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

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
# t@ WAR DErARrMxsr,
sst WASHINGTON, NovEMBER 80, 1850.
sIR beg leave 70 submit the following report Of the
operations Of this Department during the last year
The aggregate strength of the army present estab
hed by law, and supposng every company to have its
complement stweve thousand and twenty seven
ll2,s27 officers and men, including all the staff corps 1t
rarely happens, however, that accompany scompee for while,
the hand the enstments exceed the limit pre-
scrbed by law DEATHS discharges and deseons always
cause the number of men actually enrolled and pay fall far
short Of it. This particularly the regard troops
toned at the frontier posts for the all enlisted in
the older States considerable time must always intervene be-
tween the happening Of vacancy and its being filled is
estimated BY competent judges that owing to these causes
combined with sickness and other casualties Of the service
the number Of actually in service and fit for duty usu-
ally falls short of the legal organization average Of
from thirty to forty per cent.
The report Of the Adutant General hereto appended will
show how this force is distributed By that document will
be een that Of the twelve thousand nine hundred and
twenty seven 2927 officers and composing the army,
thousand hundred and niney-six, [7,7s6l
than one-ha stationed or are under orders
ior Texas, New Mexico California, and Oregon.
When it is ecoected what large accessions have within
few past been made territory that extensive
seaboard will require ortcaons and enlarged inland
tier needs protection against the Indians will appear manifest
that the present military establishment of the country
trey inadequate TO its wants Allow call your aten-
ton to the remarks this subject contained the report of
the General-in-Chef ,....'
The most important duty which present devolves on
the Department is the protection Of Texas and New Mexico
against the Indian tribes in their vicinity. This object has
engaged the anxious attention Of the Department. and all the
means at its disposal have been employed to effect it.
The recruiting service has been actively prosecuted with
view to bringing the companies stationed that frontier to
their complement Of seventy -four men, fixed by the act of
the 7h of Juneast Prompt have also been taken
to carry into effect the provisions of the act which au
thorzes the mounting Of portion of the infantry stationed in
Texas.
Early August last the seventh regiment Of infantry was
ordered to Santa Fe and had proceeded its destination
some distance beyond Fort Leavenworth when steamboat
laden with supplies for the expedition sunk on her way
from ST. Louis to that post In consequence of this accident
and the advanced state of the season. ordered to return
and take up its winter quarters at jefferson Barracks from
which point will resume its march early practicable in
the spring From the reports of the officers in command in
Texas and New Mexico well from other reliable sources
of information, the department is fully satisfied however,
that the force stationed that frontier with all the re-
Inducements will be able to send there in the spring. will
be entirely insufficient for its protection.
In order to make the troops available possible for the
protection Of the settlements they have been separated into
tier. But, the frontier many hundred miles in extent.
these posts necessarily considerable distance apart and
the utmost vigilance and activity the part Of the officers
command prevent small bands Of Indians passing
between them and committing depredaons interior
Elements.
The only description Of troops that effeciualy put
stop TO these orays cavalry Unlike those of their in
this part Of the continent the Indians that occupy the vast
and plains from the southern extremity Texas Ore
gon in all she expeditions whether for the chase
invariably mounted and well skilled the management
of the horse In their ncusons into the white settlements
they prompted, much by feeling of hostility as by
love Of plunder, and consequently seldom large
numbers prepared to encounter armed force eparat
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
bafbarty.
Embodened by the impunity with which these ncursions
have been heretofore too often attended, and encouraged by
the with which they have been rewarded these bold
marauders have of late ventured much further into the settle
ments, and within short distance of military posts
All the roads leading into the country infested by hem
and cannot be safely travelled without military escort They
stand IN little awe OF troops on foot but light and active
cavalry could pursue and chasse lhe recaptue their
punder whereby their depedaons would be rendered more
da gerous and less profitable Several Of these tribes have
made progress in civilization, having fixed habitaiions
and considerable property BY pursuing these their homes
and reaang severely upon them they would soon be taught
that il is their interest to respect the property of the whites
The officers in command in these departments the
opinion that enable them do this larger orce paricu
ary in mounted men, indispenably necessary As
porary Of supplying this deficiency the commanding
officer in Texas called several companies Of volunteers
but the short period for which this description of force be
legally called upon to renders it expensive and
less efficient than il would otherwise be- Doubts
tanned whether the experiment Of mounting infantry will
prove successful Little if any thing, gained by such an
arrangement the Of economy, and soldiers enlisted
with reference to their aptitude for cavalry duty will
seldom be able adapt themselves service for which their
previous habits may all qualify them. Il therefore
yery much be desired that Congress will early period
consider the proprey Of increasing the army and particularly
of raising more regiments Of mounted men.
This additional force will at first be attended with proper
tona addition of expenditure but is believed that in the
end economy will be promoted by it. The supplies necessary
for the troops stationed in that country nearly all Ia
ken from the other States These supplies have be carried
GREAT distance by land and owing the badness the
roads the scarcity OF provisions and provende aud the
ban prices demanded for lsbsr the cost of transportation
enormous The following is the actual Of transporting
pork and -four he important items Of supply
several of the military posts Texss and New Mexico, viz
To the interior post in Texas per barrel for pork
So, for -four S5.3 80.
To San'a Fe and Las Vegas New Mexico, for pork S32
per barrel, for -four S2l.30
To Taos Socorro Abeque, and Savoyete, for pork l
per barrel, for -four S27.56.
To Paso del Nore, Texas and to San Elzaro and Dona
Ana for pork S4s per barrel, for -four $3.50.
The above paid for transporting bread and meat
10 country large portion Of which is susceptible Of