An inquiry will probably satisfy you that the forage thus purchased has been very expensive, when you take into consideration the original cost, its excessively dear transportation at the expense of the Government, and loss by damage, & c. It is proper, however, that I content myself with reporting to you the amounts this army will require. You can judge, at this moment, as well as any one, where and when it will be required. In a former letter I suggested that supplies should be placed afloat at Fortress Monroe and held subject to our orders. I have the honor to inclose you a memorandum of our means of transportation, Burnside's command excepted, as reported to-day.

I am, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

RUFUS INGALLS,

Brigadier General and Chief Quartermaster, Army of the Potomac.

P. S. - Please excuse appearance of the memoranda; it was hastily prepared; it will answer your purpose, probably. The number of animals will prove somewhat greater, but not much.

R. I.

[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

CIRCULAR.] HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF QUARTERMASTER,

May 3, 1864.

Chief quartermasters of corps and other independent commands will at once report to their respective commanding officers for orders as to the movements of the trains under the general order of movement just issued from these headquarters, and see that implicit obedience is given to such orders, and those conveyed herein. Chief quartermasters will as a rule remain near their commanding generals, so as to be able to communicate and execute their orders and such instructions as may be received from me. The quartermaster second in rank, with each command, will be placed immediately in charge of the trains, and will have most if not all the division and brigade quartermasters present with their trains, subject, however, to such exceptions as may be made, in writing, by corps and other independent commanders.

I shall be habitually at headquarters on the march, but shall sometimes be with the trains. My representatives will at all times be with the trains. Any orders in my name given, or conveyed by Captains Pitkin, Peirce, Howell, and Jones, assistant quartermasters, and Lieutenants Webster and Case, my aides-de-camp, will be obeyed and respected by all the officers of the quartermaster's department. The order of the movement of the trains to-morrow will be as follows: All the wagons of the army, except those specified in paragraph 10, of General Orders,* will be assembled at Richardsville. The trains of the Second Army Corps will move immediately in the rear of the pontoon train that follows the Artillery Reserve, taking the direct road to Richardsville. The Fifth Corps train will take the direct road from Stevensburg to Richardsville, in the rear of Second Corps train. The Sixth Corps train will cross the railroad near Ingall's Station, between the cattle-pen and Captain Strang's depot, taking the road by Shaw's, Brown's, and Shackelford's to Paoli Mills, thence to Shepherd's Grove Post-Office, where they will

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* See p. 333.

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