Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-09
POLITICS.
I'm ,1c ccncre<sionei Dosamen, ro. laa, H. Of r.
FToW Nt IUHs 6N''070
MILITIA OF THE |. >.


I>,, fran the Secretary Of Uar, transmitting system
Of re.organi=ation IF The Militia 81 the Z. ),
WAR DEPARrMESr, March2ll, lslo.
SIR:-In compliance with the resolution OF u'r ''"us
of Representatives of the 9Th INST, that .ne
~ of War be requested to communicate h's piah' ~
da for the reorganization of the Militia OF he =.
States" have the honor to submit the following Nc
port: s co,,;,rs
The impossiblity of guarding our exposed iroht"ts
\, tho small regular force of the I. States renders u
.o..s,ry that some plan should nc DEVISED TO make
the militia available without burdening Inc COUNT
either BY too great an expense IN manta'h'h! u =" ~
field or bv abstractng too large number OF u>e"' g.
tzens from the productive laOors Oh agriculture ~ "
the mechanic arts
The mass of the militia Of the L. States as at pre-
sent organized does not fall short OF one mli"h I'VE
hundred thousand men; and every day tnat thet ''e
mustered for inspection eErc,Se, abstracts At 'as
one million of dollars from the earnings oil laoo WIN
ont adding any thing whatever to the military rincieh
CIV of the country, and too often affecting INJURIOUS!
the moral condition Of those who are assembled Tor ''
purpose. Left by the little instruction 'hey teI.'t '
such OCCASIONS without discipline, su5ordnatI"n or
knowledge of the use OF arms, and totally ignorant OF
the manner of taking care of themselves or "i '"'"
other in the field such militia # called out IN mass
would rather prove burden than an assistance 10 l'
army EMPLOYED in the defence OF the country. As IS
shown nv the eyper,ence Of General Washington
repeaedly expressed in his correspondence, as wen
as BY the result of more recent events curing tne
last war. Ii is that in the principal cues OF 'e
L.
disciplined, and sodier-lkc companies batallons, re-
r;n,ents briqadcs and divisions of volunteers; men
Who, individually and collectively, would do good SER
vice in the field.
Bat anv one acquainted practically with war, knows
that to fight bravev and even TO inanGnvrc c"oiy ana
skifly on the field Of battle, not the most neceS-
sary qualifications of the soldier. They are, perhaps
the most common and the least often called INTO ac
ton Soldiers must be taught their duties IN garrison
md in the field in marching and encamping, III the
,ol,c mi
This instruction. so essential, and without "i'ch II
is impossible to form tho soldier, cannot be gwen III
DAYS training by officers nearly a ignorant o. l''T
branches of the service the soldiers themselves
sneak of the generality of the militia officers II must
be impaired BY veteran and sku officers, IN garrison
and in camp, and to and officers a!ikc ana y must
he impaired to few at time Any attempt 70 organ
;ze discipline and render every ut tor service IN
The fe Id the unwcldy OF the mia o thIS vast
county, which Will soon ascend to two millions OF
men, must fail for want of means, and leave t'e c"ui,
try exposed to the terrible disasters wch WI a''eno
The first burst of upon its troners u tey are 70
no defended by armed but undiscplined mut,ufcs
II has been supposed that 1t will be sufficient !" m
struct the officers only and that the prraes can nncr
well-nsructed officers, be formed INTO soldiers ,a''-
w. bv the magic voices of good commanders ms Is
do,hc and most da nrerous error. In the first place
il REQUIRES time to form soldier, under The most prac
tsed experienced and skul officers and our sou
might be polluted BY the foot Of the INVADER our Giles
taken md sacked and forts occupied, before onr
armed citizens could be taught the elements OF tactics
or the simrlc use of the frrlock And, secondly,
will prove fatal to suppose that an ohcer can O'
formed b. being drilled as private. The habit com
mand the promp, eye, the firm tone" the seipossesslo
in moments of difficulty and danger, which INSPIRE the
men with confidence and courao", and essential
10 secure their ready ohcd"Uc" tho result Of prac
tee The officers and pf'ya wh" axe to act together
IN the field must be drl!ra tgti:"r and prac'sed me
to the dEtes oil CDc0.cnGc, an" me olier " ''S
Of command.
Satisfied that an efficient fore" cannot be created BY
drilling the officers alone, well as OF The impracnca
blrtv Of rendering the whole mass OF the nta aVa'
able i, the same time for the defence OF the country
and convinced from the experience OF our past wars
that il il necessary to organize and discipline seec
body Of cit zen soldiers, who in moment OF danger
viii know their stations and their duties when assem-
BLEED there aud who, although separated IRON the mass
for short time will return and mpar 10 It the military
knowledge and experience they have acquired during
their period Of service have prepared the pan the de-
tails of which are herewith submitted, aseeaby t" The
resolution OF the House. 1t IS believed that, on exam
ming them, it will be apparent that the scheme Is moi
iahl, L. any of the objections that urged against
large standing armies but, the contrary, that wall
form select body, oil well-dsciplined militia, read
themselves to defend their country IN the hourot dan
ger against any sudden attack. and furnishing corps
around which the less instructed may rally; pos
sassinr IN some degree, the military knowledge aud
skill of regular soldiers they VII! he able alike pro-
tect their country from foreign tnc and to guard It's
liberties from any danger that NAV threaten them.
II appears that the organization now proposed
will prevent the necessity of maintaining large standing
armies, even in time of war. The militia, property
drilled and instructed, viii be- thereby rendered per
ecy efficient and capable of defending the forts along
orr maritime frontier, which in the absence OF such an
ORGANIZATIONS would require regular army of fifty thou
sand men AT present. ir militia cannot be rendered
immediately available a.r'n>t surprise; Whereas I'M
der the proposed organ1a'i"n they would repair tn
th".S stations The first aarlu and would he efficient
soldiers when there In Of war, those stations
would become permanent and arrangements might
easily be made 10 render the service as little
burdensome possible 10 the artisan and mechanic.
Every precaution has been TO avoid all interference
with the rights OF the States, Ia lessen 'r means
of defence The militia will be called ON in the !nin-
ner at present provided for by law, and chlnge IS
contemplated IN The mode Of offering the several
corps of which the active class will he composed.
1t will not abstract single from the defence Of
the State where he resides, separate INN from the
class Of citizens TO which he belongs 1t will on the
contrary, strengthen the dctrnccs of each State, bv
furnishing it with well-oganzed and wel-dscipnrd
force taken from the people, and making part "f the
people equally interested with their fellow-ctzcn in
the preservation Of free institutions and ready all
times to guard the territory and the liberty of their
country-Nether does it interfere, IN any manner,
with the constitutional rights Of the States to train
their own militia according to the discipline prescribed
by Congress- because the active militia will be en-
ployed by the President during the period they are pre-
pairing for warlike service III garrison ana IN Inc
field. And while the States have all the advantages
which may result from well.organlzed ana discipih
ed militia they WILL the time, be exempt from
the losses expenses and evils which follow, nccessar-
", from the assembagc Of large multtudes for merely
nominal military instruction. 1t is TO be considered,
ALSO that portion of the militia provided with OPP
portuntcs for the attainment of the essentials of mill
tary knowledge; and at the same time that they relieve
the remainder from and useless burden they
themselves will no, he oppressed by undue amount
of military service being required Of them tat on the
contrary by comparing the time which, under the pre-
dey I'D In IL
that there is but very little additional service, if any,