New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-03
REPORT OF The SECRETARY OF WAR.
War Denartment

War Department
WASHINGTON, Nov 3d. 1850.
SIR beg leave to submit the following re-
port Of The operations of this Department during
the last year
The aggregate strength of the army as at pres
ent established by law. and supposing every COM
pany to have its complement, is twelve thousand
three hundred and twenty.six 1895, officers
and men. 1t rarely happens, however, that aeon
pany is complete for while on the one hand the
enlistment can never exceed the limit prescribed
by law deaths. discharges and deserions must
always cause the number OF men actually enrolled
and in pay 10 fall far short OF 1t. This IS particular
" the case in regard to troops stationed at the
frontier posts for as the men are all enlisted in
the older States, considerable time must always
intervene between the happening OF q vacancy
and it's being filed. 1t estimated by competent
Judges that, owing TO these causes combined with
sickness aud other casualties of the service, tue
number Of men actually in service and ft for dHy
usually falls sort of the legal organization on an
average OF from thirty to forty per cent.
The Report Of the Adjutant General hereto
amended. will show how this force is Distributed
By tina; document it will be scent that seven thou
sand seven hundred and ninetysiX 119bI OF the
twelve thousand three hundred and tWenty.slX
1890 officers and men composing the army are
stationed in or are under orders for Texas, New
Mexico California and Oregon, leaving Oaly Ionr
thousand five hundred and thirty 100 in all the
rest ofthe States and Territories
When it is reeollected what large access1ons
have within few years past been made to our
territory that an extensive seaboard viii require
Notifications, and an enlarged inland frontier
neecs protection against the Indians it will ap-
pear manifest that the preseat military establish
ment CT the country IS entirely Inadequate TO us
wants Allow me to call your attention to the
remarks on this subject contained In the report OF
the General IN Chief.
The most important duty which at present de,
wolves upon the Department IS the protection OF
Texas and New Mexico against tie Indian trioeS
in their vicinity. This object has engaged the
anxious attention of the Department. and all the
means at its disposal have been employed 70 ell
feet it.
TIE recruiting service has been actively prose
cuted with a view to bringing the companies
stationed on that frontier to their complement Oh
seventy four men, as fixed by the act Of the i'th
of,lune last. Prompt measures have also been
taken to carry into effect the provisions OF the
same act which authorlses the mounting OF apor-
ton OF the infantry stationed IN Texas
Early in August last the seventh regiment OF
infantry was ordered to Santa Ft, and had pro-
ceeded on its destination some distance beyond
Fort Leavenworth, when steamboat laden with
supplies for the expedition was sunk on her way
from St. Louis to that post In consequence OF
this accident and the advanced state OF the sea
son, it was ordered to return and take up It's
winter quarters in eerson Barracks from which
point it will resume its march as early as practt-
cable in the spring From the reports Of the
officers in command in Texas and New MeXicoas
well as from other reliable sources OF information,
the Department is fully satisfied, however, that
the force now stationed on that frontier with ell
the reinOrcements it will be able to send there IN
the spring, will be entirely insufficient for It's pro-
lection
In order to make the troops as available as pos
sible for the protection OF the settlements, they
have been separated into small detaChments, sta
Gt ts he
the frontier is many hundred miles in extent these
posts are sary a considerable distance apart
and the utmost vigilance and activity on the part
OF the officers in command cannot prevent small
bands OF Indians from passing between them and
committing depredations on interior settlements
The only description troops that efiectua-
~ put stop to these forays is cavalry. Unlike
those OF their race in this part OF the continent
the Indians that occupy the vast and open plains
from the southern extremity OF Texas TO Oregon,
in all their expeditions, whether for or for the
chase, are invariably mounted and are well skilled
in the management Of the horse. In their incur
sons into the white settlements they are prompt
ed, not much by feeling Of hostility love
of plumber, and consequently seldom move In
large numbers prepared to encounter an armed
force but separating into small parties, watch
favorable opportunity, make sudden and rapid IN
roads into the settlements, drive off whole herds
ofcatte, and occasionally commit acts OF shocking
barbaIity.
incursions have been heretofore too often attend
ed, and encouraged by the success with which
they have been rewarded, these bold marauders
have OF late ventured much further into the set
Elements, and even within a short distance OF our
military posts. All the roads leading into the
country are infested by them and cannot be safely
travelled without military escort They stand in
little awe Of troops on foot but light and ac-
tive cavalry could pursue and chastlse them, or re-
capture their plumber whereby their depredatlOns
would be rendered more dangerous and less pro-
ftabe. Several of these tribes have made some
progress in civilization, having fixed habitations
and considerable property By pursuing these
to their homes and retaatng severely upon
them, they viii soon be taught that 1t is their in
terest TO respect the property Of the whites. The
officers in command in these departments concur
in the opinion that TO enable them to do this
larger force, particular in mounted men, is jndis
pensably necessary. AS temporary means Of
supplying this deficiency the commanding officer
in Texas called out several companies Of voun
teets but the short period for which this descrp
ton Of force can be legally called upon to
renders it more expensive aud less efficient than
it would otherwise be. Doubts entertained
whether the experiment of mounting infantry will
prove successful. Little, if anything, is gained by
such an arrangement on the score OF economy,
and soldiers enlisted with reference to their
aptitude for cavalry duty via seldom be able TO
adopt themselves to service for which their pr
vious habits may not at all qualify them. 1t is
therefore very much to be desired that Congress
will at ell early period consider the proprety OF
increasing the army, and 1rticularly OF raising
one or more regiments OF mounted men.
This additional force will at first be attended
with proportional addition of expenditure but
it is believed that in the end economy will he
promoted by it. The supplies necessary for the
troops stationed in that country are now nearly
all taken from the other States. These supplies
have to be carried great distance by land. and
owing TO the badness OF the roads, the scarcity OF
prices demanded for labor, the cost of transporta-
ton is enormous. The following is the actual
cost of transporting Pork and Flour the two most
important items OF supply to several OF the mill:
tary posts in Texas and New Mexico.
To the nearer interior post in Texas, per barrel