ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., September 10, 1846. GENERAL: I have the honor to enclose herewith agreements entered into with teamsters and hostlers at St. Louis, for the purpose of conducting horses and mules thence to the army of occupation. A. R. HETZEL, Captain and Assistant Quartermaster. ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., September 10, 1846. GENERAL: I have the honor to enclose herewith contracts entered into at St. Louis, Missouri, with the masters of the steamers Sea Bird, Admiral, Prairie Bird, Brunswick, Old Hickory, Corinne, Iowa, and John Aull, for the transportation of horses and mules from St Louis to New Orleans and the mouth of Red river. A. R. HETZEL, Captain and Assistant Quartermaster. ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, GENERAL: I had the honor to transmit to you from Batavia, New York, my report in relation to the wagons offered by Mr. Tomlinson, of Pembroke. I received this morning the enclosed estimate, which he had made at my suggestion. Still I am of the opinion that these wagons can be made of no very useful purposes until at depot and for short routes, when two or three horses can be used with them. The alterations proposed will make the price of these wagons about $118, which I consider reasonable. Major General TH. S. JESUP, D. H. VINTON, Assistant Quartermaster., Quartermaster General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, New York, July 21, 1846. GENERAL: I have just received your letter of the 20th instant, and communicated a brief reply by telegraph. Mr. Tomlinson cannot get ready, at his manufactory, more than 70 wagons within the period of 30 or 40 days, he having sent 30 of the 100 he mentioned in his letter to you to Southport, on Lake Michigan, which, however, he promises to deliver at Cleveland in time to take the canal with those to be sent from Buffalo. Yet I am of opinion that the Southport wagons cannot undergo the modifications I have required upon the others; and unless they do, I would not recommend their purchase. The covers I shall have to "undertake" at this city, as I find that they cannot properly be made in the country. A contract, if one be determined on with Mr. Tomlinson, should be rigorous in its requirements in regard to time, to make him obedient to the condition which may limit the work to be done in 30 days. It is necessary for me to know whether it is your intention that I or Captain Clark shall enter into contracts for the harness. It should have the supervision of some judicious person, as there is a great difference in the materials used for such articles, and it is all important that none but the best be sent to Mexico. Harness for 400 horses, or 100 sets for 100 teams of four horses, can be fabricated, probably, in three weeks, at Newark, New Jersey. A good pattern should be furnished, both as to the shape and materials; this, I presume, can be obtained from the ordnance department in this vicinity, or at Watervliet. Permit me to inquire the number of sets of harness you contemplate procuring in this quarter. The Pembroke wagons should be drawn by two horses, or three at most. I have stated that it will require 30 days to send the wagons to New Orleans; this will depend much upon the state of the Ohio river, the conductor to accompany them, and the readiness at which means of transportation can be had at Buffalo; yet, with proper energy, it can be done in the time given. Major Gen. TH. S. JESUP, 1 D. H. VINTON, Assistant Quartermaster. Quartermaster General, Washington. NEW YORK, July 21, 1846. GENERAL JESUP: Mr. Tomlinson asserts that he could get the wagons ready in 30 days; I think he can get only 70 of them ready in Buffalo in 40 days. He had no hands, but enough can be obtained in the neighborhood on short notice. Suitable ready made wagons cannot be procured in this city or vicinity. The wagons may be sent by the Cleveland canal to New Orleans, probably, in 30 days. I wrote by mail. D. H. VINTON. ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday, by telegraph, in relation to the purchase of fifty wagons of Mr. Tomlinson. I have allowed him 20 days, from the 27th instant, to execute your order, and I await his reply, which shall be duly communicated to you when received. I presume it is your intention that harness shall be provided with these wagons; if so, permit me to request that Captain Clark may be directed to furnish them from those which may be first fabricated on the contracts he is about to make. Major Gen. TH. S. JESUP, D. H. VINTON, Assistant Quartermaster. Quartermaster General, Washington. ASSISTANT QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, GENERAL: Mr. Tomlinson has agreed to furnish fifty wagons, to be ready for transportation at Buffalo on or about the 16th instant. There should be some person at Pembroke to inspect the wagons, and to see that they conform to the requirements of my letter to Mr. Tomlinson on the subject, before they are taken to Buffalo. To the person who may be appointed to this duty, I can recommend a very capable man to act as conductor of the wagons through the canal and rivers, if he will consent to do so. Major Gen. TH. S. JESUP, D. H. VINTON, Assistant Quartermaster. Quartermaster General U. S. A., Washington, D. C. [TELEGRAPH.] PHILADELPHIA, July 20, 1846. SIR; No wagons or sets of harness are on hand, of those contracted for by Major Tompkins, or his order. 