Docinnent J'fo. 21. RTilPO RT OF THE Quarter Master General OF THE STATE OF NEW JEESEY, For the Year 1872. Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2009 with funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/reportofquarterm1872newj HEPOIIT: State of New Jersey. ) Office of the Quartermaster General, [ Trenton, October 31, 1872. ) To Ill's Excellency Joel Parker, Governor ofJYew Jersey : Sir: 1 liavc the honor to submit the following report of this Department for the year 1872. The regular business of the office continues about the same as in the other years since the war. Five newly organized companies of infantry have been supplied vrith arms upon the officers giving the proper bonds with sufficient surety, as provided for in the act approved March 9, 1869. Under the act passed at the last session of the Legislature and approved by your Excellency on the 21st of March, 1872, several companies of •colored infantry have been organized, mustered into the service of the State and attached to the National Guard. Two of these com- panies have been furnished with arms, the officers giving the requi- site bonds with sufficient surety. An application is on file in this office for arms for another company of colored infantry, located at Elizabeth, but as the members are not uniformed the arms have not been issued. The arms in the possession of the National Guard are in srood order, and are kept under the proper responsibility. The armed force of the National Guard consists of fifty-three (53) •companies of infantry, organized into seven (7) regiments and three (3) battalions, and two (2) colored companies of infantry unassigned, having in their possession three thousand two hundred and ninety- two (3,292) stand of arms. In addition to these companies of infantry there are two (2) batteries of artillery. The act approved April 17, 1868, authorized and directed the Quartermaster General " to cause such muskets now in the arsenal as are suitable for that purpose, to be altered into breech-loaders upon the most approved plan." Nothing has been done in the way of altering these muskets. The delay has been occasioned by the desire on our part to alter the arms to conform to those in the service of the army of the United States. The Ordnance Department has not as yet adopted the model, but as soon as this is done it is in con- templation to proceed at once with the work, and it will take but a 4 QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT. short time to liave tlie muskets converted, issued and in use by the National Gaard. On the 18th of December, 1871, there was about forty-five thousand dollars (84:5,000) due the State of New Jersey in arms or their equivalent, from the United States, under the act of Congress of 1808, for arming the militia of the several States, a very small amount of ordnance stores liaving been drawn on account of the quota during the last ten years. This Department, under the act of the Legislature of April 17, 18G8, disposed of old arms and accoutrements to the amount of sixty thousand two hundred and sixty-eight dollars and five cents ($60,268 05), which was deposited with the Treasurer '• to the credit of the arsenal, to be expended in the repairs and alterations, and the purchase of such ordnance and ordnance stores as from time to time may be required for the militia service of this State," as provided in the act above referred to, so that it is confidently believed that we will be able to re-arm the entire National Guard during the coming year with very little expense to the Treasury of the State. There remain in the arsenal at this time, five thousand and ninety- nine (5,099) ::ew Springfield rifled muskets; nine thousand nine hun- dred and thirty-six (9.936) old muskets and rifles of all kinds and calibre, and one hundred and seventy-one (171) imperfect and un- serviceable: one thousand two- hundred and fifty-four (1,254) pistols^ and eighty-nine (89) imperfect an,d unserviceable. There are also two thousand three hundred and eighty-three (2,383) sabres and swords serviceable, and one hundred and twenty-six (126) unfit for service. There are also in the arsenal, twelve (12) twelve-pounder bronze Napoleon guns, smooth bore : four (4) three and one-half inch bronze guns, smooth bore ; four (4) three and one-half inch bronze guns, rifled; eight (8) three-inch Griffin guns, rifled, and two (2) Bil- linghurst and Requa batteries, good and seviceable ; and two (2) six- pounder bronze guns, French; two (2) four-pounder bronze guns, English, and two (2) six-pounder iron guns, unserviceable. The employees at the arsenal engaged in cleaning and repairing arms, have cleaned and repaired two thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine (2,779) arms, and repaired five (5) three and one-half inch bronze guns. The amount due from the United Stat-es, on account of claims of this State for arming and equipping troops in the service thereof^ under the act of Congress of the 17th of July, 1861, remains the same as at the date of my last annual report, nothing having been received during the past year. It is presumed that at the coming session of Congress, a further appropriation for the payment of claims of this nature will bo made, and the account can be readily adjusted, and paid to the State at no distant day. On the 5th of April, under instructions from your Excellency, I notified Jno. Trimble, jr., assistant military agent at Washington, for the collection of claims against the United States, that his services would not be required after that date. This faithful and efficient officer was appointed in May, 1869. By his own exertions,, aided by QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT. 5 voluminous documentary evidence and written explanations from this department, he collected from the United States on account of the State claims against the government, the large sum of one hun- dred and forty-six thousand, seven hundred and sixty-four dollars and forty-seven cents, ($146,764.47.) Permit me, in this connection to add, in justice to a faithful and meritorious officer, that while acting in the interests of this State, he performed all the duties required by him with fidelity and zeal. In the appendix will be found the following statements: Statement A, contains an account of clotliing, camp and garrison equipage, baggage train, ordnance and ordnance stores, serviceable and unserviceable, remaining on hand at the State arsenal, on the 31st of October, 1872. Statement B, the number of arms, etc., cleaned and repaired at t\e State arsenal during the year ending October 21st, 1872. ' Statement C, camp and garrison equipage, ordnance and ordnance stores turned into the arsenal by disbanded and other military com- panies, and by sundry persons during the year ending October 31st, 1872. Statement D, camp and garrison equipage, issued to the national guard, during the year ending October 31st, 1872. Statement E, ordnance and ordnance stores issued from the State arsenal to the National Guard, upon their giving bonds according to law, and to sundry persons durinir the year, ending October 31st, 1872. Statement F, the ammunition expended in firing salute, on the 16th day of January, 1872, in honor of the inauguration of the Gov- ernor. Tabular statement G, the number of arms and accoutrements in possession of the National Guard. State of New Jersey, on the 31st day of October, 1872. All of which is respectfully submitted. LEWIS PERRINE, Quartermaster General qfJYew Jersey. STATEMENTS. STATEMENT A. Clotkiiig, Camp and Garrison Equipage in the State Arsenal, Octo- ber 31, 1S12. 38 forage caps, infantry, blue, worn. 15 uniform caps, R. C, blue, new. 22 uniform caps, R. C, .srrej, new. o5 uniform caps, artillery, worn. 32 shields for caps. 21 pompons for caps. 3000 metallic letters for caps, N. J. 32 uniform jackets, blue, chasseur, new. 22 uniform jackets, gray, chasseur. 84 uniform jackets, artillery, worn. 16 uniform great coats, R. C, blue, new. 22 uniform great coats, infantry, blue, new. 1 uniform great coat, cavalry, blue, new. 4 pairs of uniform trowsers, R. C, blue, new. 7 pairs of uniform trowsers, R. C, gray, new. 68 pairs of uniform trowsers, artillery, worn. 36 officer's blankets. 300 common tents, new. 487 common tents, been in service. 76 wall tents, new. 101 wall tents, been in service. 83 wall tent flys, new. 72 wall tent flys, been in service. 4 hospital tents, new. 8 hospital tents, been in service. 4 hospital tent flys, new. 8 hospital tent flys, been in service. 18 Sibley tents, new. 7 Sibley tents, been in service. 780 sets common tent poles. 185 sets wall tent poles. 11 sets hospital tent poles. 30 sets Sibley tent poles. 20 tripods. 10 QUARTERMASTER GENERAL'S REPORT, G311 single notch tent pins. G08 double notch tent pins. 35 axes and helves. 52 hatchets and handles. 27 picks and handles. 50 spades. 184 camp kettles. 253 mess pans, iron. 75 mess pans, tin. 106 tin dishes. 788 tin plates, been in service. 745 tin plates, new. 2920 tin cups, pints. 283 tin cups, half pints. 1653 knives. 1653 forks. 3597 spoons, 71 knapsacks, R. C. 965 canteens, strapped. 6 drums, new. 1 drum case. 6 drum slings. 20 pairs of drum sticks. 19 drum stick carriages. 5 drum batter heads. 7 drum snare heads. 3 sets drum snares. 4 books, regimental, plain top. 4 books, regimental, post letter.