the expenses of the war, and the exhaustion of the material resources of the country for carrying it on. With great respect, your obedient servant, M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C., October 14, 1862. GENERAL: I find that in the month of September there were issued from this department to the army defending Washington, under command of Major General McClellan, 4,493 horses; from October 1 to October 11, 3,261 horsestotal from this department, 7,754 horses. Colonel Ingalls, by special authority from this department, purchased in Harrisburg 1,000 horses, which were taken direct to the army near Frederick and Sharpsburg, so that for six weeks the issue has been at the rate of 1,459 per week. There remained on hand on the 11th 497 serviceable horses, which, with what have been daily received since, have been issued before this time. During the first days of September 1,500 horses, not included in the above, were sent out towards Centreville to the army of General Pope. Forty-two of these were lost, and the remainder exchanged for unserviceable stock not inIcluded in the above statement. There have been issued, therefore, to the army about the Potomac, since the battles in front of Washington, to replace losses, 9,254 horses. For transportation a very large number of mules have been supplied in addition to the above. Is there an instance on record of such a drain and destruction of horses in a country not a desert? I was informed by Colonel Ingalls, whose report, though called for, has not yet been received, that the number of animals with the army on the Upper Potomac was over 31, 000. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General H. W. HALLECK, M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster General. Commander-in-Chief. [Sent 10.30 a. m.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., October 15, 1862. There are additional indications that the enemy is preparing for another raid, or a more general movement. The impression is that he will attempt to cross the Potomac below Point of Rocks, in order to cut off your communications and supplies, or to make a dash into Washington, The inactivity of our army encourages these depredations. Major General GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Headquarters Army of the Potomac. H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief. 19 p. m.] MCCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS, Your telegram of 10.30 a. m. is received. I am guarding the river from Harper's Ferry down to General Stoneman's position in such a manner that no rebel force can pass without its being known at once. I have given Stoneman orders to keep close watch upon his part of the line. I am using every possible exertion to get this army ready to move. It was only yesterday that a part of our supplies and clothing arrived at Hagerstowu. It is being issued to the troops as rapidly as possible. Major General HALLECK, GEO. B. CLELLAN. [9.30 a. m.] NEAR HARPER'S FERRY, October 16, 1862-8.30 a. m. Your letter of the 13th just received from Colonel Perkins. I sent, at daylight this morning, heavy reconnoissances to Charlestown, Leestown, &c., as I hear sharp artillery firing in that direction. I go to the front to see what the truth is. This may delay my reply to your letter, which shall be sent, however, as soon as practicable. Have not yet received the shoes, &c. necessary for the men, nor have I any reply from General Halleck in regard to my suggestions as to sending troops from Washington to guard lower Potomac from Seneca creek, and thus make Stoneman more available. His Excellency The PRESIDENT. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General U. S. A. [12 in.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, I have been informed that General Gorman is desirous of being relieved from duty with this army, and being ordered on duty in the west. General Howard, now commanding the division to which General Gorman is attached, is sick, and will not, probably, be able to do duty for some time, General Gorman is the next officer in rank, but I do not consider him in every respect suited to such a command. If you can order him to some command in the west I shall be glad. GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General HALLECK, Major General, Commanding. General-in-Chief. [1.30 p. m.] MCCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS, October 16-1 p. m. I respectfully request authority to delegate to Major General Banks, commanding the defences of Washington, the powers of a commander of a depart ment, or detached corps, so far as regards courts-martial, resignations of volunteer officers, boards to examine volunteer officers, and discharge of soldiers. This arrangement would facilitate action in cases embraced under these heads. GEO. B MCCLELLAN, Major General, Commanding. Major General HALLECK, General-in-Chief. [2.15 p. m.] COUCH'S HEADQUARTERS, October 16, 1862-1.30 p. m. Our reconnoissance has passed Charlestown after considerable opposition. A party has been to Kearneysville and communicated with the party from Shephardstown. I hear no firing at present. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General. Major General HALLECK. [2.20 p. m.] MCCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS, October 17, 1862-1 p. m. The two reconnoissances sent out yesterday have not returned. Hancock went with his infantry to Charlestown, and Humphries, from Sharpsburg, went about three miles beyond Kearneysville, both sending their cavalry in advance of these positions. Humphries, at 9.15 this morning, reports a very large force of the enemy in his front and on his right flank. Hancock also reports a considerable force in his front and on his left. From all I can learn I believe the main rebel army still remains in the vicinity of Bunker Hill and Winchester. I will report the result of our cavalry reconnoissances of to-day as soon as I get advices. Major General HALLECK. