Montgomery C. Meigs to William Kellogg

Quarter-Master General's Office, Washington City, Jan. 11th 1862

Hon. Wm Kellogg Washington D.C.

Sir, I enclose for your information, a copy of a Report to the Secretary of War-- stating the comparative prices of clothing as contracted for by the State of Illinois with those paid by Capt Dickerson, Qr. Mr. at Cincinnati, and by Lt. Col. Geo. H. Crosman at Philadelphia,--also referring to the proposition of the State of Illinois.

You will notice by the endorsement that the Secretary approves fo the recommendation contained in the report.

Very Respectfully Yr Obt Servt M C Meigs Quarter Master General

(copy) | Quarter Master General's Office Washington City, 31 Dec. 1861

Hon Simon Cameron Sec. Of War –

Sir, The Governor of Illinois informs me that the state has, since the 1st of December, entered into contract for the following articles of clothing at prices which are compared with the prices offered at Cincinnati under an advertisement of Capt Dickerson, of Dec. 11th and with the prices paid in Philadelphia, by Lt. Col. Crosman Depy Q.M.G. on Dec 2d, the date of the Illinois contracts.

I have, where the Philada & Cincinnati prices differed, taken the higher prices of these two places, to compare with the Illinois contracts.

Amts Amts Ills. Phil. Cin. Ills. Phil or Cinn.

10,000 Infty O-coats, at $9.50 - $7.75 - $8.25- 95000 – 82,500

8,000 Cav. “ at 11.75 - 9.87 - 94,000 – 78,960

4,000 Cav. & Art. Jackets at 6.90 – 6.12 – 5.37 – 27,600 – 24, 480

30,000 Infty Frock Coats @ 8.00 6.87 7.22½ 240,000 216,750

30,000 “ Pants Lined @ 4.00 3.37 3.24 120,000 101,100

10,000 Cav. & Art. Pants @ 6.25 4.50 4.60 62,500 46,000

40,000 Flannel Shirts @ 1.46 .96 58,400 38,400

30,000 “ Drawer @ 1.21 .50 36,300 15,000

Total Amts – $ 733,800 $603,190

Difference $130, 610

$ 733,800

The total amount of these Illinois contracts will exceed the United State prices therefore by $ 130,610

The State desires now to turn these goods, as received from the contractors, over to the United States Quarter Master at Springfield, for issue to the Illinois troops, and to be paid as the Quarter Master's Department may be supplied with funds for the purpose, at the rates specified as the United States prices – the state, for the present, settling with the contractors leaving the question of full reimbursement for her expenditures to the decided hereafter.

Under the present circumstances, I

think this course the best that can be adopted, and I respectfully recommend that the proposition of the Governor be accepted.

Very Respectfully Yur Obt Servt (Signed) M.C. Meigs

Qr. Mr. Genls Office Washington Dec 31/61

Report stating comparison prices of clothing as contracted for by State of Illinois – paid by Capt Dickerson & by Col. Crosman – and recommencing acceptance of proposition of Governor of Illinois.

Approved (Signed) Simon Cameron Sec. War War Dept Jan 2/62

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Order if give to me, but would try to obtain the money if I could, on the strength of the notice which I and the treasurer had of the coming of the remittance.”

The extraordinary character of this order will be more fully comprehended when it is understood that there was no pretence of any military or other necessity to justify such an outrage, and that General Fremont had no more right in that case to order the government money in the vaults of the sub-treasury, at St. Louis, to be seized, then the commander of the department at Washington would have to order a regiment of soldiers to break into the public chest in the treasury building, and take whatever sum of money that might there be found, under any pretence he might choose to assign.

Further attention is called to the testimony of Colonel Andrews, and particularly to that part of it containing copies of the orders for the illegal transfer of funds belonging to the pay department to other purposes; and also the order of General Fremont to pay “Brigadier General Asboth, United States volunteer,” the full pay and emoluments of a regular brigadier general of the United States army, when it was understood that the said Asboth held no such appointment from the President of the United States.

