Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-24
z,HEURSDAY.
Twenty-fourth OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
DOCUMENTS accompanying He Presidents Message
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR
WAR DrPAnrvrsr
VAR DEPARTMENT, !
November 30. lS35 {


~ - November 80, 1885.
To The President Of the United States.
SIR in conformity with your instructions md viii,
inc usage OF this Department, have the honor To Law
before you statement of its operations durn the mast
season. and reports from the various bureaus exhibiting
IN oetai their respective proceedings as far as These
appear to be sufficiently important for in
the usual annual statements
The general positions of the Army remain the same
as at the time of my last report Some rnovemens ho
eyer. nave taken place. which proper should be spe
cially brought before you. ~
Fourteen companies have been placed +, pd.r ,,,o .,
mand OF General Cnch in Florida with view TO i'm
pose proper restraint upon the Seminole Indians who
nave occasionally evnced unquiet spirit and to en-
sure the execution of treaty stipuations provd;n
Tor the removal of these Indians As soon as
place. these troops will assume their proper POSITIONS
ihe regiment OF Dragons has been usefulv emploved
IN penetrating into the Indian country i'm eyb;i;n %
the Indians force well calculated check or to punish
any hosllitIes they may commit and in adding 10 our
geographical knowledge of those remote regions Col
heafney, with one detachment marched through the
country between the Des Mones and the Missss,n,; ~
vers Col Dodge, with another made an excursop south
OF Missouri towards the Rocky Mountains and Ma;or
Mason, with third joined by detachment of infantyv
was employed IN duties connected with the assemba9e
OF body Of Indians the Cross Timbers near the Great
western trare for the purpose of establishing perma
bands and the United States and the more agricnI,nr
indians who have migrated under the public faith to
tha region or who seemed disposed to improve their
condition by more settled habits The duties committed
10 tnese troops have been well performed
of The army ~ concerning the discipline and march
great diversity of duties growing ont Of var5os CO.,,
Oh congress, many of which have direct connection
wh their professional avocations These duties are
satisfactorily executed and the expenditures 10 which
shey lead are generally made with fidelity and accounted
for with promptitude.
beg leave to ask your attention to the report or the
Chief Engineer, in relation the state of the CORPS
under ms command The number of officers in that
corps IS not sufficient for the various duties IN
IT, The consequence is that in some instances the pub
c works have been neglected delayed and in others
hey nave been prosecuted by those who had not the ne
cessary professional skill and experience Persons II;
civil life possessed of competent scientific knowedge
WI not olten enter INTO the temporary service of the
SoVcrhneht ior such compensation is provided by
law tor the engineer officers The progress of mnrove
ment throughout the country demand for those
quaicatons which required in the military and to-
biographical engineer servce and HIGHER rate of Con-
pensaon IS allowed than il has been the USAGE of This
Department to grant gradual and moderate ,dd;,on
10 the corps OF officers is the only remedy for this state of
things and am satisfied that consde raons of econo
y as well as due regard to the proper execution of
most important class of the public works calls for this mr.
rangement - w "
The same considerations apply in considerable de-
s W 'e loPogTaPhca Corps, and ask your fayoura-
oS consideration Tor the measure recommended by the
ocer at the head of it, One the plans SUGGESTED ;I
accoPsh the object without any addition the public
expenditures and VIII make adequate provisions for
branch of service connected with the defence Of The
country and which has also the advantage of flrnisbn
portion of the community '
Agreeaby to provision in act of the last session
OF Congress- that part of the Cumberland road bctee
the town OF Cumberland and the Ohio River has been
surrendered to and accepted by the States throgb which
passes; and arrangements have been made by the a
:.
keep IN proper repair The funds appropriated for The
completion of this road have been applied to the obec
ana WIN be fully adequate to its attainment The work
with the exception Of some the bridges and few me-
cessary repairs, nearly finished and is passable in lie
moe An accounts concur in representing it as
constructed In the most faithful manner. Captain Della
eid who has superintendent the operations and The Of
hces engaged with him. entitled to commendation
LOT the zeal and professional ability they have dispaved
The United States are exonerated from ali fytnrs
claims on account OF this road, while competent proy
sion has been made for it's preservation
m he of heryv 81;
ment Is shown in the report of the Chief Engineer
among these, one OF the most remarkable as we'll from
as from the unexpected facility with which
mas been so tar executed is the removal Of the raft over
Ned River An immense body of timber extending ono
uIeo ana eleven miles along that stream had covered
portion OF ITS surface, and interrupted all commu-
nlcailon. This has probably been collecting for Noes
ana not only was this great natural highway thus Shut
up by It, but fertile and extensive region aionS The ri
yer was inundated and the whole country i'm its vicinity
subject to local Diseases having their origin in this sub
This work has been in progress upon the nreson, s
.eh' niue more than two years, and the whole expend-
ture including sum of twenty three thousand dollars
was aPPed IN previous experiments that failed has been
about one hundred and thirty five thousand dollars 4,
estimated that an additional appropriation of forty
thousand seven hundred and thirteen dollars will he re-
CURED 70 complete IT. and which, with the sum of ten
thousand dollars now in the treasury will make for The
whoic cost one hundred and eighty five thousand seven
hundred and thirteen dollars The river has been ceo
eo ior distance OF eighty miles and there vel r
main - miles of distractions to be removed Tb,s no.
ton 1T IS expected will be finished early in tho ~,
Deiore he present plan of efiecting this work was
adopted there were various projects suggested for lie nc
compShment; but the most san0une pfoiecfor could NO,
nave anticipated such great physical change as is al
ieaoy taxing place. within the time and means that
nave Deen devoted TO the work loose estimate of the
ana winch VIII be reclaimed and rendered valuable bv
TINS Improvement which has been made by Col Brookes
formerly Indian Agent in Louisiana and intimately sc
quaihted win the region upon the Red river paces il nj
upwards 81 million of acres; and il will form one f be
most productive districts in the Union. This operation
as mere matter OF Pecuniary value, will return many
'mes the amount expended upon it,
nave brough; the subject your view at this fine
Iot only on account OF its intrinsic Importance but from
the encouragement it affords 10 the Introduction md nr
secuton ola system Of improvement by which tbe nb
tic lands upon the lower Mississippi and some fits rbo
taries may be reclaimed from their condton ~
rendered fit for agricultural purposes Whether te Or
Ject DC auainable, within tile limits Of reasonable or
Pense there are not satisfactory data for decrmnn
Du us great results to the country, in health in power
and IN wealth, obvious. F'
No appropriations having been made AT tho lac, so;
OF congress Tor the prosecution Of the works upon tbe
ioTuhcaonsi 1t has been deemed proper TO submit aJ
uonal estimates Of these objects And NJ Some ~ ,J.
io'B Hfst commenced have been compleied esfm.,es
nave also been approved by you for The
Oh 9thefs, which have been recommended by the Board
" engineers ga the continuation Of the system of defencc
ueVised by them and submitted to Couorcss number
OF our most important arbors and inles are vet either
Moy onoeended or SO partially protected, render
her situation altogether insecure in the event Of xpo
sure 10 hostile attempts. An adherence to the general
pan Of defence, and gradual prosecution of tic york az
the nations finances and other considerations NAV se;
~ seem TO be demanded by lust regard TO the ci,cn
Stances OF the country as we'll by the experience which
the events Of the last war forced upon US
ADDITION, however, to these permanent Notifications