Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-12-07
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
WAR DxPAnrMExr
WAsHIxsreK, NOVEMBER 80, 1850.
SIR beg leave to submit the following report Of the
operations Of this Department during the last year:
The aggregate strength Of the army, present esab
lshed BY law, and supposng every company have its
complement tweve thousand nine hundred twenty seven
ll2,s27l officers and men, including all the staff corps. 1t
rarely happens however, that company compee; for whe
the hand the enlstmens exceed the limit pre-
scbed by law, DEATHS discharges and deseons always
the number Of men actually enrolled and pay fall far
short Of it This particularly the regard troops sta
toned at the frontier posts for the all enlisted in
the older sates considerable time must always intervene be-
tween the happening of and its being filled It is
estimated by competent judges that owing to these
combined with sickness and other casualties Of the service
the number Of men actually in service and fit for duty
ally falls short of the legal organization average Of
from thirty to forty per cent.
The report of the Aduan General hereto appended, will
show how this force is distributed By that document it will
be SEEM that of the twelve thousand nine hundred and
twenty seven 927] officers and composing the army,
thousand hundred and ninetysix, 1885,
than one-ha, stationed in under orders
for Texas, New Mexico, California and Oregon.
few years past been made to territory, that extensive
seaboard will require fortcaons and enlarged inland
tier needs protection against the Indians will appear manifest
that the present military establishment Of the country
tirely inadequate to its Allow call your at.en-
ton the remarks this subject contained in report of
the General in Chief.
The most important duty which present devoves on
the Department is the protection Of Texas New Mexico
against the Indian tribes in their vicinity This object has
engaged the anxious attention Of the Department. aud all the
at its disposal have been employed effect it.
The recruiting service has been actively prosecuted with
view to bringing the companies stationed that frontier to
their complement Of seventy -four fixed BY the Of
the h of Junelas Prompt have been taken
to carry into effect the provisions of the act which au-
horzes the mounting of portion Of the infantry stationed in
Texas
Early August the seventh regiment Of infantry was
ordered to Santa Fe, and bad proceeded its destination
distance beyond Fort Leavenwoh, when steamboat
laden with supplies for the expedition sunk her way
from St. Louis TO that post In consequence Of this accident
and the advanced state of the season. ordered return
and take up its winter quarters jefferson Barracks from
which point will resume It's march early practicable in
the spring From the reports Of the officers in command
Texas and New Mexico, well from other reliable sources
of nformaton the department is fully satisfied, however
that the force stationed that frontier with all the re-
Inducements it will be able send there in the spring, will
be entirely insufficient for its protection.
In order make the troops available possible for the
protection Of the settlements they have been separated
small deachments, stationed various posts along the from
tier But, the frontier is many hundred miles in extent
these posts necessarily considerable distance apart and
the vigilance and activity the part the officers in
command prevent small bands Indians from passing
between them and committing depredasons interior
Elements.
The only description of troops that can eec,uay pu,
stop these foays cavalry Unlike those Of their
this part of the continent, the Indians that occupy the
and open plains from the southern extremity Of Texas Ore
gon all sher expeditions whether war or for the chase
eli Al
of the horse In their incuons into the white settlements
they prompted much by feeling of hostility by
love Of punde and consequently seldom in large
numbers prepared armed force, but
ing into small parties, watch favorable opportunity, make
sudden and rapid nroads into the settlements drive off whole
herds Of CATTLE and occasionally commit Of shocking
bafbarity.
Emboldened by the impunity with which these ncursions
have been heretofore often attended, and encouraged by
the with which they have been rewarded these bold
aaudes have Of late ventured much further into the settle
ent, and even within short distance of military posts
All the roads leading into the country infested by the
and be safely travelled without military escort They
stand in little Of troops foot but light and active
cavalry could pursue and chssise ,he recaptue their
plumber whereby their depedaons would be rendered
dar gerous and less profitable Several of these tribes have
made progress in civilization, having fixed hab,aiions
and considerable properly By pursuing these their homes
and reatng severely upon hem they would be taught
that is their interest TO respect the property Of the whites
The officers in command in these departments the
opinion that enable them to do this larger force paricu.
lay mounted men, is indspensably necessary As
poary Of supplying this deficiency the commanding
officer in Texas called out several companies Of volunteers
but the short period for which this description of force be
legally called upon renders it expensive and
less efficient than would otherwise be. Doubts
tanned whether the experiment Of mounting infantry will
prove successful Little if any thing, is gained by such
arrangement the Of economy, and soldiers enlisted
with reference to their aptitude for cavalry duty will
seldom be able adapt themselves for which their
previous habits may not at all qualify them. 1t is therefore
yery much desired that Congress will early period
consider the propety Of increasing the army and particularly
of raising one or regiments OF mounted men,
This additional force will at first be attended with proper
tona addition of expenditure; but il is believed that in the
end economy will be promoted by it, The supplies necessary
for the troops stationed in that country nearly all
ken from the other States These supplies have be carried
Great distance by land and owing the badness Of the
roads, the scarcity OF provisions and provende, aud the
ban prices demanded for sber, the cost Of transportation
enormous The following is the actual cost OF transporting
pork and -four he most important items OF supply
several Of the military posts Texas and New Mexico viz
To the interior post in Texas, per barrel for pork
So, for -four IS. 80.
To Ssn,a Fe and Las Vegas New Mexico for pork sSS
per barrel, for -four S2l.30
To Taos socoro Abeque, and sayoyete, for pork Sal &c
per barrel, for -four s27.56
To Psso del Nore Texas and San Elizaro snd Dons
Ana, for pork $40 per barrel, for -four S3l.s0
The above sums paid for transporting bread and meal
10 country large portion Of which is susceptible Of