The general order making the announcement of the staff of the major general commanding the department is to be found in the testimony of Colonel Andrews. Though in the army for nearly forty years, he was unable to fix the status of the “musical director,” the “adlatus to the chief of staff,” the “military registrator and expeditor,” the “postal director,” of “the police director,” as designated in the said order.--(See testimony of T.P. Andrews, pages 612 and 613.)

SHIPMENT OF ICE FROM ST. LOUIS TO JEFFERSON CITY.

On the 3rd of October, 1861, General Fremont made a requisition for five hundred tons of ice, to be sent from St. Louis to Jefferson City, which was promptly filled by Dr. Alexander, the medical purveyor at St. Louis. The cost of the ice was $4,500, besides the cost of transportation. There appears to have been no fraud connected with ordering of this ice, but the transaction shows the recklessness and extravagance which prevailed in the department, even in the smaller matters. Dr. Wells, the intelligent post surgeon at Jefferson City, was not consulted at all in relation to the necessity of ice being sent to that port. He testifies on the subject as follows:

Question. Was there any medical necessity for sending such a quantity of ice to Jefferson City?

Answer. Not the least. I had, as post surgeon, bought an ice-house with its contents; I do not know how much, but, from a rough estimate, enough, I supposed to supply the hospital. I ordered the hospital steward to issue 50 pound of ice a day from that ice-house—enough for hospital purposes.

118 GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

Question. State your opinion as to there being any necessity for any more ice for the hospital.

Answer. I do not think there was any necessity for sending for any more ice. I do not think the sick required any more ice than we had on hand. I though the supply of ice on hand would be sufficient, with proper economy, to answer all demands upon it.

Question. Was nay consultation had with you, as post surgeon at Jefferson City, I relation to the necessity for this ice?

Answer. None whatever.

Question. Was it not proper that you should be consulted about it?

Answer. I should think so.

Question. If application had been made to you, what would have been your advice?

Answer. I should have advised not to send it.

Question. What is going to become of that ice?

Answer. I presume it will melt. That which cannot be got into the ice-houses must melt very soon.

Question. And be a total loss to the government?

Answer. Of course, I cannot say positively that the ice was intended for Jefferson City.

Question. Would it be practicable to carry that ice along with the army?

Answer. It would require a vast number of teams to take along 500 tons.

Question. Have you had any direction, or heard of any directions being given, to send that ice out after the army?

Answer. No, sir.

UNAUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF TROOPS.

During the sitting of the committee in St. Louis they learned that the 39th regiment of Illinois volunteers, better known perhaps as the “Yates Phalanx,” had been ordered to be removed from Benton barracks, in St. Louis, to Williamsport, in the State of Maryland. This regiment had been mustered into service at Chicago, and was ordered west from Chicago, to join General Fremont at St. Louis, at an expense of from six to seven thousand dollars. As connected with the contract for the transportation of the regiment, your committee deemed it a duty to make some inquiry in relation to its transfer from St. Louis to the east, when at the same time it was understood that other regiments were going from east to west. It appears from the testimony of Captain McKeever, the assistant adjutant general on the staff of General Fremont, that on or about the 25th of October, Ward H. Lamon, esq., arrived in St. Louis. Captain McKeever understood that he was the same gentleman who held the office of United States marshal for the District of Columbia, (see McKeever's testimony, page 1051.) About the same time, Captain McKeever received a note from Colonel Eaton, military secretary of General Fremont, stating that the general

wished him (McKeever) to order the 39th Illinois regiment to proceed to Virginia, to join “General Lamon's brigade.” Mr. Lamon (who then had on the uniform of a brigadier general) told Captain McKeever that he had four regiments in his brigade, and that he was to receive a commission of brigadier general; that his mission to St. Louis was to get an order from General Fremont for the removal of this regiment, which McKeever understood him to say had been promised some time before by the President. The following is a copy of the order:

“Special Orders, “No.

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT. St. Louis, Mo., October 26, 1861.

“The 39th Illinois volunteers, Colonel Light, is relieved from duty in this department, to serve in General Lamon's brigade in Western Virginia. The regiment will proceed to Williamsport, Maryland, taking three days' cooked rations.

