Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-06-04
wAR DrrARrNkSr. Mnreh % late.

INC Secretary OF War be requested to communicate
his plan, in detail Tor The Reorganization 9f the mt
lita THE United States, have tho honor 10 .s.,
nit the following rcpoui
The imrossibiy ofguardirg our exposed from
tiers by The small regular force q the Uui,sd Sstss
4 renders Il necessary that plan should b. dev
sed TO make the militia available without bnrlening
the country, either by too great an expense ia main
tanning 1t In the Geld, or BY abstTactng too large
number OF useful citizens from the productive sbofs
ofagricultufe OF Of the mechanic arts.
The mass OF the militia OF the United States as ut
present organized does fall short Of one million
FIVE hundred thousand men; and every day that they
are mustered Tor inspection exercise abstracts at
least one million OF dollars from the earnings of la
Dor, without adding any thing whatever 10 The milf
sary efficiency OF the country, and often Affect
ing inuriouss the moral condition Of those who are
| assembled for the purpose. Left by the little In
| struciior they receive such occasions. without
| discipline, subordnation, or knowledge Of the use
OF arms, and totally ignorant Of the manner of ia.
king Of themselves or Of each other in the field
such militia, II called out in mass, would rather
prove burden than an assistance TO the army en-
ployed In the defence of the country, is shown by
the experience OF Gen. Washington, repeatedly OK
pressed in his correspondence, we'll as by the re-
suit OF more recent events during the last war. Ii
is true that in the principal cities Of the U. States
there to DO found well-organzed. disciplined
brieades, and divisions OF volunteers; men who IN
diyduslly and collectively, would do good service
| IN the field. But any acquainted practically
with war, knows that to fight brayey, and even To
manmuvre coolly and skilfully on the field OF bat.
tle not the must necessary qualifications Of the
soldier. They are, perhaps the most common. and
the least often called into N6on. Soldiers INST
be taughtther duties IN garrlstn, and in ths hed
in marching and eneampng, in the police aud D.,
tary administration Of an army. This instruction,
essential, and without which IL is impossible to
form tue soldier, cannot be given in day lrainiag
by officers nearly ignorant Of these branches of
the service the soldiers themselves. speak Of
the generality OF the militia officers. 1t must be
impaired by veteran and skilful officers in garrison
and in camp, and to and officers alike; aud it
must be impaired to few at a time. Any attempt
to organize, discipline and render every way ft for
service in the field the unwieldy mass Of the mill.
tia OF this vast country, which will ascend to
| two millions of men, must fail for want of means
and leave the country exposed to the terrible disas
tiers which will attend the first burst Of upon its
| frontiers If they to be defended by armed but
| undisciplined mutitudes.
1t has been supposed that it will be sufficient to
instruct the officers only and that the prvates can
under well-instructed officers, be formed into sol.
ders MISUNDERSTANDING IDas &c Voices Of good c0a
manders. Thisis double and most dangerous err
| ror. In the FIRST place, it requires time TO form
soldier, under the practised, experienced, and
skiIful officers; and our soil might be polluted by
the foot of the invader, cities taken and sacked
| and our forts occupied, before our armed citizens
could be taught the elements Of tactics, the sim.
pie of tie frelock. And secondly, it win prove
fatal error to suppose that officer be form
ed by being drilled private 4 he habit of com
mand, the prompt eye, the firm tone, the self-pos-
session in moments Of difficulty and danger, which
inspire the men with confidence and courage, and
essential to secure their ready obedience, are
the result of practice. The officers and prvates,
who oct together in the field, must be drilled
together, and practiced-the one to the duties OF
| obedience, and the other to those Of command.
| Satisfied that efficient force cannot be created
by drilling the officers alone as well as of the i'm
| practicability OF rendering the whole OF the
militia available, at the same time, for the defence
! OF the country; and convinced, from the experience
of our past wars, that it is necessary to organize
and discipline select body Of citizen soldiers, who,
in moment of danger, will know their stations and
| their duties when assembled there, and who al
| though separated from the mass for a short time,
will return and impnrt to it the military knowledge
and experience they have acquired during their Pc
Rod OF service. have prepared the plan, the de-
tails of which are herewith submitted, agreeably to
the resolution of the House. 1t is believed that, on
examining them, il will be apparent that the scheme
is not liable to any of the objections tina, are
urged against large standing armies; but, the
contrary, that it will form select body of well.dis-
ciplined militia, ready themselves to defend their
country, in the hour of DANGER against any suddea
attack, and furnishing corps, around which the
less-instruced mass may rally; possessing in some
degree, the military knowledge and skill Of regular
soldiers, they will be able alike to protect their
country from foreign foe, and to guard its liber-
ties from any danger that may threaten them.
| 1t appears to me that the organization now pro-
he If .,t.,
large standing armies, in time Of war. The
militia properly drilled and instructed, will there
| by be rendered perfectly efficient, and capable Of
defending the forts along marine frontier which,
in the absence OF such au organization, will require
a regular army OF fifty thousand men. AT present.
the militia cannot be rendered Immediately availa.
bic against "A surprise whereas under the promo.
sed organization, they would repair to their stations
at the first alarm, and would be efficient soldiers
when there. In case Of war, those stations would
| become permanent, and the arrangements might
easily be made TO render the service as little
burdensome as possible to the artisan and mechanic
/ Every precaution has been taken TO avoid all in.
terfereGce with the rights Of the States lessen
their of defence. The militia will be called
out in the manner al present provided for by law
and no change IS contemplated in the mode Of otl
cering the several corps Of which the active class
will be composed
! 1t will not abstract single man from the defence
Of the State where he resides, separate him from
| the class Of Citizens TO which he belongs. II will
| on the contrary, strengthen the defences of each
| State by furnishing it with a well-organzed and
welldiseiplined force, taken from the People, and
making part Of the People equally Interested with
their ieowci,zens in the preservation of free inst
tuiions, and ready at all times guard the terrific
ry and the liberty of their country. Neither does il
interfere, in any manner, with the Constitutional
rights Of the States 10 tain their own mtia, ec
cording 10 the discipline prescribed by Congress
because the active militia will be employ cd By The
President duiing The period they preparing flr
wsI- Ike service 10 garrison ana IN The field. AID
while The States have all the advantages which may
result from weU organized and disciplined militia
/ they NH, at the time, be exempt from the
I.,...a nxnansea and evil. \. Lii. .Il..., ......nr