia of this State, consisting of forty members, the sum of sixty dollars ; of sixty members, the sum of eighty dollars; and of eighty members, the sum of one hundred dollars, to be expended for the purposes of drill room, armory and other expenses. Companies have received the amounts to which they were entitled by law, and have applied it to the payment of other expenses incident to their organization, and no part of it for purposes of drill room. The law is am- biguous on this point It was manifestly the intention of the Legis- lature that the amounts so received should be, in the first instance, applied for the purpose of armory rent for the care and preservation of public property in their use, and the surplus to defray other expenses. I would recommend that the act be so modified as to leave no doubt as to the object and intention of the Legislature. There were organized and armed during the war, two hundred and nineteen (219) militia companies, under the calls of the Commander- in-chief in 18GI and 1863, for the organization of the militia for the defence of the State, to which nine thousand eight hundred and thirty (9,830) arms have been issued. In the course of the war these companies had become so depleted in numbers by enlistments in the vol- QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT. 1019 nnteer and regular service that they found it impossible to keep up their organizations. It is believed that nearly all of these companies have disbanded. In Appendix A, will be found a copy of a circular which has been sent out from this office to the officers and surities of these disbanded organizations, requiring the immediate return of the property. In some localities, agents have been appointed for the collection and return of the arms. There was received during the year 1866 from these companies, nine hundred and eleven (911) arms. During the present year there was received one thousand four hundred and ninety (1,490) arms, leaving a balance of seven thousand four hundred and twenty-nine (7,429) still in the hands of disbanded companies. For particular sources from which they were received, see statement I, of my last annual Report, and statement E, herewith appended. The arms thus received are in a most irreparable condition from rust, for want oi proper care and usage. As fast as received, they have been cleaned and put in as good condition as the nature of the injury would allow. From this source there has accumulated in the Arsenal a large amount of property entirely useless to the State, requiring an annual expenditure of a considerable amount in its care and preservation. Several favorable offers for this property were received during the year, which I should have been glad to have accepted, had I been satisfied that I had the authority ot law to dispose of it. I would respectfully recommend that authority be given by the Legislature for the sale of this property whenever tliere should be a demand for it, and fair prices can be obtained, and that the proceeds therof, be applied towards the alteration of muskets into breech loaders after the model adapted by the United States Ordnance Department, as recommended in my Report of last year, for the details of which you are respectfully referred thereto. There remains in the Arsenal at this time, seven thousand five hundred and thirty-six (7,536) new Springfield rified muskets, and nine thousand one hundred and eighty-two (9,182) muskets and rifles of all kinds and calibre ; one thousand and eighty-nine (1,089) pistols, new, and sixty-three (63) that have been in service. There are also one thousand nine hundred and seventy-six (1,976) sabres_^and swords, new and serviceable, and one hundred and four (104) unfit for service. The State has three (3) four gun batteries of light Napoleon guns, bronze, including caissons, battery wagons and forges, one (1) com- plete four gun battery of James' guns, bronze, four (4) com])lete gun batteries of Griffin guns, and one (1) battery of two guns. Griffin. The employees at the Arsenal have been engaged during the year in cleaning and repairing arms and equipments. There have been cleaned and repaired three thousand nine hundred and twenty-four (3,924) arms. About the close of the last year, a communication (Appendix B) was received from Gen. G. H. Grossman, Assistant Quartermaster- General and Chief Quartermaster of the Department of the East, en- closing a circular in relation to the erection of iron head blocks, at every grave of a deceased United States soldier. 1020 QUARTEEMASTEE GENERAL'S REPORT. This circular was referred by your Excellency to this office, with instructions to obtain the information required. Eight hundred (800) printed circulars, (Appendix C) were forwarded to every clergyman and person in charge ot cemeteries or burying grounds in this State. The response to this circular has not been as prompt and general as could be desired. Over one hundred (100) replies have been received giving the names and burial places of over three hundred and fitty (350 j deceased federal soldiers, buried in this State. The war of the rebellion having terminated, all the volunteer troops of this State, engaged in the service of the United States, mustered out, and the property which had been received from them, turned over to the United States, I was enabled to devote my whole time tor the past two years, with the assistance of two clerks, to the ad- justment and settlement of the claim of this State for expenses in- curred on war account, by accountability of property purchased and issued to volunteers, and explanation of expenditures incident to the enrolling, subsisting, &c., troops employed in aiding to suppress the late rebellion against the United States, as provided by the act of Congress, approved July 27, 1861.

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