Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
Rt.ruaT or THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
WAX DErasrMLAT,
Drcpmb,r j. l-in.


REPORT OF TIG SECRETARY OF WAR
WAX DEPARTMENT.,
December >, $40.
SIR: Since my report Of the la, year the several
branches of the public service committed tony charge
III. Army has hren actively and useiuiy employed
j.. Florida and on the Northern aud Western iron
RI. -
The drs,an entertained by the Department, of keep
nu The regiments ca;re, aud concentrating the troops
whenever Is pr cii lie 10 d his been rrsev"r"d
IN with The most beneficial results commencement
ms hkcwis,. been made abI>hmg drp't> Tor III"
r.ceut,ou of Inc recruits OF each separate regiment
wbrr. they may h. drilled aud disciplined before the,
arr sent nf 10 respective stations IN garrison 81
IN the field The recruit ought never to lac sent !"
MN his company service, until he - th"ronghy
ttrlt The duty al the s"!drr; and has instruction w
H. h-it.r gwen nj rrgrnal than al general dep"tS
By tvid,u0 each re- irn into tvs" bodies IN the nau-
urr prnpnsed every important station IN the country
NAV occup ed, either n place =" deI"t or rehdrz
vous "fthc regiment; and by proper distribution Of
lin. latter the intermediate forts may be temporarily
occupied by pnrta deachments without INJURY 10 The
discipline al The whole corps
cannot To strongly urge the adoption Of this method
ofdsIributna Iittlc army IN time OF peace 10 dit
yid IL inio small permanent attachments wll he TO des
trey Il, efficiency aud lis discipline. and IN the event
Of war Ia expose the posts 10 be- captnred and the
whole regular icrs ut the country IL be usressr "a
criticrd Apart from that nitara and vel. Tounctd
jealousy Justly entertained against the existence oil
large standing army IN our cnuntry sound pncy and
due regard for economy render such esia1 shncni
altogether nadysabr; and brc"nps necessary therr
fore To provide other Of defending our Northern
and maritime frontiers against the dangers 10 which
they would he exposed al the commencement of war.
None other occur mr. than those have already re-
commended va: Central positions for the regular
forces from wi oh they could mavc uaon any po'nt I"
attack defence; and such h'zati"n Of the v"
unirer or i.itia n.c-sas would enable them to mann
tain the posts inrus,sd |" their charge until relieved
i,v The regular troops; system w.cl Dug ~ be ma
tund IN tir al peace
Fur thr Western frontiers posts garrlsoned by re-
eular troops camn"t br dispensed with. They need
il t very large; but they ought 10 he constructed ."
h.r.pro" materials. aud IN such manner as 10 he Dc
frnslblr hy s,a garrison against any number Ut men
NJ, pr v,drd with artillery plan WHICH Will effect
these otircts perfectly has been devised 10y thr Chie
Eng ne-r, and been adopted. The quarters Tor ih''
mrn nngn, likewise To To- hn,!t "f durable materials,
aud bp permanently furnished with IRON single bed
s,eads III Leu "t the double aud treble wooden hunks
n"w IN usr. THIS change. for obvious reas"ns should
be- intrnducrd INTO all the barracks IN the I. States.
The oh ri and best position i"r the concentration n
troops independently &c the r,gluru,al rendezvous
for the Nnrh.rn irnntr, near Albany, IN ir State OF
New York. and near 81. l."us, III Missouri, Tor The
Wrstrrn--p pr from winch Easy communications ra
date L. part IL those extensive inrs o defence,
and whrnrc troops may liz Transported with certainty
and rapdty wherever their pr"s"mc" may b. required
Far thu maritime frontier III the Gull Of Mexico, !
would recommend addition Ia the permanent fotl
fations planned FIR IL defence, and now hrnG erect
ed the r>tb -hn.t at a depot, niewhere below III,
falls of the Oh -, lar armed vessels. THIS
would SEEM Ia turn si the best "f bringing
the power al the upper country 10 the defence
OF thr COAST aud If using IL when there, IN the most
ricmut u,annrr a CERTAIN number Of vessels If war
mnht lc kept constant readiness, strong enough To
carry good battery, and lyn enough to descend the
ii all seasons, and Ia IS The bars It The Ms
sss'pp'. These boats 'neht I" h. Of IRON, com.
binng h.ldnrss stfcnui! and durability aud might
be constructed III the requisite i"r about fifty
thousand dollar. each. Mater ais should be collected
for the CONSTRUCTION 81 BEATS Ia be- built OF mo"d, and
stored unit, wanted, when, with The vast resource in
woi kshnJs and ahcs along the shores Of The ONO,
they mg, be- put together in very short time, and
fleet, equipped and manned wih the hardy bnatmrn at
the Western waters, and few allie bodied seamem,
might BE- n .aG Ia The tcrnn, fully equal with the.
existing aud contemplated notifications, 10 protect
the whole Cuff frontier. The very able report
the defence of the country, made by board OF dis.
hngush-d officers, aud submitted I" Congress during
the last session, proves c"nclus vry The absolute ne.
ccSsiy at preserving" aud continuing our system OF
permanent maritime works at defence, and EXHIBITS
the cltarest their superiority floating
batteries al an, anu every description. In hs v.w
OF The subject concur, and think that the Ia
c,hy with Which our consls aud hafb"rs may tn nP
preached and entered by steam vessels n war, renders
strong, prrnanrnt works, than ever necessary.
The prnrcurs winch Will BE- used III future wars, Will,
from their aud dcscr,ptun prove destructive L"
any wonden battery, aud gave immense advantage
10 stone walls any fabrics that can be- penetrated
by shells II may be proper here ~ remark, that thu
capture Of the castle of San Juan de Uoa, at Vera
Cruz, has led many persons suppose that stone revr
mcnts ght be destroyed by shells. THIS is ncorr c
After that event, ] caused experiments Ia be made al
Old Point Comfort hy firing. nj poni-hlunk range,
against stone wall erected e." ,r purpose; The shells
broke against II, making very lItlr mpressi"n. N"
doubt therefore, need be- entertained OF The ability OF
our building materials I" resist hollow shut. do no,
think, however, that the permanent w"ks should br
the only delencrs relied on, bu, regard moycabe
batteries as essential auxiliarcs. These ought nni III
my opinion he large vessels but Of light drangh I"
water capable If carrying two guns nr tr"w'ng shells
of eight or ten inches diameter, and so constructed
to present small surface TO the fire OF an enemy
These steam batteries should be manned 10y artillery
men and be under The command of The officer charged
with the defence of the harbor Qualifications, so as 10
cure harmony of action In order 10 test the practical
bny of making bomb. cannon of the caibre of ten
inches the Chief of the Ordnance, Col. B"m"rd, was
sent ~ Boston, where he has conducted series of eS
perinen,s with the satisfactory results. recon-.
mend that these guns b" adopted INTO the service, and
form part of the nf iortfcalons and of
our steam fna,ng batteries. Some successful expert
ments have, Revise, been made with war rockets
and machine constructed for preparing them appears
to answer the purpose perfectly.
The great amnun "f property vested by the Govern.
ment in arms, amounting TO several millions of dol
lars no less than the risk to the national safety by
adopting any inventions without being convinced
Of their superiority, by longued experiments in the