Report of the Quartermaster- General of the State of New Jersey, for The
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You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2009 witin funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/reportofquarterm1891newj You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library Document No. 18. R EPO RT Ouartermaster-General OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, For tKe ITeccr 1891. You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library : You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library REPORT. State of New Jersey, ] Office of the Quartermaster-General, I Trenton, October Slet, 1891. J lo the Governor and Commander-in-Chief : Sir—I have the honor to submit herewith my report of the operations of this department for the fiscal year just ended. The total number of Springfield breech-loading rifies, calibre .45, the property of the State, including those in possession of organizations of the National Guard, is three thousand nine hundred and fifty-nine (8,959). In addition to the above the State possesses a considerable number of muskets, serviceable and unserviceable, of obsolete patterns. The Senate, at its last session, acting upon the suggestion contained in your Message, passed a concurrent resolution urging our Senators and Repre- sentatives in Congress to use their influence to secure such legislation as would authorize the Secretary of "War to issue, in exchange for arms of obsolete patterns in possession of the several States, Springfield breech-loading rifies of the latest improved model. Copies of this resolution will be forwarded to our Senators and Representatives at the opening of the approach- ing session. On the 18th of April last, a fire in the Arcade building, at Elizabeth, used in part as the headquarters of the Third Regiment, National Guard, destroyed military property of the State to the value of $982.08. The loss was promptly adjusted and paid. Statements in detail of the number of Gat- ling guns, howitzers, heavy ordnance and other military stores the property of the State, at the State Arsenal, and in possession of the National Guard, will be found in the Appendix. I have carefully examined the annual returns made by com- panies, and find the general condition of the arms, accoutre- ments, etc., in their possession as follows Mrst Regiment, with the exception of Company B, condition "good." You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library 4 QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S REPORT. Second Regiment, with the exception of Company E, condition " good." Third Regiment, with the exception of Company A, condition "good." Fourth Regiment, condition, with exception of Company A,, " poor." Fifth Regiment, condition, without exception, " good." Sixth Regiment, with the exception of Company F, condition "good." Seventh Regiment, with the exception of Company B, condition " good." First Battalion, condition, without exception, " good." Second Battalion, with a few exceptions, " fair." Third Battalion, condition, without exception, " good." Galling Gun Company A, "good." Galling Gun Company B, " much worn," etc. All arms reported in unserviceable or " poor condition " will be ordered returned to the State Arsenal for the necessary clean- ing and repairs. An examination of the arms returned to the Arsenal as " utterly unfit for service," etc., fails to discover defects that would warrant their condemnation, and such com- plaints are generally based on their inefiiciency for fine shooting on the range. In view of the adoption by the general government, at an early day, of a reduced calibre arm, and its consequent substitu- tion in this State for the present service rifle, I think it would be unwise to purchase a new supply of rifles of calibre .45, or condemn those at present in possession of the National Guard. As to the probability of an early change to a reduced calibre rifle and the use of smokeless powder, I will insert here an ex- tract from the last annual report of General Flagler, Chief of Ordnance, United States Army. He says : " The advantages of a reduction of calibre, and of a change to smokeless powder for the cartridge, are well established, though in regard to the latter much has yet to be determined in regard to the ability of this country to supply a suitable powder in suit- able quantities, and of the ability of such powders to stand long storage and exposure to low temperatures without too great deterioration of their ballistic qualities. " The success that has been arrived at in the manufacture of the calibre .30 cartridge, at the Frankford Arsenal, and the ex- cellent results obtained with the new calibre .30 Springfield : : You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S REPORT. S single-loader, lead the Department to believe that if the adoption of a magazine arm is deferred the Department may, at an early date, commence to furnish to the army reduced calibre arms and ammunition charged with a satisfactory smokeless powder. The Department is earnestly urging on the experiments and other work for arriving at a solution of this question, and as soon as a satisfactory powder can be obtained the question of the imme- diate adoption of the reduced calibre arm will be submitted to a board." ENCAMPMENT. The First Brigade, National Guard, under the command of Brigadier-General Dudley S. Steele, encamped on the State Camp- grounds, Sea Girt, from July 13th to 18th. The total cost of the encampment, exclusive of rifle practice, was as follows Construction of and taking down camp $2,128 14 Freight, expressage and teams 793 50 Forage and straw 306 60 Fuel and light 314 19 Incidentals (including setting of sea target, hire of horses for Gat- ling Gun Company A, etc.) 174 75 Medical supplies 261 34 Pay of troops 18,219 GO Pay of Brigade band 1,027 50 Quartermaster- General's department 219 00 Regimental and battalion cooks 639 00 State headquarters 643 78 Subsistence , 7,515 41 Transportation 4,764 li $37,006 33 There are no unsettled bills chargeable to encampment account. For the first time the troops were paid off before leaving camp. It involves considerable labor at the closing hours of the encamp- ment, but as it is greatly appreciated by both officers and men the plan will be adhered to in the future. The amounts paid to each organization is shown in the Appendix. STATE CAMP GROUNDS. The current expenses of the camp-grounds for the. year were as follows : You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library •6 QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S REPORT. Rent of camp-grounds 1,000 00 Pay of Superintendent and employees 2,032 82 Permanent improvements and repairs and alterations 2,883 93 Phosphates, manure, grass-seeds, forage and fuel 694 34 Horses, wagons, farming implements, blacksmithing, wheelwright- ing, etc , 1,865 63 $8,476 72 Under the Act of Condemnation all claims have been extin- guished, and the State has acquired a complete title to the grounds. The appearance of the grounds has been greatly improved by the removal of the barns and stables and other out- buildings from their location just east of the Governor's head- quarters to a point on the lake south of the mess halls. All improvements hereafter will be made with a view to permanency. The receipts from the camp-grounds for the year for sales of grass, hay and pasturage, amounted to seven hundred and sixty- seven dollars and three cents (1767.03). STATE ARSENAL. The expenses at the Arsenal for the year have been as follows Salary of the Military Storekeeper and pay-roll of employes §5,139 25 Fuel, light and water 622 82 Forage and straw 356 92 Repairs, horseshoeing, wheelwrighting, etc 315 85 $6,434 84 RECEIPTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. The amount standing to the credit of this State on the books of the War Department at Washington, under the Act of Con- gress for arming and equipping the militia, is fifteen thousand two hundred and eighty-four dollars and ten cents ($15,284.10). A statement in detail of the camp and garrison equipage, ord- nance and ordnance stores received during the year, appears in the Appendix. AMOUNTS RECEIVED FROM SALES OF AMMUNITION, SETTLEMENT OF officers' ACCOUNTS, ETC. Received for pasturage, sales of grass, hay, etc.. State Camp-grounds, $767 03 Received from insurance company for property destroyed by fire in Armory of Third Regimental Elizabeth 982 08 Received from rent of building on site of contemplated Armory for Fourth Regiment at Jersey City 354 00 Received from sales of ammunition, old ordnance stores, settlement of officers' accounts, etc 2,779 73 $4,882 84 You are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S REPORT. 1891. January 13, By amount refunded to Captain Goodman, Company G, Seventh Regiment, for lost blanket returned 83 75 March 25. amount turned over to State Treasurer.. 1,041 82 October 28. amount turned over to State Treasurer.. 3,837 27 $4,882 84 SHERMAN OBSEQUIES. By authority of a Joint Resolution of the Legislature, trans- portation was furnished through this office to a large representa- tion of the Department of New Jersey, Grand Army of the Republic, to participate in the obsequies of General Sherman in New York city, February 19th, 1891.