USA > West Virginia > Quartermaster General's report, state of West Virginia 1863-1866 > Part 6
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1,022 90
66
66
66
Feb. 20, '64 Apr. 30, '64 Apr. 30, '64 June 30, '64 June 20, '63 Mar. 31, '64
66
24
APPENDIX P .- Continued.
No.
County.
Commander.
From.
To.
112
Wood,
Capt. William Logsdon,
6:
Jan. 31, '64 May 31, '64
601 72
114
66
66
May 31, '64 Aug. 16, '64
445 21
115
66
66
66
Aug. 16, '64 Dec. 31, '64
677 95
116
66
Dec. 31, '64 May 31, '65
931 51
117 |Raleigh,
Capt. William Turner,
Feb. 11, '64 May 4, '64
1,303 27
118
May 4, '64 Sept. 4, '64
2,568 11
119
66
66
Sept. 4, '64 Nov. 4,'64
1,227 49
120
Nov. 4, '64 Feb. 22, '65
2,498 53
121
66
66
66
Mar. 10, 65 May 10, '65
2,502 02
122
66
May 10, '65 July 20, '65
2,878 29 880 40
123|Lewis,
Capt. J. C. Wilkinson,
Sept. 9, '63 Dec. 31, '63
1,009 81
125
1,240 15
126
127 Marion,
Capt. N. Alltop,
June 20, '63 Dec. 8, '63
315 23
128
66
66
66
66
Feb. 29, '64 May 31, '64
1,085 22
130
66
66
66
May 31, '64 Dec. 9, '64
3,047 42
131
Wyoming, 66
Capt. S. Mullen,
Feb. 3, '64 May 4, '64
1,503 43 '
132
66
66
66
1,598 79
134
66
66
Nov. 4, '64 Feb. 20, '65
2,157 76
135
Upshur,
Capt. J. S. Kesling,
Nov. 9, '63 Dec. 31, '63
322 37
136
66
66
Dec. 31, '63 Feb. 29, '64
454 27
137
66
66
66
Feb. 29, '64 Apr. 12, '64 400 24
564 37
139
Gilmer,
Capt. W. T. Wiant,
May 6, '64 Aug. 6, '64
1,190 69
140
Aug. 6, '64 Jan. 31, '65 Jan. 31, '65 Feb. 28, '65
389 06
142
66
66
66
66
Feb. 28, '65 May 6,'65
1,058 81
143 Cabell,
Mar. 25, '65 May 31, '65
2,033 21
144 Poc'hontas
Apr. 4, '64 July 4, '64 July 4, '64 Feb. 4, '65
1,077 93
145
Capt. Samuel Young,
Feb. 4, '65| Apr. 4,165 Apr. 21, '65 June 10, '65
805 00 727 29
148 Braxton,
Capt. Michael Rollyson,
Jan. 30, '64 Apr. 30, '64 Apr. 30, '64 July 31, '64 July 31, '64 Mar. 10, '65 Nov. 24, '63 | May 15, '65
1,247 00
150
Capt. G. F. Taylor,
2,310 19 198 52
151 Mon'galia, 152 Preston,
Capt. Daniel Glasscock, Capt. M. M. Pierce,
713 69
153| Monroe,
Capt. L. D. Garten, Lt. W. P. Snider,
Dec. 15, '63 Apr. 8, '64 Apr. 1, '65 June 20, '65 Apr. 20, '65 June 20, '65
1,759 13
154
1,788 00
Total,
213,988 42
66
6:
66
66
Sept. 10, '64 Nov. 10, '64
451 53
Dec. 9, '63 Feb. 29, 164
976 97
129
138
66 66
Apr. 12, '64 June 16, '64
2,013 78
141
Capt. J. H. Ferguson,
Capt. Isaac W. Allen,
2,511 70
146
147
Capt. Isaac W. Allen,
1,582 08
149
66
66
May 4, '64 Aug. 4, '64 Aug. 4, '64 Nov. 4, '64
1,864 43
124
Dec. 31, '63 Apr. 30, '64 Apr. 30, '64 Sept. 10, '64
66
66
Date.
Amount.
Aug. 8, '63 Jan. 31, '64
$ 384 45
113
66
66
66
1
133
ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE
ADJUTANT GENERAL,
AND
QUARTER-MASTER GENERAL,
OF THE
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
OF WEST
VIR
G/
STAT
JUNE
20
18634
MONTANI SEMPER LIBERI
WHEELING: JOHN FREW, PUBLIC PRINTER.
1867.
