IV. PUBLIC-Numbers 212.

AN ACT to provide for the better organization of the Quartermaster's Department.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be established in the office of the Quartermaster-General of the Army, to exist during the present rebellion, and one year thereafter, the following divisions, each of which shall be placed in the charge of a competent officer of the Quartermaster's Department, to be assigned to such duty by the Secretary of War, who shall, under such rules as may be prescribed by the Quartermaster-General, with the approval of the Secretary of War, transact the business of such division as hereinafter provided, to wit:

The First Division shall have charge of the purchase, procurement, and disposition of horses and mules for cavalry, artillery, wagon and ambulance trains, and all other purposes for which horses or mules may be procured for the armies of the United States.

The Second Division shall have charge of the purchase, procurement, issue, and disposition of cloth and clothing, knapsacks, camp and garrison equipage, and all accouterments of the soldier which are provided by the Quartermaster's Department.

The Third Division shall have charge of the purchase, charter, hire, and maintenance of all vessels to be used in the transportation of the Army, and of prisoners of war, and of their supplies on the ocean, and the bays and sounds connected therewith, and upon the northern and northwestern lakes, including all vessels propelled by steam or otherwise, owned or employed by the War Department, excepting river steam vessels and barges upon the Western rivers.

The Fourth Division shall have charge of the purchase, charter, hire, maintenance, and procurement of all transportation for the army, and its supplies by land and upon the Western rivers (others than transportation by animal power in the field, and at camps, garrisons, posts, depots, and stations), including all railroad and telegraph lines operated by the United States for military purposes, and of all steam rams and gun-boats owned or employed by the War Department upon the Western rivers, until other dispositions shall be made of them by competent authority.

The Fifth Division shall have charge of the purchase, procurement, issue, and disposition of forage and straw for the Army.

The Sixth division shall have charge of the erection, procurement, maintenance, disposition, and so fort, of all barracks, hospital buildings, store-houses, stables, bridges (other than railroad bridges), wharves, and other structures composed in whole or in part of lumber, and of all lumber, nails, and hardware for building purposes; and of the hire and commutation of quarters for officers, the hire of quarters for troops, the hire of grounds for cantonments, or other military purposes, and the repair and care of all buildings and other structures herein mentioned, and of all grounds owned, hired, or occupied for military purposes, except such as are lawfully under the charge of other bureaus of the War Department; and of extra pay to soldiers employed in erecting barracks, or other fatigue duty, under the acts of March second, eighteen hundred and nineteen, and August fourth, eighteen hundred and fifty-four.

The Seventh Division shall have charge of the purchase, procurement, issue, and disposition of all wagons, ambulances, traveling forges and harness (except such as are furnished by the Ordnance Department), and of all haverware except as hereinbefore provided; and of all fuel for officers and enlisted men, camps, garrisons, hospitals, posts, store-houses, offices, public transports, steam rams, and army gun-boats, and of all transportation by animal power in the field, at camps, garrisons, posts, depots and stations; and of the constructions and repair of roads other than railroads; and of the compensation of wagon and forage masters, and of clerks to officers of the Quartermaster's Department; and of the purchase of heating and cooking stoves; and of the expenses of courts-martial, military commissions, and courts of inquiry; and of mileage and allowances to officers for the transportation of themselves and their baggage when traveling upon duty without troops, escorts, or supplies, and of supplies for prisoners of war and such refugees as the Secretary of War may direct to be temporarily provided for; and of the purchase of stationery, blanks, and blank books for the Quartermaster's Department; and of the printing of the division and department orders and reports; and of the proper and authorized expenses for the movements and operations of an army not expressly assigned to any other division or department.

The Eighth Division shall have charge of all inspections of the Quartermaster's Department, and of all reports made by officers assigned to inspection duty, analyzing and preserving the reports as received, and communicating, through