SERIES III.-VOL. I. CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, REPORTS, AND RETURNS OF THE UNION AUTHORITIES FROM NOVEMBER 1, 1860, TO MARCH 31, 1862.* Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD, Secretary of War: ORDNANCE OFFICE, Washington, November 12, 1859. SIR: In compliance with your orders of the 10th instant, I transmit the inclosed tabular statement of the muskets and rifles on hand at each of the armories and arsenals. It does not include the 23,894 flint-lock muskets and 652 flint-lock rifles still remaining unaltered. I am, sir, with much respect, your obedient servant, [Inclosure.] Statement of the number of serviceable muskets and rifles on hand at each armory and Totals..... 275, 744 14,765 213, 155 33, 631 24, 105 561, 400 1,385 43, 375 4, 102 48, 862 176 152 737 8,599 51 73, 657 19 1, 603 2 2,300 19 1,603 2 19 2, 319 20 321 7,678 31 696 3, 570 4,266 1,685 51 1,685 ORDNANCE OFFICE, Washington, November 12, 1859. * For all documents relating to the organization of troops on the Pacific Coast, &c., see Series I, Vol. L. 1 R R-SERIES III, VOL I Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD, Secretary of War: ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I am instructed by the Governor of Virginia to inform you that there exists in this State an extended and daily increasing apprehension of insecurity and danger, resulting, among other causes, from manifestations of domestic insubordination; that he feels it necessary for protection and security to arm the volunteer corps in particular localities with better arms than we have now at command, and for that purpose requests that you will authorize an advance to the State immediately of a number of the original army percussioned muskets, with accouterments, equivalent to the quota of arms which may be due to the State under the act of Congress of 1808 for the year 1861, estimated by the Colonel of Ordnance at about 682 muskets. This would not be asked except under the pressure of extraordinary circumstances. I am further instructed to say that the money value of the arms shall be promptly paid to the United States if Congress shall so require, or the arms returned in kind and of equal value so soon as they can be fabricated at the armory of the State now going into operation. If this request be complied with, an immediate delivery of the arms will be desirable. It is proper to state that there are some discrepancies in the account between the State of Virginia and the United States, growing out of irregularities during the excitement from the capture of the Government works at Harper's Ferry last fall, which have not yet been adjusted; that there is an order in the hands of the proper officer at Harper's Ferry Arsenal in favor of the State for the delivery of 187 rifled muskets and appendages, with accouterments, which by reason of the discrepancies in account have not been drawn, and which will not be drawn in the event of a compliance with the above request for an advance of the smooth-bore muskets; that on the 26th October, 1859, the State is charged with a requisition in favor of Col. J. T. Gibson, of Jefferson County, with 120 rifled muskets and accouterments, equal to 167 muskets, which in fact were not drawn by that officer, who in lieu of them received a like number of Hall rifles on loan, as he states, from the superintendent. These Hall arms Colonel Gibson has been ordered to return to the superintendent; but I conceive that the 120 rifled muskets which the requisition called for ought not to be charged to the State, not having been received by her, nor the Hall rifles, which were issued in lieu of them without her knowledge or authority. Triplicate receipts for alleged issues at Harper's Ferry Arsenal upon the verbal order of Governor Wise have been presented for signature to this office, but have not yet been signed, for the reason that it does not yet appear to whom or where the arms were delivered or sent, and there is no trace of any order for them in the proper department here. These receipts are for 120 long-range rifles with sword attachment, 200 rifled muskets, and some fixed ammunition. None of these items, I conceive, can properly be charged against the State now, and if not I suppose the quota for the next year stands without a drawback. I need scarcely say that all items of the account which may now be suspended for any cause will be fairly adjusted by the State authorities, and that any irregularity of issues which were certainly made to the officers of the State will not be used as an advantage or objection when those issues shall have been traced, which, owing to unavoidable circumstances, has not yet been done. No impediment to the request for the advance upon the next year's quota, I hope, therefore, will arise, and especially as you are personally aware of the urgency of our necessities. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD, Secretary of War: Adjutant-General. ORDNANCE OFFICE, Washington, November 3, 1860. SIR: In answer to the letter of General Richardson of the 1st instant, referred to this office for a report, I have the honor to state that the State of Virginia, as fully communicated to General Richardson in my letter to him of the 15th of September last, is charged with its full quota for 1861 and arms equivalent to 203 muskets on account of the quota for 1862. The 120 rifled muskets and accouterments referred to by General Richardson were at first charged to the State, but it having been subsequently ascertained that they had not been issued, and that 120 Hall rifles had been supplied in their stead, the State received credit for the 120 rifled muskets and accouterments. This matter was fully explained to General Richardson in my letters to him of the 26th of July and 10th of August last. There is no evidence in this office that the 120 Hall rifles have been returned to the armory. When information shall have been received of their return in good, serviceable condition, they will be credited to the State. The issue to Colonel Davis of 120 long-range rifles with sword bayonets was made by the orders of this office-60 of them on the requisition of General Richardson of the 5th of November last, and 60 by order of Governor Wise. The 200 rifled muskets were issued to Colonel Davis on the requisition of Governor Wise. All these issues having been regularly reported as made to the State, I entertain no doubt as to their correctness. As it appears from General Richardson's letter that the 187 rifled muskets and accouterments ordered in June last remain still undrawn, I deem it but proper, with a view to keep the issues to the State within the limit of the quota of 1861, to reduce their issue to 42 rifled muskets and accouterments. If the 120 Hall rifles herein referred to are returned to the United States, the State will then be entitled, in addition to the 42 rifled muskets and accouterments, to 156 muskets, being equivalent to 112 rifled muskets and accouterments. The letter of General Richardson is herewith returned. Respectfully, your obedient servant, H. K. CRAIG, Colonel of Ordnance. RICHMOND, November 3, 1860. Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD, Secretary of War: SIR: I am instructed by the armory board of commissioners of Virginia to make the following requests of the War Department: First. That we shall be allowed to purchase from the Government 5,000 muskets altered from flint-lock to percussion, and said to be for sale at $2.50 apiece. Our necessity for these is immediate, in consequence of the small number of arms in the State and the rumors of insurrection which, whether well or ill founded, disturb the public mind and render it necessary for our repose that our military should be armed. Capt. Charles Dimmock will visit Washington immediately to receive these muskets, and we respectfully request that every facility may be afforded to him in forwarding the arms to this place without delay. We shall be prepared to pay for them at such time as the Department may indicate. Second. We are informed that the Government has 130,000 seasoned musket-stocks at Harper's Ferry, and that the consumption does not exceed 12,000 per annum. We suppose, therefore, that 20,000 of these seasoned stocks might be replaced by green ones without injury to the public service, and we ask leave to make such substitution. The green stocks can be purchased by the superintendent at Harper's Ferry, and we will pay for them. The seasoned stocks are intended for use a year or two hence, or possibly a little earlier, as the operations of our armory may require, and unless we can get them from the Government we shall have barrels without stocks until the green stocks shall season. We are informed that a stock does not season properly in less than three years. Third. We are engaged in making a model arm at Springfield, under an order which the War Department was so obliging as to give, and we should be greatly aided by permission to use the Government patterns and to take drawings of them. We request that our master armorer, Mr. Solomon Adams, may be allowed to do this at our expense, and so far as it may be done without detriment to the public service. I have the honor to remain, your most obedient servant, [Indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, November 6, 1860. The proposition for the purchase of 5,000 altered muskets, at $2.50 each, made within, is accepted. The Colonel of Ordnance will take the necessary measures to have them delivered as requested. be selected by Captain Dimmock. Hon. JOHN B. FLOYD: The arms to J. B. FLOYD, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Jackson, Miss., November 6, 1860. DEAR SIR: The State of Mississippi has 160 flint-lock muskets in perfect order, never having been used. I wish to exchange them for rifles. If you have the power to make this exchange, please write me on what terms. Please write me also how and when I can purchase of the Federal Government a few thousand muskets with percussion locks, or rifles. DEAR SIR: When we made this year's requisition on the General Government for our quota of arms as usual, we applied for friction primers and Maynard primers-articles that were furnished us last year. The Ordnance Department advised me that we could not be furnished with them, but suggested they might be had of the Government by purchase. My object in addressing you is to desire you to recommend to the Secretary of War to issue an order to the Ordnance Department to supply our State with these articles and such small lots of fixed ammunition as we may be in want of-if possible on our quota of arms, or by purchase. And you will much oblige this department. Respectfully, yours, D. L. WOOD, Quartermaster-General of Ohio. Hon. J. B. FLOYD, Secretary of War: [Indorsement.] COLUMBUS, OHIO, November 16, 1860. DEAR SIR: Can the order within asked for by the Ohio quartermaster-general, Wood, be complied with? If so, it will oblige, Yours, &c., S. S. COX. Col. H. K. CRAIG: EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Columbia, S. C., November 12, 1860. DEAR SIR: I learn that some of the States have received their quota of arms for next year, and I should be pleased to have the quota for South Carolina. I wish the whole quota in "rifled muskets and appendages, new patterns, caliber .58." Send them immediately to Charleston, S. C., to Maj. P. F. Stevens, superintendent of the Citadel Academy. Very respectfully, His Excellency JOHN J. PETTUS, WM. H. GIST. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 14, 1860. Governor of Mississippi, Jackson: SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this day from the Hon. Jacob Thompson of your letter of the 6th instant, and in reply to inform you that there is no authority in this Department to exchange rifles for flint-lock muskets, as proposed by you. We have percussion muskets altered from flint-lock at the Bater Rouge and Saint Louis arsenals, which are for sale at $2.50 each.. Should you desire to purchase any of them, and will advise me of the number, I will issue the necessary orders to comply with your request. Two thousand can be delivered at Baton Rouge, and any larger number at Saint Louis. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN B. FLOYD, Secretary of War. ORDNANCE OFFICE, His Excellency WILLIAM H. GIST, Washington, November 15, 1860. Governor of South Carolina, Columbia, S. C.: SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, and in answer to state that according to a regula |