The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-14


Tor actual state) in the usual tabular form. Nor can
such return be made othe army in Mexico under the
immediate command Of Major General Scott; co. o!
| the troops in New Mexico and California. These
exhibits will be supplied hereafter, at the earliest day
practicable For the same reasons the general return OF
the volunteer forces cannot now be furnished:
| The interruption of the communication with the army
in the heart OF Mexico, and the distant stations of the
other commands beyond the limits Of the United States,
account in great degree, for the delays and failure of
many of the missing returns.
| X.-Additional second heutenants
operations of the service clearly show the want of
one more lieutenant to each company OF light artillery,
and each company OF Dragons and infantry OF the eg
lar army The ten regiments already provided with
three subalterns Hard service in Mexico and the eli
mate, swell the invalid list to unusual number which,
with the heavy details upon the ne, staff service, and
other incidental duties that necessarily separate many
ofcers from their companies inlurousy reduce the
Der for duty with the troops respectfully recommend
public service require now, as formerly, (when reg-
ments eleven hundred strongly the authorized num-
Der to be at least four officers for each company of more
than one hundred men. The proposed additional second
lieutenant would not give an average Of three (now not
two) company officers for duty with the troops Official
complaint from commanders in the field upon this head
show the wants of the service, to which the attention OF
the department has heretofore been respectfully requested
Xl-Subjeas embraced former reports, again submit
ted for consideration
1st " The retired lisf"In the closing paragraph of
my report OF December 5, 1916, it stated :" beg
leave respectfully to recall the attention OF the depart
nent to the recommendation than repeated in
the annual reports of the majors general commanding in
eral regiments effective in officers well in men,
The plan proposed by the late Major General Macomb
to provide by law for retired list which, according
to the details submitted would not cost the government
cent than the present rates allowed The only
difference would be, that the places OF effective Off
GERS would be supplied by the effective officers doing
their duty, and the brevei officers the foot of the list
would be sooner advanced and thus, by the increased
efficiency OF the several regiments and corps, there
would actually a benefit result TO the public &c
1t is believed that plan could be devised which
would essentially improve the condition OF the SER
vice, and at the same time do justice to the invalid
ance of public duty In his annual report of November
go 1884, Major General Scott brought up the subject to
the consideration of the Secretary of War, and at the
same time recommended that some provision of law
might be adopted lin favor of widows and orphans OF
regular officers who have died may die consequence
Of wounds received diseases contracted in service,
there being such provision already behalf of the
widows and orphans of navy, volunteer and militia Off
GERS dying under the same circumstances'''
The list OF invalid officers continues to increase and
the service suffers more and more for want OF the pro.
posed system OF relief cannot conclude this report
without renewing the recommendations OF the command
ing generals of the army, SO often repeated within the
last ten years. in reference to this ameoraton of the
public service in making the regiments effective in Off
GERS well as in men, While the plan heretofore sub
united would be acceptable to the army it has the merit
not only of attaining the object in vews increased
efficiency without any additional cost TO the govern
ment but on the contrary, would be an actual saving.
beg leave respectfully TO refer the department to the
annual report of the late Major General Macomb of Nov
21 $780, (paper ID the last from that distinguished Off
Ger. in which he presents full and lucid view OF the
subject. The project was favoabIy entertained at the
last session of Congress, bill having been reported by
the Committee Military Affairs Of the House of Rep
resentatives, but deferred for want of time.
g. Asylum for grounded and disabled soldiers-Ths
subject introduced into the House of Representatives
by resolution offered by the Hon. Mr. Ramsay, OF Penn
sylvania directing the Military Committee to inquire in
10 the expedency of making provision for army asy
um, as long ago as February, 1929; and the measure
has since been repeatedly urged by the commanding gen.
QrQI1 nj 10 9sO cal cd hv
considerations alike OF sound policy, justice, and hui
manity.t
Extract from the annual report of the General chief
November 60, 1915
" venture respectfully to invite attention to
retreat or asylum for the WORKOUT decayed rank
and file of the army. The subject has been twice
tary affairs the House of Representatives. lSee report
No IL I'd session, Goth Congress and report No O9 I'd
session esh Congress) II the want can only be placed
fully before Congress, II seems impossible to doubt
cess the asylum would impose burden the treas
ury but be supported from the army ITSELF in Deductions
fines, and reversOns.
"To the Hon. W. L. NANCY, Secretary of War;
beg leave respectfully to ask attention to this
subject in behalf Of the gallant rank and file, The class
OF old soldiers who would find retreat under the plan
suggested without cost to the government, might EN-
brace-lst those wounded in battle 3D. the aged or in
after serving faithfully years. Sd, such disabled in
firm soldiers may be honorably discharged "sur-
geons certificates for disability from causes originated
not less than two years, &c.
g. The distinction in the pension laws between the
officers and soldiers of the regular army and the voun
teer service has often been presented TO the view OF the
department, and the present time affords fit occasion
again to bring up the subject for consideration. The
widows and children of the volunteers of every grade
killed in battle, who die of ordinary disease and the
effects OF climate entitled to pension under the hu
name law which has been provided for this class
of citizens employed in the military service; but the
widows and orphans of the soldiers of the regular army
who may die OF wounds be killed in fighting the
battles of his country, entitled to nothing under the
law. The families of the fallen soldier without disnc
ton of rank corps, whether in battle by the harder
fate of an nhosptabe climates ought to share equally in
the munifcence OF their common country.
With regard to that view of the subject which refers
to the granting haf-pay for five years to widows OF off
of the regular army who may not fall in battle, but
die of disease contracted in service, beg leave quote
the Just and satesmanke views presented the Senate
in the able report OF the chairman of its Committee on
Military Affairs, of January T. 1916, in the of the
widow of Col. William NlacRea, late of the army:
80 "The Justice and erpcdiency of this relief
is the question referred to this committee and in con-
sdering il, they have to say that if Col MacRea had
been killed in the line OF his duty his widow would have
been entitled to five years hapay and they can see no
difference in the merits of the sacrifice whether the 9TH
Ger was killed in the service, or wore out his life
and died in the service In each case the loss is
the same to his family, and the in favor of a
provision for them is in each the same; and such
the rule in the naval branch of the service Hall pay TO
the widows of officers seanen, and marines who have
died in the service has always been granted to such
widows at first for life, and payable out Of the navy
sion fund but since the OF June 30, 1884, and sub
States By these acts the half pay has been three times
craned for period of five wears: and the last OF these