MILITARY DEPARTMENT. 1
His Excellency, ARTHUR I. BOREMAN, Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
-
Adjutant General, GEORGE W. BROWN.
Quarter- Master General, GEORGE W. BROWN.
Aids to the Governor, Colonel JACOB HORNBROOK,
WILLIAM ALEXANDER,
H. W. CROTHERS,
16 J. P. R. B. SMITH,
HENRY K. LIST,
66 JOSEPH C. GIST.
-
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, - ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WHEELING, January 1, 1867.
His Excellency,
ARTHUR I. BOREMAN,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief :
GOVERNOR : I have the honor to transmit herewith, as required by law, my Annual Report as Adjutant General and Quarter- Master General, for the year ending December 31st, 1866.
I have the honor to be, Very Respectfully, Your Obedient Servant, GEORGE W. BROWN, Adjutant General and Quarter- Master General.
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S REPORT.
In this Report, I shall endeavor to make a brief and plain state- ment of the operations of this office from the date of my predeces- sor's last Annual Report to the present time.
The arduous duties of this office were discharged in a very able, efficient and faithful manner by my predecessor, General FRANCIS P. PEIRPOINT, from the formation of the State to the 10th of last September, at which time your Excellency accepted his resignation. On the first of November, I was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by General Peirpoint's resignation, and at once entered upon the discharge of the duties of the office, continuing at the same time to discharge the duties of Quarter-Master General.
At the date of my predecessor's last Report, the Sixth Veteran Cavalry Regiment was the only organization from this State remain- ing in the service of the United States. At that time, it was doing service in the Territories of Colorado and Dakota, guarding the Overland mail route. The Regiment was several times engaged with the Indians, and was highly complimented for its gallantry. Every effort had been made to have this organization mustered out of service prior to, and after it was ordered West, but this was not accomplished until the 22d of May last, when the Regiment was mustered out at Leavenworth, Kansas; arrived at Wheeling on the 25th, and received their final pay and discharge on the 29th of the same month. The muster-out was completed before the Report of the Adjutant General for last year was printed, and in time to have the history of the Regiment compiled from the muster-out rolls, and added to that Report, making it, together with the Report of 1864, a complete history of all the organizations from the State.
Some of the soldiers from West Virginia have been engaged in almost every battle of the war, and all have sustained a high char- acter for courage and daring.
The muster-out of the Sixth Veteran Cavalry Regiment com- pleted the muster-out and final discharge of all the soldiers from this State who were called into service for the suppression of the rebellion.
The Report of the Provost Marshal General of the United States, made to the Secretary of War on the 16th day of March last,
8
exhibits the fact that West Virginia furnished to the armies of the United States, from April 16th, 1861, to June 30th, 1865, thirty- two thousand and three (32,003) men.
The office of Acting Assistant Provost Marshal General, and Chief Mustering and Disbursing Officer for the State, was discon- tinued on the 30th day of June, 1866, and Brevet Major George McGown, U. S. A., who succeeded Brevet Major E. P. Hudson in the discharge of the duties of that position, was ordered with the records of his office to Columbus, Ohio. The closing of that office, by the United States authorities, increased the business of this office to a very considerable extent, as a large amount of labor required in furnishing information to the several Departments at Washington, previously performed by Major McGown, was now transferred to this office, and in consequence my predecessor found it necessary to employ an additional clerk.
The vast number of applications made for information from the records of this office, in reference to the muster-in, place of credit, time and place of death, and muster-out of soldiers, in order to secure their bounties and pensions, goes far to prove the value of these records. Many applications for information in reference to the history of our soldiers are made by the different Departments at Washington, including the Adjutant General's Office, Surgeon Gen- eral's Office, and Pension Office, showing at once the incomplete- ness of the records on file at Washington, and the greater necessity for the better preservation of the records connected with the mus- ter-in, muster-out, and history of the Volunteers from this State, on file in this office. It is true, these records are not as complete as could be desired, Mustering Officers having, in many instances, failed to furnish this office with copies of the muster rolls, as required by the War Department.
The importance of these records to the soldiers cannot be esti- mated, and, undoubtedly, there should be on file in this office the muster-in and muster-out rolls of every soldier who has served in a West Virginia organization. I am trying to accomplish this important object, as far as possible, by securing copies of the miss- ing rolls.
