Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General [OQMG]
(Record Group 92) 1774-1985 (bulk 1774-1962), 24,850 cu. ft.
http://gopher.nara.gov:70/0/inform/guide/10s/rg092.txt
[PART 1 of 4]

92.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: In the War Department, to head the Quartermaster Corps (QMC),
effective July 15, 1920, by General Order 42, War Department, July 14, 1920,
which implemented relevant provisions of the National Defense Act of 1920 (41
Stat. 766), June 4, 1920; restored the traditional name of the office; and
assigned to it those quartermaster functions exercised by the Construction
Division, Motor Transport Corps, Transportation Service, Purchase and Storage
Service, and Real Estate Service.

Predecessor Agencies:

In the War Department, except as noted below:

Quartermaster Functions:

(1) Transportation and Supply

Office of the Secretary of War (1789-92)

(2) Transportation

Office of the Secretary of War (1792-1812)

Quartermaster's Department (QMD, 1812-42):

Individual quartermasters assigned to each army (1812-16)
OQMG, Division of the North (1816-18)
OQMG, Division of the South (1816-18)
OQMG (1818-42)

(3) Supply

Office of the Secretary of the Treasury (1792-95)
Office of the Purveyor of Public Supplies (OPPS), Department of the Treasury
(1795-98; to War Department, 1798)
OPPS (1798-1812)
Office of the Commissary General of Purchases (OCGP, 1812-42)

(4) Transportation and Supply

OQMG, QMD (1842-1912)

Subsistence Functions:

OCGP (1812-18)
Office of the Commissary General of Subsistence (OCGS, 1818-1912)

Pay Functions:

Office of the Paymaster of the Army (1792-1816)
Office of the Paymaster General (OPG, 1816-1912)

Consolidated Quartermaster, Subsistence, and Pay Functions:

Office of the Chief, QMC (OCQMC, 1912-14)

OQMG (1914-18)

Construction Functions:

Cantonment Division, Operations Division, War Department General Staff (WDGS,
1918)

Construction Division (1918-20)

Transportation Functions:

Embarkation Service, WDGS (overseas only, 1917)
Embarkation Service, Storage and Traffic Service (S&TS), WDGS (1917-18)
Embarkation Service, Storage and Traffic Division (S&TD), WDGS (1918)
Embarkation Service, Purchase, Storage and Traffic Division (PS&TD), WDGS
(1918-19)

Division of Inland Transportation, S&TS, WDGS (1918)
Division of Inland Transportation, S&TD, WDGS (1918)
Division of Inland Transportation, PS&TD, WDGS (1918)

Inland Traffic Service, PS&TD, WDGS (1918-19)

Transportation Service, PS&TD, WDGS (consolidated overseas and inland, 1919)
Transportation Service (1919-20)

Motor Transport Procurement and Operation Functions:

Motor Transport Corps (1918-20)

General Procurement Functions:

Office of the Director of Purchase (ODP), Office of the Director of Purchase and
Storage (ODPS), PS&TD, WDGS (1918-19)

Purchase Service (PS), Purchase and Storage Service (P&SS) (1919-20)

Storage and Distribution Functions:

Office of the Director of Storage (ODS), ODPS, PS&TD, WDGS (1918-19)

Storage Service (SS), P&SS (1919-20)

Cemeterial Functions:

Cemeterial Branch, General Administrative Division (GAD), ODPS, PS&TD, WDGS
(1918-19)
Cemeterial Branch, GAD, P&SS (1919-20)
Cemeterial Division, P&SS (1920)

Real Estate Functions:

Real Estate Unit, Purchase Section, Purchase and Supply Branch, PS&TD, WDGS
(1918)
Real Estate Section, Facilities Department, PS&TD, WDGS (1918-19)

Real Estate Service (1919-20)

