Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-18

Harm of the nation was doubtless great; and the
| confidence of Congress in the Executive ap-
pears to have been N proportion. II was
striking conversion from the chary & mistrust--
full policy Of 1892 and 1898, when an enemy CO.
vering our very thresholds with slaughter, could
induce only tardy and scanty measures OF de-
fence to the con6ding liberality OF this period,
when, in order to resist an enemy not yet open
lily declared, and separated from US by the At
lantic, the nerve and strength ofthc nation were
placed at the disposal Of the Executive
In April, 1898, an additional regiment of ar
| tillerists and engineers was raised; and In the
following month the President was invested
with power to raise, during the recess of Con-
gress, 5000 men, for the term Of three years,
and to accept Of any company or companies Of
volunteers which might be offered for service.
The latter clause would appear TO have confer
red power commensurate with the force OF
the entire militia, provided aspirt Of volunteer
ing had prevailed to that extent. About one year
| after this, the President was conditionally au-
thorized, in the language of the act, so organ
ize and cause TO be raised't an additional mill
tary force, TO consist of "a regiments of infan-
try, one regiment & one battalion OF rif1emen,
a battalion Of artierists and engineers, and
mited the number Of volunteers, which could
be accepted by the President, under the indeti-
mite act of 1898, to $4,000 The amount Of
force, including regulars and militia, which the
several foregoing acts empowered President
| Adams 10 raise, under certain exigencles, sup
posed, no doubt, to exist, considerably exceed
ed 100, 900 men,
The difficulties with France were justed in
800, when this formidable army was reduced
to four regiments of infantry, TWO regiments of
artllerists and engineers, and two troops oflight
dragons. Again, in 1902, under the pacific
auspices with which Mr.. Jefferson had begun
his administration, the military establishment
was still further diminished, being fixed at one
regiment Of artillerists, two regiments oil infan
try, and corps Of Engineers, or about 5000
men. BY the same act, the engineers, being
formed into separate corps, were stationed at
West Point, and made to constitute Military
Academy, thus laying the foundation of that ex-
ceent institution, which is now tlourishing
with so much credit and usefulness, to the coun-
try. We shall not now pause TO indulge our
selves in such remarks as this alluslon to its
origin might naturally suggest.
| No change was made in the force of the mi
litary establishment from 1902, till nearly the
close Of Mr.. Jefferson's administration. In
April, 1903, our disputes with Great Britain
having become aggravated by several incidents,
which particularly affected the interest and no.
nor of the country, an additional military force
was authorized, 10 consist Of five reg iments Of
infantry, one regiment Of light artillery, and
one regiment of light dragons, augmen,ing
the establishment already on foot by about six
thousand. The act creating this augmentation,
contained clause, which required that every
officer appointed under ii, should "be citizen
Of the United States, Or" as it adds, with SUI
perfuous precision, Zone of the territories there
or" Previously to this time, many foreigners
had been introduced into our service, some of
whom, ii is believed, had not even taken the
oath of allegiance. The recruiting under this
act was suspended about year afterward, in
consequence, probably, OF the arrangement with
Mr.. Erskine, the British minister, and was not
renewed, although this arrangement was soon
disavowed and annuled, until within about six
months before the declaration OF war. Short
y after this renewal, early in 1879, Congress
passed an act, authorizing an additional militia
ry force of $4,000 men, TO consist OF ten regl-
ments of infantry, two regiments OF artillery,
and one regiment of light dragons. In the
beginning Of 1916, twenty additional regiments
OF infantry, or 10000 men, were authorized,
and in the beginning Of 1914, three additional
regiments of riAemen. No further augmenta-
tons were made to the regular force during the
war.
1t would appear from the foregoing acts, that
the nominal regular force on foot, during the
war of 1912 was between 10000 and 7o,oOo;-
1t is not probable, However, that the establish
ment ever approximaed to an efficien, fulness.
The recruiting service held out powerful in
ducements 10 enlist, the bountes having been
enlarged, until the recruit, besides his monthly
pay of eight dollars, was offered fifty dollars
when enlisted, an additional fifty when muster
ed, and twenty-four dollars and 800 acres of
land at the expiration of his term of service;
and we believe there was no want Of men; but
the pressing exigencies of the war, transferring
the raw soldier Immediately from the ren1ez-
vous to the scene of action, left no time for the
operation of that preliminary discipline, which
gives cohesion and permanency to a body of
men. Hence battalions, which marched from
the rendezvous complete as to numbers, before
they reached the frontiers were often reduced
to meagre detachments.
Peace was ratified with Great Britain in Feb
ruary, 1915; and among the subjects which first