Supply Depots / Regiments

[AZReenactor]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

With that I'd guess you saw Capitol builder : the shorthand journals of Montgomery C. Meigs, 1853-1859, 1861 bit that comes up with a 2001 publication date. They also list a biography, Quartermaster general of the Union Army; a biography of M.C. Meigs by Russell Frank Weigley that was published in 1956.

Both sound rather interesting...

As for Ortons Records of the California Men in the War of the Rebellion I found it not to long ago in Google Books and now have a PDF file of it on this computer. :-)

[Southern Cal]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Here's a brief explanation on how the QM Dept was organized by Meigs. Again this is fro the OR's. The report is date November 3, 1864

ORGANIZATION.
The organization of the Quartermaster's Department, as authorized by the law of August, 1864, is simple and efficient.
With the troops are--
1. To each regiment a regimental quartermaster, with rank of lieutenant. He has charge of the property of the Quartermaster's Department with the regiment, such as the wagons, harness, and animals of the regimental train, and the tents and equipage which pertain to the regiment. He receives in bulk, and issues to the proper officers, the clothing, forage, and other supplies furnished by the Quartermaster's Department for the use of the regiment.
2. To each brigade, consisting of two or more regiments, an assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain. He is commonly designated as the brigade quartermaster. He receives, takes charge of, and transfers to the proper officer all property and supplies furnished for the use of the brigade, and has charge of the brigade train, its material, and animals. He distributes supplies to the regimental quartermasters.
3. To each division, of two or more brigades, a quartermaster, with the rank of major. He is designated division quartermaster, and performs duties relating to the division similar to those attributed for a brigade to the brigade quartermaster.
4. When several divisions are organized into a corps d'armée a chief quartermaster for the corps' is designated, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He has the general superintendence of the affairs of the Quartermaster's Department within the corps.
5. When several corps are united into an army, a chief quartermaster, with the rank of colonel, is designated.
Each of these officers exercises a general supervision over the conduct of the officers and agents subordinate to him and within his command. Each takes his orders and instructions from the commander of the body of troops to which he is attached, and also from his immediate superior in the Quartermaster's Department.
Funds for the necessary expenditures of the operations of the Quartermaster's Department, with troops in campaign, are furnished on the requisition of the chief quartermaster, who is the senior officer of the Quartermaster's Department present with any army or separate corps; and being placed to his credit, they are by him disbursed or transferred to the corps, division, or brigade quartermasters, to enable them to pay for approved expenditures.
The efficiency of this organization is shown in the great marches which have been made by the Army of the Potomac and by that of General Sherman, during which there has been very little loss of material of the trains, and little loss of draft animals, except that resulting from the bad state of the roads, in which many mules and artillery horses give out, and the loss of animals killed in battle when necessarily under fire.
To direct and control the procuring, safe-keeping, forwarding, transportation, and distribution of the clothing, forage, fuel, and other supplies, which it is the duty of the Quartermaster's Department to provide--and the list includes everything necessary to an army in the field or in garrison, except arms, ammunition, subsistence, and medical supplies, and all these are transported and stored by the Quartermaster's Department--officers are assigned as chief quartermasters of military departments, or of principal depots, the latter not exceeding ten in number, with the rank of colonel.
These officers, assisted by officers detailed to their aid from among the captains who are assistant quartermasters, and with occasionally the assignment of lieutenants of the line to serve as acting assistant quartermasters, make, under the direction of the Quartermaster-General's Office, contracts and purchases for all needed supplies, provide for their inspection, storage, safe-keeping, and transportation from the principal depots in the loyal States to the subordinate or advanced depots which are established on the border, or at the points which have been won from the enemy, fortified and constituted advanced depots or bases of operations.
In addition to the principal depots, posts are established at important points, garrisoned by troops, at which the regimental quartermasters attached to the garrisons act as post quartermasters, or officers are specially assigned for this duty.
All these officers are held responsible to their immediate commanders and report to the Quartermaster-General's Office in Washington, to which place their returns of property and accounts for disbursements are finally sent, and in which they receive a careful examination before being transmitted to the Treasury for final examination and settlement by the proper auditors and comptrollers.
The business of the Quartermaster-General's Office is distributed among nine divisions, each of which is charged with the supervision of its appropriate portion of the work of the department as prescribed by law.
The general control and supervision of the whole rests with the Quartermaster-General, who receives his orders and instructions from the Secretary of War, and reports to him direct.
All requisitions for remittances of money from the Treasury to officers of the Quartermaster's Department are referred first to the chief of the division of the office having charge of the particular branch of expenditure for which the money is needed, and they then pass under the inspection of the Quartermaster-General, who signs the request, which is submitted to the Secretary of War, and upon which, if he approves, is based the requisition which he addresses to the Treasury Department.
Six inspectors of the Quartermaster's Department, with the rank of colonel, under the immediate direction of the Quartermaster-General or of the Secretary of War, visit and inspect the various armies, posts, and depots, and inquire into all reported or suspected abuses. From the services of these officers, whose reports are transmitted to the inspection division of the office, and there analyzed and acted upon, great benefit is expected.
Most of the officers holding high rank in this organization hold it by temporary assignment, the rank ceasing when, from any cause, they are relieved and transferred to other less onerous duties.
This enables the Department to hold out to meritorious officers the hope of promotion in some degree commensurate with their efforts and success, and the system has already had a very happy effect in exciting emulation and giving satisfaction to many who had toiled long and were growing discouraged before the passage of the law of 4th of July, 1864, at the small prospect of promotion, while they were conscious that their duties were most important, their services most valuable, and their exertions, labors, and responsibilities as great as those of others who, entering the service with them, passed them rapidly by in the casualties and promotions of active service.
To some of the officers of this department holding most responsible and important positions, commissions as brigadier-generals of volunteers or as brevet brigadier-generals have been given in consideration of most important and valuable service.

Brian Baird

I've done a deal of searching but not found an answer. The question is about manufacture of contract shoes for the U.S. Army. My namesake ancestors came from Germany in 1853 and eventually set up shop in Martinsville, Illinois, from 1860 to 1866. This particular great-great grandfather was a shoe and boot maker. Martinsville was, is, on a main thoroughfare between St. Louis and Indianapolis via Terre Haute, Indiana. St. Louis is 143 miles west of Martinsburg and Louisville 165 miles south east. Since the timeframe these folks lived in Ilinois brackets the Civil War, I'm thinking about pursuing research to see if the name is associated with any contract, subcontract, piece-work roster, depot receipts, etc. I'm not sure which depots made shoes or contracted for them. I don't know if there were State contracts for shoes? Opinions welcome.

[Sprowls]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Official Records: http://digital.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/waro.html

Chuck Sprowls

[Southern Cal]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Many thanks!

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Supply Depots / Regiments

Hallo!

I might would suggest looking into the hearings conducted in regards to fraud with the early uniforming of Western troops, particularly the Fremont scandals.

Although he has not posted in a long time, work by John "Agate" Sarver, should give you some areas and references to try.

Such as:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5894&highlight=Fremont

Curt