William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

Sir,—In answer to the inquiry made by the Honorable House of Representatives, ‘whether any contracts have been made or liabilities incurred in regard to any of the matters mentioned in the resolve reported to the House, relating to the equipment of troops for active service, and, if so, when, and by what authority,’ I have the honor to say:—

Under the direction of His Excellency the Governor and the Honorable Council, the following contracts have been made by me as Adjutant and Acting Quartermaster General:—

1st. With the Middlesex Company, Lowell, for 6,000 yards of cloth, six-fourths wide, to make 2,000 military overcoats, at $1.37 a yard.

2d. With William Deacon, to make 2,000 military overcoats at $2.15 each, he finding the trimmings, except the buttons.

3d. With James Boyd & Sons, to make 1,000 knapsacks, army pattern, and with Edward A. G. Roulstone, to make 1,000 knapsacks, army pattern, severally at $1.88 each.

4th. With Converse, Harding, & Co., for 1,000 pairs of blankets, army size, at $3.75 a pair.

5th. With the Rubber Clothing Company, Beverly, for 2,000 haversacks, at 75 cents each.

6th. The buttons for the coats have been contracted for with the manufacturer at Attleborough, and will cost about $740.

7th. I was also authorized to contract for 200,000 ball-cartridges to suit the new rifled musket. The lowest market price for these cartridges is $14 a thousand. At the State Arsenal, at Cambridge, there have been for many years upwards of 200,000 musket-balls suitable for the old smooth-bore musket. I have caused these to be recast, and the cartridges made at the Arsenal; so that the entire cost to the Commonwealth for the 200,000 new musket cartridges will not exceed $1,500.

The aggregate cost to the Commonwealth to fulfil these contracts