Transfers: To Services of Supply (SOS), effective March 9, 1942, by Circular 59,
War Department, March 2, 1942, as part of a War Department reorganization
authorized by EO 9082, February 28, 1942; to Army Service Forces (ASF, formerly
SOS) by General Order 14, War Department, March 12, 1943; to Director of
Service, Supply, and Procurement (DSSP), WDGS, as a technical service, effective
June 11, 1946, upon abolishment of ASF by Circular 138, War Department, May 14,
1946, as part of a War Department reorganization authorized by EO 9722, May 13,
1946; with WDGS (redesignated Army Staff) to Department of the Army (DA) by
Circular 1, DA, September 18, 1947, implementing Circular 225, War Department,
August 16, 1947, issued pursuant to a reorganization of the armed services under
the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 495), July 26, 1947; to Director of
Logistics (DL, formerly DSSP), Army Staff, by Circular 57, DA, March 4, 1948; to
Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4 Logistics (ACS, G-4, formerly DL), Army Staff, by
Special Regulation 10-5-1, DA, April 11, 1950; to Deputy Chief of Staff for
Logistics (formerly ACS, G-4), Army Staff, by General Order 66, DA, September 8,
1954.

Functions: Supplied the army with clothing, subsistence, and general purpose
equipment. Supervised the disposition of excess and salvaged supplies. Performed
duties related to the disposition of combat dead, including maintaining the
national cemeteries.

Responsibility for procuring land for the army, and for constructing and
maintaining military buildings and utilities, transferred to Office of the Chief
of Engineers, 1941. Responsibility for transporting troops and supplies
transferred to Transportation Division, SOS, 1942. Responsibility for procuring
general purpose automotive vehicles transferred to Ordnance Department, SOS,
1942.

Joint service logistical responsibilities transferred to Defense Supply Agency,
Department of Defense (DOD), effective January 1, 1962, by DOD Directive
5105.22, November 6, 1961.

Abolished: Effective August 1, 1962, by General Order 44, DA, July 23, 1962.

Successor Agencies: Office of the Chief of Support Services, Army Staff (staff
responsibilities); U.S. Army Materiel Command (command responsibilities).

Finding Aids: Maizie H. Johnson, comp., "Preliminary Inventory of the Textual
Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General," NM 81 (Part I,
Headquarters, 1967), and NM 85 (Part II, Field Activities, 1967); supplement in
National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.

Security-Classified Records: This record group may include material that is
security-classified.

Related Records: 

Record copies of publications of the Office of the Quartermaster General, the
Quartermaster Corps, and the Quartermaster Department in RG 287, Publications of
the U.S. Government. 

Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, RG 77.
War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, RG 93.
Records of the Office of the Paymaster General, RG 99.
Records of the Confederate Quartermaster Department, in RG 109, War Department
Collection of Confederate Records. Records of Headquarters Army Service Forces,
RG 160.
Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs, RG 165.
Records of the Office of the Commissary General of Subsistence, RG 192.
Records of the Office of the Chief of Finance (Army), RG 203.
Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, RG 217.
Records of the Army Staff, RG 319.
Records of the Office of the Chief of Transportation, RG 336.

RECORD TYPES          RECORD LOCATIONS            QUANTITIES
Textual Records       Washington Area          22,943 cu. ft.
                      Atlanta                      71 cu. ft.
                      Boston                        5 cu. ft.
                      Chicago                      80 cu. ft.
                      Denver                        5 cu. ft.
                      Fort Worth                  107 cu. ft.
                      Kansas City                  18 cu. ft.
                      Los Angeles                   8 cu. ft.
                      New York                    233 cu. ft.
                      Philadelphia              1,052 cu. ft.
                      San Francisco                 3 cu. ft.
                      Seattle                      20 cu. ft.
Maps and Charts       College Park              2,800 items
Arch/engrg Plans      College Park             15,691 items
                      Boston                      172 items
                      Kansas City                 702 items
                      New York                    143 items
Still Pictures        College Park             12,564 images

92.2 RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSARY GENERAL OF PURCHASES 1794-1843, 229
lin. ft.

92.2.1 General records

History: Office of the Purveyor of Public Supplies (OPPS), headquartered at
Philadelphia, PA, established in Treasury Department by an act of February 23,
1795 (1 Stat. 419), with responsibility for procuring all U.S. Government
supplies, including military stores. Abolished, effective May 31, 1812, by an
act of March 28, 1812 (2 Stat. 696), with army procurement functions transferred
to War Department and assigned to newly established Office of the Commissary
General of Purchases (OCGP), headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. OCGP abolished
by an act of August 23, 1842 (5 Stat. 512), with functions transferred to OQMG.
SEE 92.3.

