The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-13


ted by the Senate BILL authorizing one additional reg
ment Of Dragons. He believed the service did not
require additional force Of mounted men, The
cavalry force already sufficient II properly sta
toued, and with the mixed corps OF artillery and
nhemen, the two existing regiments Outrageous were
sufficient to protect the whole western, south, and
north western frontiers and the route to Oregon. They
were not required for any other portion ofthe country
He admitted that they indispensable corps for
the frontiers but argued that there necessity 10
increase their numbers, IL the stockade forts were
manned by companies Of riHemen. The Dragons
were only needed on the prairies, and TO give
chace TO the enemy, should they aitemptto disturb the
posts attack the emgrans On their route TO Ore
gon. Again, on the score Of economy, a vast diff
ference was found to exist-a regiment of Dragons,
according to the estimates received from the War
Department, costing the government about S2l0 900
per annum while the proposed too regiments OF
rfemen would be charge 10 the government
Of only about s22O, O00--making the cost Of one
regiment OF Dragons come within fraction Of the
sum required for both regiments Of rifemen. As a
matter Of economy, therefore, he would prefer the
latter.
Mr.. Chairman, CONTINUED Mr.. YELL,) permit me
here to say a few words in defence Of our gallant
army We have been told Of the "superannuatsd"
and "supernumerary" officers Of the army. con-
slider the charge implied by these applications to be
gratuitous and not founded in fact. By reference
TO the report Of the condition Of the army, 1t will
be that ALL nearly all the officers are employ
ed in urduous and aborious duties
Mr.. JAMES A. BLACK, (Mr. Y. yielding) in an
explanation upon this point said that the report
from the proper department showed that we now
have three officers TO every forty men, and ninety.
Ave "supernumerary" officers beside. He there
fore, distinctly said that they were supernumerares
He had always said in this House, and he repeated
that these men are employed, but they are employed
in place Of officers who are either on furlough, or
who are ncapscitated for service account OF age
or disease. He further expressed himself in favor
of the BILL and wished amendment made to II
providing for the immediate disbandng OF these reg-
ments when they should not be needed for the de-
fence and interests Of the country.
Mr.. HARALsos, (Mr. Yell still yielding upon
this collateral question Of supernumerary officers,
referred for the information Of the House, TO the re-
port of the commanding general Of the army, made
10 the Secretary Of War, and communicated 10 Con-
gress a, the commencement Of the present session; in
which speaking Of the supernu merares, he says "9S
brevet second Iieutenants, graduates Of the Military
Academy-strangely called 'supernumerares -
are" by act Of Congress OF the year l9-, attached
to companies, and doing duty with them"
Mr.. Yell resumed his remarks, and said my
friend from Georgia [Mr. HARALsosl has given a
true statement Of the condition Of the "supernume-
rades." They are the young cadets who have not
been made second lieuenants, but who are all, be-
leve, actively engaged in the service and doing du-
ty, some of them as eutenants, and some, believe,
even in the command of companies. Thus they
on duty without either the pay the honor of
commission for the stations which they fill with so
much credit TO themselves and advantage to the
government.
feel that il is due, Mr.. Chairman, to the service,
and TO those young officers, to place them right be-
fore the country. II is but scant justice to give
them credit for the duty which they perform with
out the pay or the rank with which the performance
Of that duty should be accompanied. What, then,
must be the injustice Of branding them "supernu-
merarIes," and imputing to them fault the want
Of runk which their very employment proves their
fitness to receiver
would further remark in defence of the army
from the charges which hive been made against it,
that the first regiment of Dragons has performed
more arduous duty in the course Of the last few
years than almost any other corps in the service
The commanding officer has been with his regiment
for the last twelve months, under canvass, exposed
TO all the hardshps and dangers which common
to the wilderness through which they passed on
their tour to the South pass Of the Rocky noun
tains, encountering the dangers Of attack from hos
tile Indians, the cold blasts from the snowy noun
tains, and the exposure to hunger, and the depriva
ton fall the comforts Of life This duty has been
performed by Col Kearney and his command with
out murmur, while those stationed upon the sea
board and the lakes have been in good quarters, and
in the enjoyment Of the comforts Of life Are these
the holiday services of supernumerary and superan-
nuated offcersi
II is dae also to the officers and soldiers ofhe Cd
regiment Of Dragons to state that they, too, shave
seen some service" 1t is not many years since
this regiment returned from Florida, where they
were employed in the most painful and Iaborious
duty. OF the hardships tolls, and dangers, Of the
Florida war, l need not speak-a thankless, yet
most arduous service, where fatigue and danger
were certain and glory most remote. Where a
naked and ambushed foe was not more fatal than the
diseases and malaria which formed the atmosphere
nj hia hiding place-whpre mo- fell fhrnuuh in
tigue, exposure, and the fatal magnity of the eli
mate, than from the rifles of fierce, crafty, and
tive enemy. Those who have served campaign in
Florida will bear witness that this service lit
tie to be coveted by those who desired either COM
fort or distinction.
Mr. Chairman, what have said in reference to
the dragoons, applies with equal justice to onehalf
Of the infantry regiments now in the service. The
late prompt movements made by the several corps
who now form the army of occupation in Texas
while they reflect the highest credit the officers
and men, entitle them to the thanks of the govern
ment These movements, Mr. Chairman, would
vie with the most active operations Of the best
troops of Napoleon, in the palmiest days of that
great general. No troops, either in this country, or
in Europe, have moved with more promptitude and
despatch than the command Of General Taylor. His
command constitutes half the available force now
in service; and, sir, hear Of no 'superannuated"
or supernumerary officers there. imagine, sir,
they are not TO be found.
Let gentlemen go to the departments here in Wash
ngton, from that of the commander-in-chief to his
subordinate bureaus, and let them point to all the
dlers and "sIpernumeraries" they will find. will
venture to say, Mr.. Chairman, they will look in
| vain. They not to be found there either
1t is undoubtedly true that in time Of peace the
army are not generally popular with the people
They are apt TO be regarded as separate and dis
| tinct class Of men, having neither occupations or
sympathles in common with their fellows. Their
services in time of war, which has gone by, are
| forgotten. Those which are constantly carried or
in time of peace overlooked and disregarded.
Their importance to the country is neither appre-
cated nor understood An unjust prejudice has laid
hold Of the public mind against this arm of our ma
| tional defence
But the time may come, and that at no distant
period, when all eyes will look to our gallant little
army the main pillar of their temporal salvation,
as the arm outstretched between our homes and
families and vindctive hostile force Let us now,
then, do them justice here, where they have no
means to protect themselves from assault.
Mr. Chairman, some objections have been raised
to the bill now under consideration, on the ground
that by il the appointment Of the officers who to
ram ms nd the nrnposed new regiments ia left in