Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-08-22
WA Drr,Krurx, N-,rb 90 ,a,o

ut last
Secretary ~ War he ruuucstcd y, communicate "a,
plan. tvrai for ne reorganization of the nilrt of
tho bn''ed States. have the honor tn submit lic fol-
lowing tcpors
The imI-'sSblity or guarling our exposed ir,n,ic-
by the small regular force Of the United States rem |
dcrs u necessary thai sofac piu should he devised 10
mako the militia available without burlenins the cour.
try either 10y loo great expense ma maintaining ~
ln the field b. obSiraciI,s latge a num- her IF
useful citizens from the productive labors Of agIcul
,U7c - ~ the rcc'bIrnc arts
The of the militia oi'ihc United Srses a. q,
present orcanzcJ, does fall short of one riIIpr
Eve hundred thousand unL every dly thai 4, 80
are mustered boz inspection abstracts ut least
one hHn OF dollars iron the earnings ut lator with
ent sdctug Cry thing whateV the military ,fK,icn.
" Of Tho country. AMI often affecting inturio,.
the moral condition of thp~e who are assembled f,r The
Purpose Lei by the little instruction they receive ,,n
such occasions, without discipline, subJzdnat,on or
knowledge Of tho of arms and totally rnorap, m
the manner Of taking OF themselves or of each
other al the field, such militia 1t called ont IN mas.
would rather prove burden Than an assis,lncc 10 the
army employed IN the defence of the ,ouutry ,s 4.
showl ~ tho experience OF Gen. WAsuiNGruS r..
pcuieIy expressed IA his correspondence n. We'll -
oy INC Jesuit OF more recent events during the last
war IL Is true that ia the principal cities of the I'M
t.c States there to DC found well Organized .c,.
nfed' and sodieTlike com anies battallofs reucnr.
ofsahe~ and divisions of volunteer men Who midi.
Ndually and collectively, would do GOOD service ,r
the field Bat any one acquainted rr.,,t ,,ll,, ,i,I
war Knows that To fight BRAY civ and even 70 ln,yr,
cooy and skiltully. the field Of battle are NOT the
most necessary qualifications ct the soldier They are
perhaps TIE most common, and The hast often called
into action. Soldiers be Taught their u,,,s ir
garrison. and in the ied. ia marching and cncapuiu.
az the police and military administration Of an army
Thus instruction. essential and wlthuut which :, =
lmp"sshis 10 tsrm the soldier cannot be given m a
days training by officers nearly a Ignorant of these
ofihtf"s 81 tie service rs the soldiers thcms,lycs I
speak of the generality OF the militia officer. II pusr
de nm ared by veteran and skul officers m garrison,
0hd in camp. und To men and officers milk, ,uI n
thus' De nm iricd To few at rluio. ANY atternoi 10
Urgunrze, discipline, aud render cy,ry v,y Il, Gr .r
vice 10 the Gcii the uuyyicly mass or Inc Min,
his vnat country, which will SOON asccn, =, t,,,
Hons OF men, must fail tor want OF means o,l Ir,,,
ihe country exposed 10 tlc terrible disasters Inch vii,
attend the inst burst Of upon iis frontiers n the,
are TO be defended by the armed bat undetermined
tnultiiulcs.
- has hccn supposed that IL VIII be sufficient 10 in
sruci tho officers only, and that the prvaics can uRr
wen dSsiPilnet oiFrcrs. hc formed into soldiers IN
slhtly ~ &c magic voices of good commanders =
lhs u double aud a most dangerous error In the
frSt place, requires tiRe form a soldier undcr H.
most prac'sed' experienced. and sll Officers and
our s1i might be polluted by the foot Of the invader
our cities iH en- and Sucked, aud forts occupied be,
lore oar armed citizens cOuhl DE latrht IN, ,l.,,,,.
oi tactics cr The sin, pie use of the fr,lnrk Al .
condy, q will prove fatal error 10 sunt.,. that nm
OLIVER can be formed by being drilled a. a prvat.-
me habit oil command the prompt eve the firm lone
''he sell scSsroE IN moments of difficulty and dancer
which inspire the with confidence md c,,,,rac.
and are 50 essential 10 scsurs their ready ,Ict,,c.