For the better preservation of the records, I have caused well- bound books to be prepared, in which I am now engaged in record- ing the name of each soldier, his rank and age, when and where enlisted, period of enlistment, when and where mustered into ser- vice ; if re-enlisted, when and where, when re-mustered, period of re-enlistment, where credited, and any other information that can be obtained from the records of the office. To make a complete
9
history, or as complete as can be made, will necessarily require a very considerable amount of labor and research, especially when we take into consideration that there were over thirty-two thousand (32,000) men in the service from this State. When this record is completed, it will very much facilitate the business of this office, as it will present, in a convenient and compendious form, all the infor- mation in possession of the office relating to each soldier; and, at the same time, it will in a great measure obviate the necessity of referring to and handling the original rolls, many of which are becoming defaced and worn out from continued use.
The Legislature, at its last session, by a joint resolution adopted February 1st, provided, "That the Governor procure, or cause to " be procured, suitable medals, as tokens of respect to the officers " and soldiers of West Virginia who have served during the rebel- " lion in the service of the United States, containing upon one side " the name of the recipient, with his regiment, battalion or battery, " surrounded by a wreath; upon the reverse side, some appropriate " design and inscription ; the medal to be suspended by a piece of " tri-colored silk ribbon ; its artistic features to be equal to the " Crimean medal, and its cost not to exceed one dollar each. The " medals and inscriptions to be of four kinds :
" 1. For the officers and soldiers of the Volunteer Army who " have or may be honorably discharged from the service.
" 2. For the officers and soldiers who have been killed in battle.
" 3. For the officers and soldiers who have died from wounds " received in battle.
" 4. For the officers and soldiers who have died from disease " contracted in the service.
" The medals for the officers and soldiers who have been killed
" in battle, or who have died of wounds or disease in the service, to
" be delivered to the families of said officers and soldiers."
Some twenty-six thousand medals will be required to comply with the provisions of this joint resolution.
My predecessor, in making up the list of those who were entitled to medals, found it would be impossible to separate the third and fourth classes, as many soldiers who died in hospitals are simply designated on the muster-out rolls as "died," while it is fair to pre- sume that many of them died of wounds.
It will be seen that injustice would have been done to some, if the provisions of the joint resolution, so far as it relates to the third and fourth classes, had been adhered to. The friends of some of those who died of wounds would have received medals of the
2-ADJ'T. GEN.'S REP.
10
fourth class, or medals intended for the friends of the soldiers who died of disease. Upon consultation with your Excellency, it was thought best to consolidate the third and fourth classes, reducing the number of classes to three, and, at the same time, doing justice to the memory of all.
General Peirpoint, at the date of his resignation, was negotiating with parties in New York City, to furnish the number of medals required. In September last, by direction of your Excellency, I proceeded to New York with instructions to close a contract with these parties, if it could be done on favorable terms. General Peir- point was in New York at that time, and went with me to see the parties with whom he had been corresponding, but they declined to furnish the medals for less than one dollar and fifteen cents each, which so much exceeded the amount specified by the joint resolution of the Legislature, that I felt unauthorized to award them the contract, but immediately made arrangements with two other parties to furnish designs and make bids for the work. The contract was finally awarded to A. Demorest, Esq., No. 182 Broad- way, who is to furnish the whole number required for the sum of one dollar each.
The bars are to be the same for each class, with the exception that those for the first class are to contain the words "Honorably Discharged ;" those for the second class, the words "Killed in Bat- tle," and those for the third class, the words "For Liberty."
Upon an examination of the medals presented by the British Government to her soldiers for service in the Crimean war, referred to in the joint resolution of the Legislature, it was found that the name of the soldier, with his regiment, battalion or battery, was stamped on the edge of the medal, and instructions were given to have the medals for the soldiers of this State prepared in the same manner. This, and the combination of the third and fourth classes, are the only material changes that have been made from the designs specified in the joint resolution of the Legislature.
If no unusual delay occurs in the preparation of the dies, it is expected that the contractor will be able in a short time to furnish samples of the several classes of medals. The entire number will probably be ready for distribution by March or April next ; and I would suggest the propriety of some action looking to their distri- bution, through the mails, free of postage. Congress, by a joint resolution, conferred upon the Adjutant General of Ohio the frank- ing privilege, for the purpose of distributing the medals presented by the State of Ohio to'her veterans. Could not similar action by Congress be obtained on behalf of West Virginia ?
11
The office of Quarter-Master General was created by an Act of the Legislature, during the late war, to relieve, to some extent, your Excellency and the Adjutant General from some of the extra- ordinary duties required in raising and sending troops to the field, and in arming, equipping, subsisting and paying the State Guards and the Militia, when called into service to guard against threat- ened raids or invasions by the enemy. The necessity for which it was created having, in a great measure, passed away with the over- throw of the rebellion, I conceived it to be my duty to suggest the propriety of abolishing the office, or, at least transferring its duties permanently to the Adjutant General.
