Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-03-02


First. As long ago as last ,une' !. "S,'
to nv knowledge, asserted oy .nu'v ,;
s,s connected with the administrator
in this and the other branch OF the ies,s'
Jature, that it was the Intention OF Tue
American cabinet to place the secretary
Of state at the head of the army
Second. This intention was, carry |"
tn. presen. session, distinctly avo"ea ~
members in this and the other ofahcn
of the legislature, to be the intention OF
the cabinet. And these members were
nersons intinate with the cabinet, ana
connected with them in politics; and OF
all men the most likely to know theiF
intentions. This can be proved II de-
MED. But it will not be. l DO not De-
lieve there is a man on this aoor who
is not acquainted with the iact as well as
myself
Third. AS soon as the session open
ed, the old secretary at war was hunted
DOM.
Fourth. The burden Of the whole de-
partment of war IS now transferred 70
the shoulders of the secretary of state.
This great, and oppressive trust, which,
at the last session it was seriously urs-
ed, no single living wight could bear,
but that it required ;hree Persons to sup
port its pressure, is now cast solely up
On thi. individual, who it seems is able
to uphold the mighty mountain OF that
department, in one hand, while he oa'
lances the department of state in the o.
Their.
Fifth. The secretary of state has not
merely entered into still-!!te possession
Of the department Of war. He is active
" employed in arranging its details and
putting it into State Of preparation.-
This work Of lrudgery, il can hardly De
expected that any man would undertake
! for the sake OF an unknown successor, I'M
less he had himself some prospect OF
interest in it.
Sixth, The secretary of state is no
soonerin possession of the departmental
! war, than the plan OF a great army, an
efficient pccun'ary bounty, and brllll-
ant campaign against Canada is pronul-
gated. Of all which, he is the known
| author; having communicated to the
committee on military affairs tbs whole
| project, not only in general, but in its
details. Above all, that NJ doubt con-
corning the ultimate purpose may ex-
list.
Seventh. Immediately after the score
tnry of state enters upon the duties of
secretary at war, he puts to adjutant ge-
neral Gushing this question: How
many major generals and brigadiers are
necessary for an army of thlrty-fye
Thousand men !" Now, as this question
was put by authority and was intended
to be communicated 10 congress, and
was in it. nature very simple, one would
have supposed TIA: ii would have been
enough, in all conscience, 20 have given
to it direct answer. Besides, it is not
always thought proper for those who
are in the under grades Of departments,
when one question is proposed, to enter
| into the discussion of another. Howe
yer, Notwithstanding these obvious sug-
gcstions, one half of the whole reply Of
general Gushing is taken up in inyesti-
eating, not the question which was ask
! ed, but the question, on which the no
| nest adju,aD,, in the simplicity of his
soul, tells the secretary, /" You haze NOT
r, Cured my otinion." The whole OF
this part Of the letter runs thus -
4" In this country we have never bad
a grade between the commander in
chief and that of ma r"-general, hence
it was found necessary, in the cont.
mental amy" to give to toe senior ma
jor-general, the command of the right
wing, and to the next in rank that OF the
left which, from the limited number
Of general officers, often left division
to brisadier, brigade to colonel,
and a regiment to a subordinate field Of
Ecer; but in Eurohe this difficulty is OBJ.
viated BY the ahtObutment cfgeneral Of
.fcers Of higher grades.
Frcm the best information have been
able to obtain on this sabjec have ne
hesitation in saving, that eight major
generals, and sixteen brigadiers, to COM
mand ,hc divisions and brisades of an
army Jtir!y fire thousand men, is the
lowest estimate which the uniform prac.
tice OF France, Russia and England, will
warrant and that this is much below the
proportion OF officers OF these grades
actually employed in the army OF the
revolution.
ifs you have not required my opinion,
z7hether il be necessary to haze higher
grade than thar Of major general, 1 have
NOT deemed il roher 10 touch this subject,
and have confined myself to the number
OF ina er-generals and brigadiers, deem.
Cd necessary to command the divisions
and brigades of an army of thirty five
thousand men Tt mau mt towayer