“By order of Major General Fremont. “Chauncey McKeever, “Assistant Adjutant General.”

“Official: Adjutant General's Office, December 5, 1861. “Geo. D. Ruggles, “Assistant Adjutant General.”

The cost of transportation of this regiment from St. Louis to Williamsport, Captain McKeever said, would be somewhere about thirty thousand dollars, and that he knew no object to be accomplished by the transfer except to give “General Lamon” an additional regiment to fill up his brigade. In answer to the inquiries of the committee, the Secretary of War states that there is no law authorizing any commander of a department to send troops to other departments without special orders from the Secretary of War or the commander-in-chief, and that, consequently, the removal of the thirty-ninth Illinois regiment was made without proper authority. The Secretary also states that his “department is not informed of the military or other reasons that existed for the transfer of the said regiment as aforesaid.” – (See letters of the Secretary of War, Appendix “I.”)

Edward H. Castle, who, at this time, had charge of the railroad transportation in the western department, state that on Saturday evening, the 26th of October, Mr. Lamon was introduced to him as a brigadier general from Washington, and that he was “wearing the dress of such a military officer.” His object was to have Castle send him the next day (Sunday) by special express train from St. Louis to Springfield, Illinois, at the expense of the government. Castle was, apparently, very much flattered in being introduced to so high a dignitary as a brigadier general, all the way from Washington to St. Louis. He ordered an engine and car for the express purpose of not

120 GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS.

only taking Mr. Lamon to Springfield, but several of his friends. In going from St. Louis west to see General Fremont, Castle provided that Mr. Lamon should not only go free of expense, but he directed his express messenger to “show him attention and contribute to his comfort.” It turns out, from the letter of the Secretary of War, that this gentleman, who proclaimed himself a brigadier general, and who was wearing the insignia belonging to that distinguished rank, had no such appointment. All such pretences were unfounded, and, as your committee understand, was also the pretence that the President had told him that he might take this regiment. He seems to have made use of his official position as marshal for the District of Columbia, and his assumed position as a brigadier general, to secure his object of removing the regiment, and in traveling in special trains at public expense. Your committee believe, with Captain McKeever, that the removal of the regiment had no other object except the gratification of Mr. Lamon. But at such as time as this, when every dollar in the treasury is needed to crush out the rebellion, they submit that the sum of thirty thousand dollars is too large a sum to be expended for the purpose of flattering the vanity of any single individual. The removal of the regiment was not only without authority of law, but was inexpedient and without justification. Thirty thousand dollars of the public money has been worse than squandered in this transaction, which should receive unqualified condemnation. Mr. Lamon had no authority whatever to travel in special trains at the public expense, and he should be called upon to refund the amount paid for the special train which took him and his friends from St. Louis to Springfield. If he shall not do so, the proper accounting officers of the treasury should ascertain what that amount is, and deduct the same from his salary as marshal of the District of Columbia.

It may be stated in this connexion that it is believed by your committee that there have been great abuses, in the military service, in the system of granting railroad passes, and that the government has been put to unjustifiable expense in transporting people who had no claim upon it whatever. It is an abuse which should be speedily corrected.

ROTTEN AND CONDEMNED BLANKETS. Edward M. Davis is an assistant quartermaster United States army, and was a member of the staff of General Fremont. The son of this assistant quartermaster, Henry C. Davis, a young man of twenty-two years of age, and clerk in a store in Philadelphia, sent samples of some blankets to St. Louis, in consequence of which General Fremont himself gave an order to Quartermaster Davis for some twelve or fourteen thousand dollars' worth of them. On their arrival at St. Louis word was sent to Captain Davis that the blankets were rotten. A board of survey was appointed, consisting of three regular army offers, to-wit: Captain Hendershott, Captain Haines, and Captain Turnley, and the following is a copy of the report of the board of survey:

Q M Genl. M.C. Meigs

[illegible] Jany 11

Hon Wm Kellogg

enclosing copy of his letter to Secy of War as to comparative prices, &c. –

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