Textual Records: Letters sent, 1800-42. Journals, 1812-43. Bank books, 1800-5,
1811-20, 1823-38. Records relating to estimates and expenditures, 1801-42.
Combined OPPS and OCGP records, including letters sent and received, reports,
and statements of account ("Coxe and Irvine Papers"), 1794-1842. Records of
other Philadelphia military supply offices, 1794-1842.

92.2.2 Records of the Office of the Superintendent of Military Stores

History: Office of the Superintendent of Military Stores (OSMS), headquartered
in Philadelphia, PA, established in War Department by an act of April 2, 1794,
(1 Stat. 352), with responsibility for storing, distributing, and accounting for
military stores. Storage and distribution functions transferred to Office of the
Commissary General of Purchases (OCGP) by a letter of the Secretary of War to
the OCGP, January 30, 1813. OSMS abolished by an act of March 3, 1813 (2 Stat.
816), with remaining accounting functions transferred to newly established
Office of the Superintendent General of Military Supplies (OSGMS), headquartered
in Washington, DC. OSGMS abolished, with functions transferred to Treasury
Department and assigned to newly established Office of the Second Auditor, under
Office of the Second Comptroller, by an act of March 3, 1817 (3 Stat. 366).

Textual Records: Letters sent, 1807-9. Journals, 1796-1813. Cash receipt book,
1801-26, containing entries by Brig. Gen. William Irvine, Superintendent of
Military Stores (1801-4); and by Callender Irvine, Superintendent of Military
Stores (1804-12) and Commissary General of Purchases (1812-41). Miscellaneous
inventories and statements of account, 1797-1813.

92.3 GENERAL RECORDS OF THE OFFICE OF THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL 1774-1962,
24,155 lin. ft.

History: Established in the War Department, to head QMD, by an act of April 14,
1818 (3 Stat. 426). Acquired supply functions from OCGP, 1842. (SEE 92.2.)
Combined with OCGS and OPG to form OCQMC, pursuant to the army appropriation act
for FY 1913 (37 Stat. 591), August 24, 1912, consolidating QMD with Subsistence
Department and Pay Department to form QMC; and redesignating Quartermaster
General (QMG) as Chief, QMC. OCQMC redesignated OQMG pursuant to the army
appropriation act for FY 1915 (38 Stat. 356), April 27, 1914, redesignating
Chief, QMC as QMG.

Following U.S. declaration of war against Germany, April 6, 1917, and
Austria-Hungary, December 7, 1917, Cantonment Division of OQMG, responsible for
army construction, transferred to WDGS and assigned to Operations Division,
February 9, 1918; redesignated Construction Division and made a separate War
Department unit, March 13, 1918. (For additional administrative history, SEE
92.7.) Pursuant to establishment of PS&TD in WDGS by General Order 36, War
Department, April 16, 1918, Transportation Division of OQMG terminated by
transfer of Water Transport Branch to Embarkation Service, PS&TD, May 25, 1918;
and Land Transport Branch to Inland Traffic Service, PS&TD, June 8, 1918. (For
additional administrative history, SEE 92.5.3.) Motor Transport Service of OQMG
redesignated Motor Transport Corps and made a separate War Department unit,
August 15, 1918. (For additional administrative history, SEE 92.6.3.) Pursuant
to establishment in PS&TD of Office of the Director of Purchase and Storage
(ODPS), with subordinate Offices of Director of Purchase (ODP) and Director of
Storage (ODS), by Supply Circular 91, PS&TD, September 12, 1918, all OQMG
procurement units transferred to ODP by Notice 145, OQMG, September 18, 1918;
and all OQMG storage and distribution units to ODS by Notice 147, OQMG,
September 18, 1918. (For additional administrative history, SEE 92.4.4.) Finance
and Accounts Division of OQMG, whose responsibilities included paying the army,
transferred, October 21, 1918, to Finance Service, newly established under
Office of the Director of Finance, PS&TD, by Supply Circular 98, PS&TD, October
11, 1918. Administrative Division of OQMG, including Cemeterial Branch,
transferred to ODPS and redesignated General Administrative Division, October
28, 1918. Remount Division of OQMG transferred to ODP and redesignated Remount
Purchase Division, October 28, 1918. Personnel Division of OQMG transferred to
Administrative Branch of PS&TD and redesignated Personnel Section, December 6,
1918, thereby rendering OQMG inactive.

