To provide further against suffering from unavoidable accident or delays in procuring and in the transportation of supplies, the principal U. S. quartermaster in or near each State was authorized to purchase articles of necessity in case of failure in obtaining them in time by the regular method.

With this report I submit abstracts of purchases made by Colonel Crosman, deputy quartermaster-general at Philadelphia (E),* Colonel Vinton, deputy quartermaster-general at New York (F),* and Captain Dickerson, assistant quartermaster at Cincinnati (G),* under instructions of August 13, and also a consolidated abstract (H)* of the principal purchases and issues during the first nine months of the present year from the four depots of New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Saint Louis, these depots supplying the greater part, though not the whole, of the clothing, camp, and garrison equipage of the Army.

The contracts and agreements made under the instructions of the department are now bringing in a very large supply. The stock of clothing on hand at the time the new levies were called for has been exhausted by the issues to them, with those needed to supply the daily wear and tear of the Army in the field much increased by the result of late military operations, but the department, it is confidently expected, will be able to supply all probable calls without much delay, excepting the calls for tents. For troops in permanent encampments it will be necessary to construct huts for winter use. Troops in active campaign will be supplied with shelter tents. Wooden huts or temporary barracks have been ordered in most of the States of shelter the drafted men, in consequence of the great expense and difficulty of providing tents, caused by the scarcity of the material for their manufacture.

The Army, owing to the inexperience of its officers and soldiers, consumes much more clothing and equipage than is nearly necessary, and in order to preserve its health and efficiency the department is obliged to provide for replacing much that is wasted through carelessness and ignorance.

For instance, there have been issued from the hour principal depots in the first nine months of this year 760,000 uniform coats, and materials to make 150,000 in addition. Of uniform trousers or materials for their manufacture about 2,500,000 have been distributed.

M. C. MEIGS,

Quartermaster-General.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, D. C., November 3, 1862.

ALLEN C. FULLER,

Adjutant-General, Springfield, Ill.:

It is not necessary to complete the enrollment under the circumstances.

C. P. BUCKINGHAM,

Brigadier-General and Assistant Adjutant-General.

BOSTON, November 3, 1862.

Honorable E. M. STANTON:

I propose beginning a new cavalry regiment, enlisted for the war, to join General Banks, if you will immediately send me for its colonel

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*Omitted.

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