The Act of Congress, approved March 2d, 1803, provides, that "there shall be to the Militia of each State one Quarter-Master General." The best course to pursue, if consistent with law, would probably be to require the Adjutant General to perform the duties of Quarter-Master General, in connection with his duties as Adju- tant General, at the same time keeping the two offices separate and distinct, making him, for this purpose, Acting Quarter-Master General, and placing at his disposal, a sufficient sum to enable him to employ an additional clerk, if he should find it necessary.
The Report of my predecessor, for last year, has been printed, and is now ready for distribution. I would respectfully call atten- tion to that portion of it which refers to the Militia. He evi- dently has given this subject a great deal of careful consideration, and his recommendations, if adopted and carried out by appro- priate legislation, would, I think, give us an efficient Militia.
If we change our present system of Militia organization, which is fundamentally defective, the present would probably be the best time to do so, as we could have the aid and experience acquired by our veterans in the late war to assist us in the re-organization.
If, however, it is thought best to make no radical changes in the present militia law, I think provision should be' made, giving your Excellency power to appoint and commission an Adjutant for each county in which the militia has not been organized, whose duty it should be to divide the county into Company Districts, observing as far as possible in such division, township boundaries, and that he have power to enroll and organize each company ; to superintend the election of officers therefor, and certify the result of the same to the Governor. That he also have authority, under the direction of the Governor, to letter the companies and form them into regi- ยท ments ; to superintend an election for regimental officers, and certify the result of the same; that he be required to furnish the Adjutant General with an alphabetical list of the names of all persons so
12
enrolled by him in each Company District, and a statement of the boundaries of each Company District, together with such other information as he may deem necessary, or the Adjutant General may require.
The present militia laws are so scattered through the Code and the Acts of the several sessions of the Legislature, that it is almost impossible for the officers of the militia to be provided with them. They should be collated and printed in pamphlet form, with forms for reports, certificates, orders, &c.
I shall not attempt to make a statement of the present strength of the militia force of the State, as in its present condition it would be impossible for me to do so.
No efforts have been made during the year to organize the militia, my predecessor supposing that material changes would be made in the militia system of the State at the approaching session of the Legislature, and the last Legislature having made no provision to pay the expenses that would necessarily be incurred in its organi- zation.
The expenses of the office during the year, for stationery, print- ing, postage, &c., were ($318 11) three hundred and eighteen dollars and eleven cents, which amount was paid out of the appropriation for contingent expenses. This amount includes ($66 66) sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents, which was paid for an additional clerk, whom it was found necessary to employ.
Before closing this report, I desire to express my thanks to Brevet Major George McGown, U. S. A., for official copies of important papers relating to the history of the volunteers from this State, and for other courtesies extended.
I would also call your Excellency's attention to the capable and faithful manner in which Mr. James E. Hanes, Chief Clerk in this office, has discharged his duties. I beg to suggest that the salary heretofore allowed him is altogether unequal to the labor and capacity required of the first clerk in this office ; and also, that the clerical force allowed this office is inadequate to the labor that ought to be performed, and must be, if the work of completing the records of the office is to be finished within a reasonable period.
I have the honor to be,
Very Respectfully, Your Obedient Servant, GEORGE W. BROWN, Adjutant General
-
REPORT
OF THE
QUARTER-MASTER GENERAL.
REPORT.
I have the honor to submit the following report as required by law, of the operations of the Quarter-Master, Commissary of Subsistence, Ordnance and Pay Departments, for the year ending December 31st, 1866.
No Quarter-Master or Commissary Stores have been received or issued.
A large amount of the Ordnance and Ordnance Stores in the hands of the militia, at the date of my last Annual Report, has been collected as exhibited by Appendix "A," attached to this report. Appendix "B" exhibits the property on hand the 31st day of December, 1865, the property received during the year, and the amount on hand at this time to be accounted for.
Many of the arms were of an inferior quality when issued, and for the want of suitable and safe places in which to store them while in the hands of the militia, they became unserviceable, and many of them entirely worthless.
I would suggest to your Excellency the propriety of breaking up and selling a considerable portion of the unserviceable arms and other State property, now in the State Arsenal.
As exhibited in my last Annual Report, I had in my possession on the 31st of December, 1865, the sum of ($648 30) six hundred and forty-eight dollars and thirty cents, arising from the sales of captured property. Since that time I have, by direction of your Excellency, disbursed the following amounts, there being no appro- priation or fund out of which the same could be paid; and the justice of the claims having been fully established :
Feb'y 28. Paid Captain William Ellison, for transporta- tion while Captain of State Scouts. $205 40
28. Paid Col. Henry D. Chapman, for transportation for State Guards. 134 05
March 29. Paid Dr. J. C. Kimball, for medical services rendered State troops. 36 00
Sept. 11. Paid J. R. Mccutchen, Administrator of John B. Campbell, deceased, for services 79 68
11. Paid Dr. S. M. Hayworth, for medical services rendered State troops 50 00
Dec. 10. Paid Dr. Alex. Church, for medical services rendered State troops. 106 75
Making a total of $611 88
2
16
And leaving in my hands a balance of ($36 42) thirty-six dollars and forty-two cents, to be accounted for.
By direction of your Excellency, I have been charged with the payment of the Militia, for services rendered during the late war. I experienced considerable difficulty in collecting together the members of the different organizations for payment, and in travel- ing in the border counties last spring, in their then unsettled and disorganized condition, I found it necessary, in some instances, to employ a guard for the safety of the public funds in my possession, and, considering the many difficulties encountered, I think the pay- ment has been as complete, under the circumstances, as could be expected.
Appendix "C" exhibits the amount drawn from the Treasury for the payment of the first class of claims, as audited and allowed by the Board of Claims in their Report of last year, with the exception that some few errors in the calculations, amounting to ($317 88) three hundred and seventeen dollars and eighty-eight cents, were discovered and corrected, which increased the total amount of the claims to ($143,063 00) one hundred and forty-three thousand and sixty-three dollars.
This statement also exhibits by whom the money was drawn from the Treasury, and the county in which it was disbursed :
The rolls, as audited by the Board of Claims, amount- ed to $142,745 12
Add errors in calculations
317 88
Total amount of rolls $143,063 00
Amount drawn from the Treasury, as exhibited by Appendix "C," herewith transmitted' $142,830 30
Amount remaining in Treasury $232 70
I would also respectfully call your Excellency's attention to Appendix "D," as exhibiting the amount paid upon each roll, the amount remaining unpaid, and the total amount of each roll :
Amount paid, as exhibited by Appendix "D" $139,636 83 Amount remaining unpaid 3,426 17
Total amount of rolls $143,063 00
Amount drawn from the Treasury $142,830 30 Amount paid, as exhibited by Appendix "D" 139,636 83
In my hands to be accounted for $3,193 47
17
This balance includes only the amounts on the rolls that have not been receipted for. Some of the rolls were receipted before the payment was made, but owing to the absence of some of the parties at the time of payment, the sum of ($160 33) one hundred and sixty dollars and thirty-three cents is receipted for on the rolls and not paid. This added to the ($3,193 47) three thousand one hundred and ninety-three dollars and forty-seven cents not receipted for, makes the total amount of ($3,353 80) three thousand three hundred and fifty-three dollars and eighty cents in my hands to be accounted for. This sum is, however, being continually reduced by application of parties not previously paid ; although it is quite probable that the entire amount will never be called for.
The contingent expenses of this office have been larger than I anticipated, owing to the fact that the expenses incurred in paying the militia, amounting to some four hundred dollars, were paid from this fund. The amount paid out of the appropriation for con- tingent expenses of this office, for services, printing, stationery, transportation, drayage, collecting arms, rent of arsenal, postage, expenses of paying militia, &c., amount to the sum of ($2,125 84) two thousand one hundred and twenty-five dollars and eighty-four cents, which exceeds the amount appropriated, one hundred and twenty-five dollars and eighty-four cents.
I sub-leased for six months, a portion of the ware-house occupied as an arsenal, and received therefor the sum of seventy-five dollars, which amount I deducted from the last quarter's rent.
During the war, the duties of this Department were very labori- ous, and since its close a large amount of labor has been required to settle up the business, collect the property of the State, and pay the several military organizations.
In future, however, I think the duties will-be comparatively light, and I would, in this connexion, renew the suggestion made in my report as Adjutant General, whether it will not be advantageous to the State to abolish the office of Quarter-Master General, and trans- fer its functions to the Adjutant General.
Since the 23d of September, 1863, I have had the honor to occu- py the position of Quarter-Master General. Presuming that before the period for another report will have arrived, this office will be extinguished, I trust I may be allowed the present opportunity of expressing to your Excellency my sincere acknowledgments for
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