The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-08-13

DRESS OF FATIGUE CLOTHING furnished by the
United Siates 10 the troops Of the Regular Army
" The commanding General Of the Western Di
vision, avails himself Of the present occasion To
tender his hearty thanks to Major Gally, his off
GERS and men. for the unsurpassed chivalry with
which they flew To the succour of General Tay-
l"r' Brigade, at time when his corps We're una
S"iJaby dispersed of single piece OF
United States Ordnance, and menaced by the hus
| tile demonstrations of the heroic forces Of dis
,inguished, but temporarily irri,ated, neighbour the
Republic of Mexico.
| The mertorinus conduct of these Louisiana
Volunteers, is worthy Of their chivalric fathers
of the war of lSl4-l5, in the defence of New Or.
leans. Their example cherished and emulaied as
1t should be by the patriotic young men Of the Uni.
ted States. cannot but contribute render our be
loved union perpetual :--invulnerable in war, and
and prosperous and happy in peace.
"By order of Major General GAINES.
"P. CALHOUN
hid DE Camp. "A. A. a. G."
reimbursement Of Major General w. Scott
on above:
"Why this Order was put into the printed
firm, may be inferred from the extraordinary lau
dat'on on lis face hut it is not seen hat legal
authority General Gaines had. over the PAYMENT
called out the Volunteers and ordered them to be
| cl"hed.s and the Secretary of War in his Annu
al Report has recommended that Congress should
he requested 10 make provision for paying them,
and de'raying the expenses of the proceeding -
General Gaines. by short cut, has anticipated
the Secretary and Congress.
Respectfully laid before the Secretary of
| War. WINFIELD SCOITn
*rhe first of the kind within my knowledge
Perhaps the Bureau Chefain did not know
that had been notified by the Department of
War. that this Battalion had been expressly au-
thorsed la remain in service with General Taylur
as long as tina, Officer deemed il proper 10 retain
| the Battalion-nor do | imagine that Chieftain
ever ur moment discovered that whenever that
fine Battalion happened to join and do duty
i with the troops under my command as upon its
/ first acceptance into the United States Service,
and on lis return from Corpus Christi, the cd
| Article of War made it my duty TO give orders
that The officers and men of this Battalion should
he paid, and fed. and should receive all things
which the laws authorize United States Troops
Ia receive. This is the most charitable view |
can take of the subject that officer says upon
his oath, Gall United States Military Officers are
required by law 10 take an oath to serve honestly
and iailhfully.) that General Gaines by short
cut has anticipated the Secretary and Cong ress -
-oHu Piu'eSStS 10 ne ignorant Oh tne pTuprlety
ordering them (the Vounteers) 10 be cloth.
| ed." The first of the kind within my (his) know,
edge" This is offered To the Cont as peru
! small specimen of the character of the duties de-
volving on The head Of The Military Bureau. as
explained by Mr. Secretary Spencer in his Letter
Ia the Honorable F.. Sianly, Chairman of the
Committee on Military Affairs. House Of Repre-
sontallves, In the year 1913, (see documen, Rep
No. 34l } in which the Secretary states among
4 frnon al
. OF Secretary of War of civil and not of
ga military character, and are ADMINISTRATIVE
"rather than eIecutice. His business is more
g 10 superinlend the general arrangements of The
service, regulate lis expenditures, and enfurce
| responsibility, than 10 exercise military com
mand"--"by assocating with him, at the seat of
Government, an officer of rank''-" the system
. is rendered complete" (See the following ex
tTact-the four concluding paragraphs of the Let
ter of the Honorable j. c. Spencer.)
81 fen Of the topics suggested by General
Porter are susceptible Of some application,
although probable without much addition to
their strength. The ciuiI auocations of the
Secretaryof War;" achich, fourteen gears ago,
he stated to be so numerous Gas to put it
aohoAy ont ofhis po,oer to attend to the dailv
orders, and complicated routine of duties
which qppertain to the command and discip-
line Of an army" so far from diminishing
SINCE that PERIOD hare been AUGMENTED and
multiplied to an ertent that renders the ar
gWment perfectly conclusive. THE functions
OF a Secretary Of Var are ofa ciua and not
Of a military character, and are administra-
the rather than erecutiUe. HIS business is
more to Su0erintend the general arrangements
Of the service, regulate ats expenditures, and
enforce responsibility, than to exercise mill
td'y command. 1t can rarely happen that
he possesses an acquaintance WiM the details
OF service, or experience IN the art of aoar.
By asSoc'ating aOith him, at the seat of Cor
ernment, an officer ofrank hauing these quail
fcatao'as, The system IS rendered complete, and
the 0arious talent requisite TO a faithful and
successful administration of the concerns of
the army may be brought into operation.
:" 10 devolve the peculiar duties Of a command
ing general upon an aduant general, would be
making him, IN fact, the commanding general .
All that would be gained would be change of IL
tie land instead of m jnr general commanding the
army, an adjutant general would do so. The
nature of the duties ofthe office of adjutant general
is wholly distinct from that Of a commander ; he is
in fact the adjutant Of the commander; and we
might as well abolish the office of colonel of
regiment, and place its adjutant in command of
The lieutenant colonel and major, as To place the
adJnlant general, whose official rank is that of
colonel, in command of brgadiers
" 10 abolish the office of major general merely
TO transfer the same duties one Of the brigaders
and thus, IN effect, promote one officer al the ex
pense OF another, besides the objections which
would arise from The conflicts and collisions be-
tween officers Of the same rank, (Which, from our
past history, may well be antci pated, would de-
range the military system OF the country which has
continued inr more than twenty years, (includinp
The period of the war,t) and destroy that unity in
theory and in practice which is created by HAVING
one acknowledged head, Of rank superior To ali
nl her nnicers and urhicl, 10 On. .r ell d.....I-l