The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-07
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE,
Washington, January 7, 1917


Statement showing the number of recruits enlisted in
the regular army during the year commencing October l.
lsi5, and ending September 80, 1916:
For the general service Cor army at large)- 2576
por,on, Two regiments of Dragons All
n 5ecrn;t- J The regiment OF mounted rifemen 129
mo- service -Four regiments OF artillery I,o43
s ~ Eight regiments of infantry 1000
Sappers and miners, and attachments log
Total number of enlistments for the term of five
years, made in the regular army during year end
ing Sept. 80, 1916, 5945
army during the months of October, November,
received, is 1,673 This number will probably
be increased, when all the returns in, TO 1900
Total number enlisted from Oct. l. 1885, to Dec.
81, 1916 7,745
The number of enlistments made during the year end
ing September 3d. 1910, exceeded the number made the
In the Adutant Generals letter to the Secretary OF
War; of the 9Th instant he states that 'men enlisted for
the term of during The rar, can be recruited for the reg
uar service probably fast volunteers can be enroll
ed and sent to the seat of war If the term Of for
the regular and volunteer troops be the same, the proba
by is there will be but little difference in the time of
filling the ranks of either description of force" ~
And, in the official report of the Secretary of War of
the 9Th December, the fact stated that the greater
inducements to enter for short periods lin the volunteer
regiments for the term OF year onlyl satisfactorily ac-
counts for the want of better in recruiting for the
regular army" And, 'more than ALL perhaps the dis
soldier Of the regular army and the volunteer, which op
crates uniavoraby to the, former The widows and
orphans Of the volunteers who may be killed in battle
die of wounds received in the service pensioned
while the widows and orphans of the regular soldiers,
who die under the same circumstances, entirely
provided for by law &c.
If authorized by law to enlist for the period of during
the .car, with the small bounty proposed, there is little
doubt that the department will be able to fill the ranks
of the regular army very short timethat u.s. the five
six thousand men wanted could be recruited and
sent to join their regiments in the field, in short time
five six regiments of volunteers could be raised,
organized, and despatched to the army in Mexico after
the date of any requisition from the War Department
The remark applies with greater force perhaps.
to the raising Of regiments for the regular military
establishment, if the term be during the car for all the
captains and eutenans would be employed (under their
field oicers in recruiting for their own companes-gen-
orally in their own neighborhoods where they are
known-and it is believed, could fill their companies
within 40 so days after receiving orders feel JUS
titled in expressing this belief because several of the
companies of the rifle regiment were recruited quickly
last summer, in less than so days--although the
men enlisted for pe gears. Lieut.. Upton enlisted
So men in less than a month, and Lieut. Van Buren, co.
Respectfully submitted,
r. JONES,
Adutant General, u. s. A.
Hon. w. L. MARCY, Secretary of War.