The New York herald., 1850-01-06
SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 6, 1850.

other at tie trading establishment Fort Hail. on the
headwaters Of the Columbia river, some where on
non mt ~ aS near enough to the Nor
supplies Of subsistence and forage and ct the same
Time sufficiently near the direct road to Oregon to
snoIa s.oppg place Tor parties OF smigrans to rest
Fort Kearny opposite Grand Island. Platte river
chain Of posts to Oregon garoned at the date
the last annual report by two companies of the
regiment These have since been relieved by one com
may not be practicable to provide sufficient quarters
Tor the troops the present season, the commanding g
officer has been authorized to order Of the
companies to Fort Leavenworth
The two companies of the rifle regiment and one
company OF the eth infantry assigned to the second
post in the chain reached Fort Laramie in June July
and August. After an examination Of the country
within sixty miles the site Of old Fort Laramie stu.
sted on the north bank Of the Laramie river
mile from its junction with the Platte decided to
be the most eligible postion for military post tn ere
within short distance This post is regarded as of
great i'm portsnce being in the midst Of power
aud Crows have never been friendly to the vSits..
The Pswnees also have shown hostile disposition on
various occasions, but more recently BY numbering
two mail carriers the road between Fort Kesrny and
Fort Laramie
X.-TAe Recruiting S.rv;e,
\. n1a -, oIsnen OF the service continues to
sial superiptsptepts have been reduced to two it
i.una to keep up the district which
was esthshsneu In the western division OF the
during the war with Mexico Two field officers four
teen captains and twelve eutenants poyed for
the general servioe 5s7 recruits have been enlisted
during the year ending October 8lst.
The receiving dspots and schools Of instruction
established at Fort Columbus N Y, and Newport
Barracks Ky for the artillery and infantry arms. and
the one at Carlisle Barracks, Pa, for the mounted
regiments, greatly contribute to the economy and
efficiency OF the service, sc.
KIT Rank and File of the .army
reports from varieus commanders the frontiers
reisrste III forcibe terms the now as
nsretofsre FELT In consequence Of the meagre standard
part makes their dispossbis force merely nominsI
The idea of numbers, Of efficient strength in our SER
vice cannot well be understood when they compu-
TED by regiments and companies for example the to-
ts strength Of the regiment Of infantry when it left
Jeferton Barracks in August last for field service in
Florida including sick and extra duty men, was 86l:
and the average number Of privatss in the ten compa
nirs for duty was lees than twenty three.
& Ire late army OF occupation" encsmped near Mata-
pspies Of infantry companies Of cavalry and sig
teen OF artillery In all seventy three companies eQual
to seven regiments and battaop) making only 65l
men for duty including mers aud fifers The to.
strength OF the companies for duty averaged about
thirty but the average number OF prisates no
more than twenty six and that tor an army in the
NO system Of recruiting however successful has ever
been able to k.sp the average strength Of companies
present for duty on the basis Of forty prvate at
more than thirty prvatss, frequently less
The utter insuhiciepcy Of the skeleton basis. (4a
priv.tes) and the real importance OF the subject,
which often aud 80 closely involves the public inter-
etts will trust be sufficient apology for ting
again for copsoeration and this cannot better do
than by laying before you the annexed from
my annual report to ysur predecessor dated November
a0th. lss5
~ beg leave respectfully and earnestly to reausst
early attention to the subject Of b. ter
Of the peace estabhment. with respect to the rank
and file Of the tevrIs regiments which the whole army
" "a per company There be doubt that EN-.
cheney and true economy require that the authorized
companies the Pacific stations In New Mexico aud
hs Texan roners ought to be at least 80 and 100
"ft the provisions Of the act entitled An act to au
horze Al Increase o the rank and file OF the army Of
,he nited States approved May Is ls40, and which
bxes tht MINIMUM number at O. privates per company
could be re.enaetei, the requisite ameoTaton would
be thus sasy obtained IL should be understood that
the sliding fcale which would authorize any increase
rmote frontier ttations, as in Missouri Texas New
July istS upon ibis iubject Of which annex an sI.
tract, U)n
t'ExTnIcr I)--. BY the act entitled An act
TO sutheIe an increase Of rank and Ole Of the army
Of the United States approved May rs 1896 the Pre-
sdent IL empowered 20 increase the number Of prvstes
in each Of the companies Of the several regiments OF
the old army TO any number not exceeding one hum
dred whenever In bis opinien, the eTigenciss Of the
public service may require the snd 60 reduce the
same TO s1ty foar whenever the exgencies requiring
Therefore recognised by the Pretdspt and recommend
ed by him force to be retained In the ser
vice during period Of peace This minimum standard
Of sixty four prva'es ut the time intended TO be
o permanent and fixed number being In sccordsncs
s,repuously urged for years previously by all sxps
Tienetd aud practical men In the service, who bad
upon 90 many occasions ~ 'ns nea .esea sn1 soi.y
utter nsu ufcency and unreliable number OF tbs skee
ten system Of forty t-o privstes to company When
Gertial Akinfon advanced with six companies OF In
fautry from Jsfcrtun Barracks TO suppress thu first
rising of Blsck nawk In lss2 his splrit derided
the msss,r force of t~o hundred aud forty whsn
he saw the tkeleton oompanie, consisting OF thirty.
two pri,ates each. Again In the battle OF Withia-
coocbie December ~ 1888, Osneral clinohs battalion
fhQ nj AL
being only tr hundred ana forty; aud the two skse
pHpiss which met their fate uader the gallant
Dade Dec - 1s35 had altogether but sixty-hye for
duty. tony forty piDe prystss IN both though the
day they marched from Tampa Bay their number was
iher,.sd TO ninety seven ey nsn'lsrs from o.n.
near proving fatal 60 the rsmsinins garrison, be-
sguTsd dssitsubssqueuty va. by large indian force
stsnoaId vas seriously felt in the hrst opera
tions of General rsylor's army
= Tnus fscts I had occasion 20 repeat in person
,o ~ u.mb.rs a Ccrsr.ss and friends Members Of Com
mitts.s Military Affairs when RESPECTFULLY urging
tmslorstion Of the systemi sos whsch -s' even
tualy Effected BY the act sbove cited aud the rs-nsta
in the ssrdac provided for the peace cstsbiis
nd.r the act March 1so2 to wit: SIXTY four pr
Yates or the insn'ry aud artillery companies being an
aggregate Of eighty oficsr. aud each company
20 1921 the suhorzed number Of privates In
scomrany vas never esl.. sixty .iour ana Tor nys
1919 the number the infantry eight, aud
for the artillery one hundred pri's,ss"
di.a, ,srysnt. M r JONES adjatsut G.nsrsI
Hon =. W CRawronp, See OF war
"1ts s,.rss, number q yriyas fsr du.y on ,hs issr
referred Co. hut ~ ry % conpany,
the sandard tsng forytwe benr deficiency of twsivs
men tr nearly hve per cent. Assuming this as a.
sssis With the standard q ssy four egh and one hun-
dred tusata the would be fpfty ave hysevsn.
and seventy Trivatss r duty In each company kc
-
Interesting from veneguets.
lFrom the New Orleans riesyurs, Dec 20.
The Havana Pave Indssrtsi q the 18th lust, gives
the fooviug accounts of recent news fen Venszaels
Witch ve tfsrtlste:-
In hitter dated 18th November, the subj oned In
tersstirg notices given sbsut this unfortsnsts
country ~hich her meet eminent citizens are aban-
A. 90 b.pditfi A Great pumbsr sf families vsrs