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Camp in Pleasant Valley, October 17, 1862. SIR: Your letter of the 13th instant reached me yesterday morning by the hands of Colonel Perkins. I had sent out strong reconnoissances early in the morning in the direction of Charlestown, Leetown, &c., and as sharp artillery firing was heard I felt it incumbent to go to the front. I did not leave Charlestown until dark, so that I have been unable to give to your excellency's letter that full and respectful consideration which it merits at my hands. I do not wish to detain Colonel Perkins beyond this morning's train. I, therefore, think it best to send him back with this simple acknowledgment of the receipt of your excellency's letter. I am not wedded to any particular plan of operations. I hope to have, to-day, reliable information as to the position of the enemy, whom I still believe to be between Bunker Hill and Winchester. I promise you that I will give to your views the fullest and most unprejudiced consideration, and that it is my intention to advance the moment my men are shod, and my cavalry are sufficiently renovated to be available. Your excellency may be assured I will not adopt a course which differs at all from your views without first fully explaining my reasons, and giving you time to issue such instructions as may seem best to you. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General United States Army. His Excellency The PRESIDENT. [9.15 p. m.] OCTOBER 17, 1862. General Porter leaves for Washington to-morrow. Generals Butterfield and Griffin are also absent, attending a court of inquiry in Washington. Their corps will suffer from the absence of so many general officers. I should, therefore, be glad to have their evidence taken as soon as practicable, that they may return. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General HALLECK. Major General. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GENERAL: Your letter of the 14th instant, enclosing a copy of one to you of the same date from the quartermaster general, has been received. In this letter you say you are informed by the quartermaster general that every requisition from me for shoes and clothing has been filled, and the articles forwarded as directed. General Meigs may have ordered these articles to be forwarded, but they have not yet reached our depots; and unless greater effort to insure prompt transmission is made by the department of which General Meigs is the head, they might as well remain in New York or Philadelphia, so far as this army is concerned. I am officially informed by one corps commander that there is a deficiency of five thousand pairs of shoes in the amount he called for, and other commanders are continually making similar complaints. The soldiers of this army have for some time past been suffering for clothing, and I am constrained to believe it, in a great degree, owing to the want of proper action on the part of the quartermaster's department. General Meigs states further, that the army of the Potomac has, since the battles in front of Washington, received 9,254 horses to replace losses, and in this connexion inquires most strenously if there is an instance of record of such drain and destruction of horses. When I marched this army from Washington, on the 8th day of September, it was greatly deficient in cavalry horses, the hard service to which they had been subjected in front of Washington having rendered about one-half of them unserviceable. Nearly all the horses that this army has received since then have been to replace those that were broken down at that time; but there have not been anything like the number named by the quartermaster general. The following statement, furnished at my order by Lieutenant Colonel Myers, assistant chief quartermaster, gives the actual number of horses received by this army since September 8, 1862: By Captain J. C. Crane, assistant quartermaster, Frederick-horses from 732 By Captain Meeks, assistant quartermaster, Hagerstown-horses from 134 ... By Captain Pitkin, assistant quartermaster, Harper's Ferry-horses from Washington.. 201 By Captain Bliss, assistant quartermaster, Harper's Ferry-horses from By Captain J. B. Howard, assistant quartermaster, headquarters-horses Total received........... 498 399 1, 964 9, 254 7, 290 Number stated by quartermaster general From this statement it will be seen that the total number of horses received by this army since the commencement of the present campaign is only 1,964, 7,290 less than the number given by the quartermaster general. Of those delivered, very many were totally unfitted for the service, and should never have been received. General Pleasanton, commanding a cavalry division, says, in a report made yesterday: "The horses now purchased for cavalry service are much inferior to those first obtained, and are not suitable for the hard service of cavalry horses. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, GEO. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General United States Army. Major General H. W. HALLECK, [11 a. m.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, The reconnoissance from Shepherdstown, under General Humphries, returned safely to camp opposite that place last night. They were followed by the enemy's cavalry all the way back to Shepherdstown, skirmishing constantly. Before recrossing the river, the first Massachusetts cavalry charged the rebel cavalry and drove them from the town. The force met by General Humphries was composed of all arms. General Hancock had returned to Halltown with his command at dark last evening and intended remaining there over night. I have instructed him to hold that position, if it can be safely done, with a brigade of his command. Information from prisoners shows the entire rebel army is still in position from Bunker Hill to Winchester and that vicinity. G. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General, Commanding. Major General HALLECK, [1.5 p. m.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, General Porter left for Washington this morning, and General Morrell has been ordered to go at once. This leaves the army corps with only three (3) general officers. The officers mentioned in my despatch of last night should be sent back immediately. I have learned to-day that a force of from four to six thousand rebel troops have gone to Hedgeville, and it is reported their purpose is to destroy the tunnel at Paw-Paw, and probably do other damage to the railroad. I have ordered a division of Franklin's corps to march at once up the |