are the result 81 Practice The officers and priv.t
NNh" arc % act ege'hcr IN the field must 10, drilled
together, and prac'acd, the to The luti, Of o5i
once ard the other 10 those Of Communal
Satisfied that efficient force c,up,t H., ,,,,
TED % criBng the officers alone rs well As of the mn
rSctcss-'''y -f rendering the whole mass of Tho mill
ia ae1b!e at the same rmc. tor the defence Of ma
.So'huyi and c'nS'nced. FROM the experience of DOR
past VETS nat u f. necessary organize and
select body Of citizen sOlIcry vh, m n tn,,.,,,, ~,
Nsfhger VIII know their sisIrI AMI their dcs ., hen
assembled thore aIs who although separated from, t
MISS io' "a sort iin'e VIII return and mpau 10 II The
military knowledgo and experience they have ,c,pi
Eu during Their pcr.oI Of service have prerarcd the
bisf ID GItiilS ~ ',.ci e harey, h suhii;t,J crcc
ably 10 The resolution OF the House IL j. believed
that. examining them il will De APPARENT th,t line
scheme - not Iahle 10 any of tho objections that
are urged against large standing armies; but ON th
contrary ihat t viii form select bpdy Of nell dis,
pinned mhtn, ready themselves 10 def nj their conn
Try IN uie hosr of danger against any sudden Attack
AMI furnishing corps around which the les iustruc
i'd mass may rally possessing in degree the mi
ithry kHowiedge und skill OF regular soldiers they M
DC able alike To protect thcr country from foreign
fc. and TO guard lis Liberties from any danger that NAV
threaten theE.
IL appears TO me that the organization now proposeI
VIII prevent tho sessiIy Of mainiaiairg large stand
"a.
~ drilled and Instructed, will Dee thereby rendered
perfectly efficient and capable of defending The f,rf.
along our maritime frontier. which in the apcaco Of
shch an organization, would require a regular army
vi fifty thousand men. Al present, the m.l cnnnot
be rendered immediately available against a surprise
whereas, under the proposed organization they Womb
repair 10 their stations tho first alarm and would b
ehcieni soldiers When there Ia case of war those
Stations would become permanent, and arrangements
might easily be made 10 render the service ~ m
huTtpu=nme rs f,lr4 Lee
chlnia
Every prccauion has been taken n avoii an inter
ference with the rights Of the Sh4cs or 10 lessen ,bcr
means Of defence. The militia will bee called out iu
the masneT az present provided Tor by INV and mo-
chnngc is contemplated ia the mode Of differing the
several corps Of which the active class will be- com
posed.
IL will moi abstract a single man from the defence
OF the Stale where he resides. rJr separate him fruu
the class of citizens 10 which hC belongs IL will on
the contrary. strengthen the dofcuccs 10, each State h
furnishing u with well puci force. taken from
the People and making part II re People rually in.
terested with their fellow czous IN tho preservation
OF free institutions and ready all times guard the
terrsry and the people Of their country Neither
docs 10 interfere. in ahy with .c constitutional
rights of the States 10 train their militia cccUrl-
ing 70 the discipline prescribed hy Congress because
the active militia viii be- employed by the Prrsilcut
during the period they arc preparing for wurikC ser
vice IA garrison and IN the field And while tire States
have ell The advantages which rnav rosglt from "
organized end disciplined militia, hoy will. NJ tLc Q
same lime. be exempt from the losses expenses and
evils which follow, necessarily, from the as-cmfI1gc
Of large numbers ipr merely nominal military in
strucion. 10 . 10 be considered also that PORTION oil
me milira prov idcd with opportunities for the
attainment of the esscntiah OF military k11vlcIr,..
and. al the time that they relieve tie remainder
from and useless bnrjen they iheuscives
s not be Oppressed 10y any undue of military
service being required Of hem; but. the contrary
b. comparing the time which under the present g,s r
lem. y devoted % thGt object " will be found hlt
here is bot very little additional service &C. any, rr
lUired end or that Time they viii DO sufficiently com
pen-ntcd. The compensation contemplated o. ode. 81
iuao under good administration II e laws proposed 81
which are be made unfIr n their application, OBJ,
cguaii0rs o. DO issued BY the President 20 ls O, pre-