Gs Wright to M. €, Meigs, January 18, 1862

Brig. Gen. M. €, MEIGS, Quartermaster-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.: GENERAL: I have this moment received a telegraphic dispatch from Colonel Sibley, written by your direction on the 14th instant. I have

just conversed with Colonel Babbitt on the subject of funds for his

department. It appears that Colonel Babbitt was advised by letter from your office on the 29th of November that the Treasury Department had been requested to place $200,000 to his credit, and again on the 3d of December that a similar request was made that $69,750 might be placed to his credit. The colonel has not as yet been notified that the above-mentioned amounts have been placed to his orders by the Treasury Department. Since I have been in command of this department I have used the utmost economy consistent with the interests of the public service, but my troops are dispersed over a vast extent of country, my extreme positions being some 2,000 miles apart, and during the last month I have been organizing a large expedition to move from the southwestern frontier of this State, all involving heavy expenditures for the transportation of troops and supplies, and, in addition, we have been compelled to purchase about 700 mules for the same expedition. I have made contracts here for the manufacture of all the clothing required for the whole army on this coast. This, with the purchase of tents and camp equipage, and the indispensable outlay in erecting temporary shelter and flooring the tents to preserve the health of my men during a winter of unprecedented severity, together with the purchase of horses to mount 1,700 cavalry, will give you an idea of the expenses necessarily incurred here. Still, Colonel Babbitt is of opinion that if all his requisitions are filled he will have funds sufficient to meet the demands against the Quartermaster’s Department. I feel that the expenses in this department are large. If my command were concentrated it would materially reduce our money requisitions. As it is, the necessities of the service must be met, and the Quartermaster-General may rest assured that the expenditures will be made economically. The incessant rains and storms for six weeks past have entirely submerged the whole country. An immense amount of property has been lost, as well as many lives. Our overland mail comnunications are interrupted to such an extent that we must rely solely on the express companies. It is quite probable that many important documents from the East will never reach us. I send all my mail matter by the tri-monthly express on the steamers for New York, and I would recommend that the same mode be adopted by the Department at Washington. .

Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,