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[red ink] 1872 Q M Genl US Army

Endorsement on letter of the Quartermaster General U.S. Army Aug 27, 1872. Encloses Abstract of opinion of of [sic] officers of experience relative to the comparative merits of Aparajo and Pack Saddles [red ink] 2592 D.T. 1872 Recd from the Chf. Qur. Dept. of Texas, Sept 9, 1872 "Sec. 62 M.O. D.T. 2532, 72" [red ink in margin] 1745 Respectfully returned to the Qur. Genl whose attention is invited to the endorsement of the Chf Qur. of the Dept. This discussion as to the relative merits of Pack Saddles has been in progress since I have been in service, and seems as far from a satisfactory conclusion as ever. I agree entirely with the QM General that no pack saddle can be procured that will not in the hands of careless and ignorant packers, injure the mules. At the same time it is to be observed that what is known as the Regulation pack saddle requires much greater care and watchfulness on the part of the packers than the aparajo and those two qualities being generally wanting in the class of packer usually employed, accounts for greater frequency of injury to animals from that saddle. Colonel Holabird's suggestion of having two good skilled packers at each post from which most scouting is done is regarded favorably and I propose to adopt it for those posts. In my opinion the Aparajo is much superior to any other form of pack saddle, for among others the following reasons. It admits of greater variety in size and shape of pack. In Oregon I have packed on them, half barrels of pork, brine being drawn off, and boxes of hard bread with impunity to animals. It could not have been done with regulation pack saddles, with it, the weight of pack is better distributed over the animal and the bearing surface greater. The centre of gravity of the pack coincides more nearly with that of the animal, doing away with the great [?leverage?] unavoidable when packs are suspended from Xtrees [crosstrees?]. There is much less danger, none in fact, of injury to the animal from the pack itself. In going through brush or narrow defiles or if the animal falls, the aparajo is a protection to it. The original cost is probably greater, though they can be had on the line of Rio Grande for ten dollars each, but I believe they will outlast the same value in regulation pack saddle independently of the question of injury to animals.

I respectfully recommend that Colonel Holabird be authorized to purchase one hundred aparajos for distribution to the posts where the skilled packers will be sent.

Sept. 21, 72 D.T. Sept, 21 72 (Sgd) C. C. Augur Brig Genl U.S. Army Command

[red ink] Official sgd Colon Augur [red ink] A. D. C.