Expense of Tenth Regiment, at Lafayette... Number of rations issued.. Cost per ration... Expense of Twenty-Fourth Regiment, at Vincennes. Number of rations issued.. Cost per ration. Expense of Thirtieth Regiment, at Fort Wayne. Number of rations issued... Cost per ration... Expense of one company, at Columbus..... Number of rations issued... Cost per ration... Expense of City Hospital, Indianapolis. Number of rations issued... Cost per ration... $2,335 13 17,336 13 45-100c 1,720 94 11,604 14 82-100c 2,205 89 17,254 12 78-100c 6,208 39 46,219 .13 43-100e 1,726 39 13,836 ..12 46-100c 162 34 906 .17 47-100c 889 19 6,465 13 72-100c 1,333 77 3,629 36 69-100c Expense of recruits at hotels, at sundry places Number of rations issued.. Cost per ration... RECAPITULATION. Whole expense... Whole number of rations issued... Cost per ration.. $94,159 16 728,008 12 94-100c It is believed that no State has fed her troops better, or as cheaply, as we have ours. My entire study was, to look after the welfare and comfort of our volunteers, as was evidenced from the fact that I furnished them articles of food and necessaries unknown to the "Army Regulations." And the universal expression among the men, when they were transferred from State authority to that of the General Government, and ruled down to the "Army Regulations," was, that they did not fare near as well, or as comfortably, as when under State control. At the same time I studied ecomony in my expenditures, and endeavored to impress it upon all the officers and men under my control. The usual method of determining the cost per ration is by simply taking the cost of the articles of subsistence. But in my statement I have included every thing, my salary, and those of all the men in my employ, together with all the expenditures, of every kind, in my department. On or about the 1st of September, 1861, an arrangement was effected with the General Government, by which the General Government took the entire charge and control of feeding the troops during their organization into regiments. Since that time the State has fed but few troops, and those only in small squads or detachments, no account of which appears in this report. Since the 1st of September, 1861, I have traveled under your direction, looking after the wants and interests of our troops, more than five thousand four hundred miles by rail, and over one thousand miles on horseback, having seen and visited nearly all the Indiana regiments in the field, west of Cheat Mountain, in Vir- ' ginia. I think a vast amount of good was thus accomplished, in getting clothing, and other necessary articles, to our soldiers, some of whom were almost destitute, and in visiting the sick and disabled in hospitals, and other places, and aiding them in obtaining discharges and furloughs home; reports of which, in detail, have been made to you from time to time. From careful observation, I have no doubt that hundreds of valuable lives have been saved to their country and families, by your energy and exertions in their behalf. While visiting the regiments I have brought home, for the families of our soldiers, over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, not one cent of which, to the best of my knowledge or belief, has failed to reach its proper destination. On the 28th day of June, 1862, you established an additional department to systematize more fully the plan of caring for our sick and disabled soldiers in the field and hospitals, and placed me at the head of that department. I immediately opened a set of books, and furnished blank reports to all our Regimental Surgeons, and also gave instructions to agents appointed by yourself, to visit camps and hospitals wherever there were sick or wounded Indiana soldiers. By means of the reports of these surgeons and agents, I have been able to answer hundreds of inquiries relative to husbands, sons and friends, as to their condition and location. I was also, under your direction, placed in charge of the "Soldier's Home," an institution created to take care of convalescent soldiers, and to feed and provide for soldiers awaiting discharges, medical examinations, or military orders; and also to provide meals for regiments or squads of soldiers in transit. The buildings were erected, but not furnished, by the General Government. We can comfortably lodge from two hundred to two hundred and fifty, and can get a good meal for one thousand men—so complete are all our cooking arrangements-in thirty minutes, and feed them all at the same time, in our large dining room. This building was formally opened August 1, 1862. During the month of August, there were prepared and furnished to the inmates, twenty thousand nine hundred and thirty-one meals; during September, fifty-eight thousand one hundred and forty meals; during October, forty-eight thousand seven hundred and forty-four meals; during November, forty-one thousand four hundred and twentyseven meals. The General Government furnishes the provisions; but by means of a system of rigid economy, the "Soldier's Home" has made for the Government in the way of savings,-for the month of August, ninety-nine dollars and seventy-seven cents; for September, one thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars and thirty-seven cents; for October, nine hundred and forty-five dollars and sixty-six cents; for November, one thousand one hundred and fifty-eight dollars and fifteen cents. I think I shall be able to get enough of these savings from the proper Government officer, to meet the current expenses of the institution, and to pay the sum of about twelve hundred dollars expended in furnishing the interior of the buildings. This we are entitled to have, and then the Government will have made a large amount of money by these savings. On the 1st day of September, 1862, at your instance and request, I took charge of the Post Bakery, at Camp Morton. Those ovens, three in number, were built by the profits of the "Prisoner's Fund,” and are of capacity to bake from six to seven thousand loaves daily. I immediately increased the capacity of the bakery to such an extent that we can now bake from eleven to twelve thousand loaves daily. This was done by building an additional oven, and adding new buildings, with increased facilities, at an expense of five hundred and seventy-three dollars and seventy-four cents, which has all been paid out of the profits. This enlargement was necessary from the fact that we have been frequently called upon to furnish over eleven thousand loaves daily. The profits of the bakery, after paying all the expenses of hands, wood, &c., have been, for the month of September, one thousand two hundred and eighty-eight dollars and eighty-three cents; for October, one thousand four hundred and ninety-three dollars and seventy cents; for November, three thousand three hundred and fifty-eight dollars and eighty seven cents. These profits have been expended by me in furnishing stoves and other conveniences and comforts for soldiers' quarters and regimental hospitals, which could not be procured from Government officers, or by any other means, except by the State or private contributions. Vouchers for all moneys expended by me, from this fund, are in my hands, subject to such disposition as you or the Legislature may deem fit to make. Respectfully, A. STONE, Quarter-Master General and Acting Com'y General. |