170 wagons, and the whole number (300) of sets of harness, have been delivered, and shipped to New Orleans. The remaining 120 wagons will be ready by the 12th August. Captain Clark contracted, to-day, for 200 additional wagons, to be delivered as follows: August 15th, 20; August 25th, 35; September 4th, 35; September 14th, 35; October 4th, 40-total, 200. He has also contracted for 200 sets of harness, to be delivered, it is presumed, within the same period. Will reply more at length to-morrow, by mail. II. BACHE, Major Topographical Engineers. General T. S. JESUP, Washington. [TELEGRAPH.] PHILADELPHIA, July 21, 1816. SIR: The true number of wagons completed under the old contract is 167; yet to be delivered, 133; of these 18 are called for by July 31, and 20 by August 2, leaving 95 to be completed between the last date and August 12. The contractors have agreed to fur nish the 20 set down for August 1, so to deliver 60 additional ones by same day, and 20 by August 5, they receiving $5 in addition on each of the last 80 wagons; no increase of price, they say, would enable them to do more. 400 additional sets of harness can be furnished within a month; also 150 more, provided the proper twisted brace chain can be had. H. BACHE, Major Topographical Engineers. General T. S. JESUP, Washington. PHILADELPHIA, July 21, 1846. SIR: I have but little to add to my telegraphic despatches of last evening and this morning. The clerk in charge of the papers of the office having left before the receipt of the department's despatch of yesterday, the number of wagons furnished was set down from memory. However, no discrepancy in the two as to the number of these. There was also a clerical error in stating 120 as the number to be finished; whereas, as there were 300 in all, it should have been 130. But the true statement is given in this morning's despatch. The inducement of $5 in addition on each wagon was offered the contractors, to meet the views of the department as to time, as contained in its despatch of this morning. These they declared most emphatically their entire inability to comply with. They were willing, however, though not without a good deal of consultation and some hesitation, to engage themselves to the extent mentioned in this morning's note, provided they receive the additional sum stated. This offer was accepted, trusting that the measure, though, not, in strictness, in conformity with that proposed by the department, would be approved. The department may rest assured that, under the circumstances, the very best arrangement that could be made has been made. The times of delivery of the 200 sets of harness contracted for by Captain Clark correspond, as heretofore reported, with the deliveries of the 200 wagons contracted for by the same officer. It was stated in this morning's note that 400 additional sets of harness could be furnished within a month. Still another hundred may be added to this number. Were it not for the difficulty of obtaining the twisted trace chains, harness to almost any extent could be got in this city at a month's notice. H. BACHE, Major Topographical Engineers. Maj. Gen. TH. S. JESUP, Washington. [TELEGRAPH.] PHILADELPHIA, July 22, 1849. SIR: Information is just received which warrants the belief that 600 sets of harness can be furnished within a month; also 50 sets more, provided the twisted chains can be got. H. BACHE, Major Topographical Engineers. Maj. Gen. T. S. JESUP, Washington. [TELEGRAPH.] PHILADELPHIA, July 22, 1846. SIR: Your despatch of this date has been received, and the 650 sets of 4-mule harness are ordered. It is not probable anything further can be done in regard to wagons, as it is supposed the present contractors have already taken up all the hands. Inquiries will, however, be made, and the department advised. H. BACHE, Major Topographical Engineers. Maj. Gen. TH. S. JESUP, Washington. [TELEGRAPH.] PHILADELPHIA, July 24, 1846. SIR: The contractors for wagons have just called to say that an individual by the name of Thistle, agent of the quartermaster's department, passed, through this city yesterday, after distributing printed circulars for proposals for building wagons by certain dates, at $125, (our contracts are for $110,) and that as their sub-contractors are about to accept them, it will be impossible for them to fulfil their contracts. Mr. T., it is said, has left an agent here, and proceeded on to Troy. I give the account as I received it, and assure the department that if it be correct, not a single additional wagon will be obtained by the measure, and yet the higher price paid. I have sent for the agent, and beg that I may receive an answer to this to communicate to him. The whole ground is already covered here, and no one should be allowed to interfere in it. H. BACHE. Major Topographical Engineers. Major Gen. T. S. JESUP, Washington. PHILADELPHIA, July 30, 1846. SIR: Three small wheelwright shops have proposed to make wagons; one, three wagons by September 1, and two more by October 4; another, one wagon every ten days, to the number of six; and a third, a wagon every fifteen days. Shall contracts be made with them? Two hundred sets of 4-mule harness, as the least number, can be furnished within two weeks after the completion of the contracts for 650 sets (August 22) authorized by the telegraphic despatch of |