The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-14

strongly recommended and the for its adoption
ably urged, do not think, however that the manner
Of augmentng the forces proposed by the bill which re-
ceived the favorable action Of branch of the egs
ture ought be carried into effect The organization
OF the army when il reduced to the peace establish
ment ought not 10 be abandoned IL fitted TO render
the greatest service In time OF peace, and TO afford
basis Tor the augmentation OF the effective forces OF the
country 10 much greater extent ia time OF This
arrangement should not therefore, be disturbed, but the
same system carried out in making new levies would
recommend the addition Of three regiments Of infantry.
and that the companies both Of artillery and infantry
should be increased to sixtyou rank and le with
thory vested in the President augment their number,
to exceed hundred men, whenever the exigen-
ces OF tho country may require t. This would secure
all the advantages OF the present peace establishment,
and enable the Executive, on any sudden emergency,
to place the army a respectable footing Of defence
Sound policy and enlightened economy equally
qure that every department Of the staff Of the army
| should be augmented. A properly organized staff
would have rendered the conduct Of the in which
we have lately been engaged both more effective and
more economical. As the army 10 now constituted,
officers drawn of for staff duties to the great injury
Of the service OF the line and these duties are by
means SO well performed they would be by officers
properly instructed and entirely devoted TO them. The
present organization Goes not give TO regiments
panies any supernumery officers. They more
than the performance OF the various duties OF their mill
tary command actually requires and to reduce the
Der must weaken the army render II irregular and ne
cient in its operations, and greatly impair its discipline
Such however, is the present defective state OF every
branch Of the staff that all supplied from subaltens
OF the line The department Of the Quarermaster Ge-
neral, the Commissary General, tho Engineers, the
Ordnance, the Paynasler General, and the Topographic
cal corps, all compelled to make drafts from the line
Of the army for the performance Of their indispensable
duties and the returns Of the Adutant Generals Of
fce Of the regiments in the field during the last
paigns in Alabama and Florida, exhibit amcnabe de-
ciency OF officers to fulfil the duties properly belonging
to them.
The Quariermaser's department requires not only
enlargement but the addition Of higher grades TO
render it adequate to the duties required Of it. The
functions OF this branch Of the staff comprising they
do, the q,arterng, supplying, and moving the army,
with all It's Stores and the execution Of various objects
of national improvement. important at all times
hut they become peculiarly so IN seasons OF active oper
atoms like the present, when large bodies Of irregular
troops necessarily called into service to aid linn
tied regular force.
The deficiency in the number of officers provided
for this service has been sensiby felt from the COM
Of our late border disturbances and especial
y during the past season; and with respect TO higher
grades than those authorized, experience has clear
" shown the necessity of some clothed with the ade
quate ranks to enable them to take the charge Of remote
districts and supervise the expenditure. and direct and
control the complicated operations Of the department 10
the field II is certain that there be no effective
military operations, without high degree Of efficiency
in that branch Of the staff which is TO and supply
the army would, therefore, recommend the addition
Of officers of rank, with limited number Of that
subordinate but useful class of agents, forage, wagon,
and barrack masters. .....
The department Of the Adjutant General is entirely
inadequate perform its appropriate duties to our
small army, and respectfully recommend that it be en-
arged to supply assistant adutas general to each
division and department OF the army.
Since the establishment Of the Commssariat OF Sob
sstence great regularity and economy have been intro
duced in furnishing the supplies Of The army; bat, in
order render it more complete, and to enable il to
perform all the duties assigned to IT, IN the most eco
nonical and efficient manner, recommend an addition
tho present establishment Of at least four officers
/ would recommend immediate increase oil the
corps Of typographical engineers The extensive range
Of duties which have Of late devolved upon this
corps, renders its increase matter OF necessity as well
Of economy 1t is physically impracticabe, as the
corps is constituted, to obey the njunctions Of
Congress Important surveys neglected; works OF
improvement slowly and mperectly carried on and
the expectations OF the country disappointed
BY reference to the statements of the officer al the
head of that branch Of the service, ii will be seen that
the entire corps consists but of ten officers and to these
has been found necessary to add during the present
year, about thirty individuals, employed civil eng
nees, at compensatIons greater than are allowed TO mi
ary engineers; thus making the entire cost Of this
branch Of service much greater than It would be IN the
form Of properly organized corps In addition to this
consideration discipline and proper subordnaon can
be introduced in mixed service, where the smaller
part only to the rules and articles OF war; the
greater being entirely exempt and without those positive
distinctions Of authority and Of rank upon which dlsc
pLne emnently depends.
The duties OF this corps require the combined know
ledge Of the military and civil engineers. Their mill
tary duties consist in surveys for the defence OF the
frontier inland and Atlantic and of positions for or
hcaons; IN reconnolsances OF the country through
WHICH army has to pass IN which has to operate
the examination of all routes Of communication by land
or water both for supplies and for military movements
the construction OF military bridges the position and
erection of field works the deences OF encampments
fords ferries and bridges. For these purposes, topo
graphical engineers should always accompany armies N
the field, and without their aid the organization Of
staff is defective and Incomplete Their civil employ
ment, in the survey OF the coast rivers, harbors bays
and water courses, order their being improved for
commercial and other purposes and IN experimenting
the various works for these Improvements IN surveys
of roads and canals under the law of the Both of April
1924 and in conducting all civil constructions con-
nccted with the commerce OF the country and such IN
ternational communications Congress may direct
This brief recapituat!on Of the various military and
civil duties of the corps clearly points out the necessity
Of its complete organization, and indicates the proprety
Of attaching it to the general staff Of the army The
direction OF all the works. both civil and military, herein
described properly belongs to this branch Of the ser
vice. simple enumeration OF the functions OF the
Quartermaster General will show that the duties OF his
Office cannot be performed without the assistance OF
the officers of tho Typographical corps They to
insure an efficient system oil supply, and TO give facility
and effect TO the movements and operations Of the ar
| N.Y. which cannot be accomplished without thorough
knowedge OF the topography of the country. Ii is his
duty likewise select sites for encanpments, and to
assign to the different corps the ground they are to &C.
cupy-a duty which requires the aid OF Typographical
engineers as does the superintendent Of Tie works at
the several posts the construction of military roads
the acquisition OF such knowledge the department is
expected to possess with regard the military
of the country; the and facilities of transporta
ton the state of the frontiers, with the most eligible
points for concentrating troops and collecting supplies
whether in relation to offensive defensive operations
/ h, oht tho