The following statement, taken from a report of the chief quartermaster with the army, will show what progress was made in supplying the army with clothing from the 1st of September to the date of crossing the Potomac on the 31st of October, and that a greater part of the clothing did not reach our depots until after the 15th of October:

Statement of clothing and equipage received at the different depots of the Army of the Potomac from September 1, 1862, to Oct. 31, 1862.

Received at the depot-

Clothing From From Oct. From Oct. From Oct. Total.

and September 6 to Oct. 15 to 25 to

equipage 1 to Oct. 15. Oct. 25. Oct. 31.

6.

Drawers 10,700 17,000 40,000 30,000 97,700

Forage 4,000 11,000 19,500

------

34,500

caps

Stockings 6,200 22,025 65,200 30,000 123,42

5

Sack coats 4,190

-------

-------

-------

4,190

Cavalry 3,000 500 1,250 1,500 6,250

jackets

Canteens 6,000 10,221 9,000 3,008 28,229

Flannel 6,200 18,325 18,876 2,200 45,301

shirts

Haversacks 6,000 12,989 5,000 9,900 33,889

Trousers 4,200 1,000 2,500 5,000 12,700

(mounted)

Boots 4,200 6,000 3,600 20,400 33,840

Shelter- 11,100 3,000 9,000

------

23,100

tents

Camp 799 1,302 1,894

-------

3,995

kettles

Mess-pans 2,030 2,100 4,500

--------

8,630

Overcoats 3,500 12,000 14,770

--------

30,270

(foot)

Artillery 1,200 500 1,750 1,000 4,450

jackets

Blankets 20

------

6,500 4,384 10,904

Overcoats 1,200 875 3,500 2,015 7,590

(mounted)

Felt hats 2,200 7,000

------

-------

9,200

Infantry 2,000 12,060 22,500 7,500 44,060

coats

Trousers 2,000 9,500 39,620 25,000 76,120

(foot)

Bootees 2,000 7,000 52,900

-------

61,900

Knit

------

2,655 2,424 11,595 16,674

shirts

Colonel Ingalls, chief quartermaster, in his report upon this subject, says:

There was great delay in receiving our clothing. the orders were promptly given by me and approved by General Meigs, but the roads were slow to transport, particularly the Cumberland Valley road. For instance, clothing ordered to Hagerstown on the 7th of October for the corps of Franklin, Porter, and Reynolds, did not arrive there until about the 18th, and by that time, of course, there were increased wants and changes in position of troops. The clothing of Sumner arrived in great quantities near the last of October, almost, too late for issue, as the army was crossing into Virginia. We finally left 50,000 suits at Harper's Ferry, partly on the cars just arrived and partly in store.

The causes of the reduction of our cavalry force have already been recited. The difficulty in getting new supplies from the usual sources led me to apply for and obtain authority for the cavalry and artillery officers to purchase their own horses. the following are the telegrams and letters on this subject:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

October 12, 1862 - 12.45 p. m.

Major-General HALLECK, General-in-Chief:

It is absolutely necessary that some energetic means be taken to supply the cavalry of this army with remount horses. The present rate of supply is 1,050 per week for the entire army here and in front of Washington. From this number the artillery draw for their batteries.

GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding.