Reports of Maj. John A. Harman, C. S. Army, Chief Quartermaster, of property captured and destroyed.

                                                                                               MOSS NECK, VA., March 10, 1863.

        GENERAL: In response to your inquiry as to the amount of property captured and destroyed from the United States forces under General Banks at Front Royal, in the latter part of May, 1862, I respectfully submit the following:

        It is impossible for me to make an accurate estimate of the property captured, owing to the fact that I was only there apart of one day and night, when I was ordered to Winchester, and left Capt. S. M. Somers, assistant quartermaster, in charge of the public property captured at Front Royal. There was a very large and varied amount of supplies found there, consisting of harness, carpenter's tools, clothing, horseshoes and nails, blacksmith's tools, forges, axes, sutler's and commissary stores, &c., upon which it is impossible to place a reliable estimate of value.

        A very considerable amount of these stores passed at once into our possession, being taken in charge and use by the different quartermasters as they passed through with their trains. Many valuable wagons were thus exchanged, our worn-out and injured ones being left in their stead. The same was done as to harness.

        The subsequent capture of Captain Somers prevented any detailed report being made of the property received and turned in to him.

        Upon my arrival in Winchester I at once set about making the most ample preparations for removing this property to the rear, and had detailed from each brigade a large number of wagons for that purpose. In addition I ordered up all the available transportation from Staunton, and it had arrived within less than a day's travel of Front Royal when that place was recaptured by a portion of General Shields' army. The trains from the brigades had partially arrived there, and a portion had been loaded and sent off, while a part turned back to Winchester. This train was placed by me in charge of Capt. J. L. Cole, assistant quartermaster, Thirty-seventh Virginia Regiment (since resigned), with instructions to take immediate charge of the shipment to the rear. He proceeded in part to the performance of his duty but was interrupted by the entry of the enemy into Front Royal. He narrowly escaped capture, having remained behind our troops (on his own motion) for the purpose of firing the depot and an adjoining building, full of stores, both of which were burned to the ground. His estimate of the stores thus consumed is, I am informed, $300,000, in which I concur, from my own recollection of the contents of the buildings. Having accomplished this, Captain Cole followed our retreating forces.

        With the preparations made as above, had our forces held possession of Front Royal forty-eight hours longer, all the captured property would have been secured and taken to the rear.

        Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
        JOHN A. HARMAN, 
        Major, Chief Quartermaster, &c.

        General THOMAS J. JACKSON. 

                                                             CHIEF QUARTERMASTER'S OFFICE, SECOND CORPS,
                                                                                                                             March 23, 1863.

        COLONEL: In response to your inquiry in regard to the order of quartermaster's stores that, came into my hands at Winchester, June 1 last, I beg leave to report that, upon a careful estimate, they amounted to $125,185.

        It is proper for me to state that all the quartermaster's stores captured at Winchester did not come into my hands. Horses fell into the hands of the cavalry, and wagons, too, that were never reported to me, and a number of the quartermasters of the army got stores which they reported directly to the Quartermaster-General.

        There was an order issued that everything belonging to the quartermaster's  department should be turned in to me, but it was not carried out for some reasons not known to me.

        Very respectfully, your obedient servant
        JOHN A. HARMAN, 
        Maj. and Chief Q. M., Second Corps, Army of N. Virginia.

        Col. C. J. FAULKNER, 
        Chief of Staff, Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

List of articles captured and turned in to the chief quartermaster of the Valley District during the second and third quarters 1862, viz:

        Saddles 12
        Wagons 19
        Artillery saddles 27
        Artillery valises 6
        Bridles 21
        Leg guards 2
        Artillery harness pairs.. 19
        Artillery collars 61
        Artillery traces pairs.. 100 Ѕ
        Breast straps 5
        Breeching 5
        Feed pockets 16
        Wheel harness cots.. 2
        Lead harness do 9
        Horses 233
        Mules 21
        Envelopes 3,425
        Cap paper quires 64Ѕ
        Letter paper do 94
        Note paper do 10
        Steel pens 172
        Black ink bottles.. 95
        Red ink do 1
        Mucilage do 1
        Cards packs.. 12
        Wagon bolts 25
        Wagon harness 350
        Tar buckets 10
        Halter chains 47
        Nails pounds.. 50
        Leather do 5,300
        Wheelbarrows 8
        Jack-screw 1
        Iron maul 1
        Rasps 575
        Files 12
        Hats 2
        Blankets 14
        Oil-cloth blankets 30
        Shoes pairs.. 305
        Shoes, ladies' do... 2
        Shoes, misses' do... 2
        Shoes, children's do... 3
        Socks do... 90
        Cotton cloth yards.. 545 ј
        Peg-cutter 1
        Hammers 10
        Anvils 14
        Crowbars 33
        Smith's vises 7
        Blacksmith's tools set 1
        Carpenter's tools sets 3
        Auger 1
        Crosscut-saws 15
        Axes 13
        Hatchets 31
        Helves 127
        Picks 272
        Shovels 212
        Spades 82
        Camp kettles 71
        Telegraph wire bundles 29
        Platform scales 3
        White lead keg.. l
        Horseshoes pounds 13,061
        Horseshoes. do 3,816
        Horseshoe nails do 9,411
        Iron do 275
        Spikes do 20
        Rope do 303 Ѕ
        Tar barrel.. 1
        Can of oil 1
        Artillery grease kegs.. 2
        Artillery grease do... 2
        Picket rope feet.. 200
        Picket pins 28
        Chests 5
        Pulley-block 1
        Buckles 144
        Insulators 190
        Tents 134
        Camp stools 65
        Mess pans 60
        Skillet lid 1
        Cooking stoves 2
        Tin plates 292
        Spoons 52
        Tin cups; 20
        Table roves 80
        Table forks 31
        Neck-ties dozens 2 ѕ
        Paper collars boxes 7
        Suspenders pairs 7
        Handkerchiefs 6

        The above are the articles captured in the quartermaster's department and turned in to me. Besides these, much property was captured and reported direct to the Quartermaster-General by various quartermasters of the command without being reported to me.

        Respectfully submitted.
        JOHN A. HARMAN, 
        Major and Chief Q. M., Second Corps, Army of N. Virginia

        Source: O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 15 [S# 15]