Embarkation Service consolidated with Inland Traffic Service to form
Transportation Service, March 11, 1919; made a separate War Department unit,
April 21, 1919. ODPS redesignated Purchase and Storage Service (P&SS), and made
a separate War Department unit, April 11, 1919, with subordinate ODP
redesignated Purchase Service (PS) and ODS redesignated Storage Service (SS).
SEE 92.1.

92.3.1 General correspondence
	
Textual Records: Letters sent, 1818-83, with partial indexes. Letters received,
1819-73, with partial registers and indexes. Subject correspondence
("Consolidated Correspondence File"), 1794-1890, with partial index. Subject
correspondence ("Special Subject Files"), 1862-95, with partial register.
Subject-numeric correspondence, 1890-1914, with record cards and indexes.
Security-classified and unclassified decimal correspondence, 1914-61, with
separate project files, 1922-35.

Microfilm Publications: M745.

Photographic Prints (229 images): Monuments, vehicles, heavy equipment,
construction of buildings, army troops embarking for Havana (Spanish-American
War), and Red Cross workers (Spanish-American War), 1874-1914 (DF). SEE ALSO
92.17.

Posters (2 images): Army recruitment, 1905, 1907 (DF). SEE ALSO 92.17.

92.3.2 Issuances

Textual Records: OQMG general and special orders, circulars, regulations, and
office orders, 1832-36, 1860-79, 1904-25, 1944-61. Issuances received from other
War Department organizations, 1818-67.

92.3.3 Reports

Textual Records: Copies of annual reports of OQMG to Secretary of War, 1842-43,
1850, 1861-66, 1870-71, 1873, 1875-76, 1878-1911, 1913-14, 1916-20. Annual and
other reports of quartermaster (QM) officers received in OQMG, 1863-70, 1872-80,
1882-86. Reports on persons and articles hired by QMD, 1818-1913, with partial
registers and indexes. Annual historical summaries of selected QM installations
received in OQMG, 1959-62.

92.3.4 Records maintained by individual quartermasters

Textual Records: Letters sent and received, reports, and other records of the
following Quartermasters General: Brig. Gen. Thomas S. Jesup, 1826-56; Brig.
Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs, 1861-79; Brig. Gen. Samuel B. Holabird, 1889-90; Brig.
Gen. Richard N. Batchelder, 1890-95; Maj. Gen. James B. Aleshire, 1894-1916; and
Maj. Gen. Harry Lovejoy Rogers, 1919-23. Letters sent and received, reports, and
other records of individual quartermasters and assistant quartermasters, 1779,
1792-94, 1797, 1799-1800, 1813-14, 1819-1913.

92.3.5 Other records

Textual Records: Letters, memorandums, and abstracts relating to policy
decisions, 1833-1914, with partial indexes. Reference files, 1774-1920.
Compilation of reports, returns, and accounting records relating to QM
activities during the Mexican War, 1845-49. Letters sent and other records of
the Quartermaster, Boston, MA, 1819-38 (in Boston). Letters, issuances, and
reports of the Headquarters Office Battalion, 1864-65. Correspondence and
reports relating to OQMG organization, 1865-1911. Miscellaneous special reports,
1916-23. War history of the Office of the Zone Supply Officer, New York, NY,
1917-19 (in New York). Record set of QMC publications, 1944-47. Records relating
to the food service program, 1943-45. Records of QMC participation in DOD
program of single-service management, throughout the armed forces, of each
commodity and service ("Single Manager Plan"), 1955-61. Security-classified
correspondence relating to the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, 1955-61.
Records relating to QMC records management, 1953-62. Management studies,
1944-58.

==== SCROOTS Mailing List ====