Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-03-09
LETTER FROM MAJOR GENERAL SCOTT TO
THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
Printed DitS tie Presidents Message December
24th, fs49, page SO.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,

. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
New YoRK, Nov. 8, Is49.
SIR As the usual period is at hand for the annual
port by the War Department on the slate Of the Army,
suppose it to be due from my position though prescrib
ed by regulations, that should offer such professional sug
gestons may seem worthy Of aon in the preparation
Of that report.
Considering the present dtrbaton and employ Of the
army, would be quite call it peace esta5
Kshment About ourhhs of the regiments companies
under threats Of hosIe state Of activity
alert our Indian borderin Florida, Texas New Mex
Cos California and between the basin Of the Mississippi and
the Rocky Mountains including the long lines Of emigration
those mouptans and In the removal Of the Menomo
nies from Wisconsin, Tae sua number Of remaining
panes furnish inadequate peace gaisons lew only
Of the many Notifications Of great and importance along
the British North American the Atlantic and Gulf Of Mex
CO frontiers.
Whist by acquisitions Of territory the exterior line the
United States has s44 been extended rather less than
thousand miles, the interior ndn lines to be guard
ed consequent settlements and tie continued streams
Of emigration the West have been increased at least ten
thousand miles On careful examination this estimate will
not be found exavagan Our troops, accordingly have al
ready been carried must be carried, into prox
nifty, and with danger Of conflict eveE point five times
the former number Of warke Indians, who close
neghbors Add the treaty obligation protect the republic
of Mexico from the savage tribes within ur limits and some
idea may be formed Of the increase active duty thrown
upon the existing military establishment, including regiments
generals, and general staff officers.
For this immense of duty over that Of any other
period of peace known in history, We have only fifteen
regiments with six hundred and y-ote enlisted be-
longing to the engineer and ordnance acknowledgements
ing nominal total Of 9,43s noncommioned officers,
scians acers and prvaes less than the total Of the
peace establishment of 1915 by 249s the last army
Register, (January !, ls49) P 49, and american State
| Papers, military Afairs,) VOL ?, p. Al.
The total Of the present establishment like that Of 1915,
be considered only nominal except fixing maxi
mum not to be exceeded but place the maximum total at
any given point, and the numbers tuay enrolled and in
pay under the establishment will alays be from fourth to
third less. Thus, under the total of lsl5-l, ,ss7 enlist
ed men-the average number he rolls, receiving pay
for five years. but l46. (see table, 3s, in the
lume Of State Papers cited abose.) And have doubt
the deficiency, under the pres esabishment943s
listed mens, proporcnaly yet greater This may easily
be ascertaned by the rolls in the Adutant Generals
and Paymaster Generals Offices a, Washington.
Whence this striking difference between the authorized and
the actual numbers receiving pay at any given time 1t
| arises from
st The absolute Necessity Of exceeding, by recruit
ing the total fixed by laws and 3D. The unavoidable de-
Jays in receiving Washington Of deaths discharges
and deertons occurring distant posts and distant routes
by which casualties the recruiting service regulated As
distances increase, and particularly routes barely prac,
CABLE will be the increased delays and the falling of from
| the maximum total allowed by law.
Assuming, then, with confidence, that of the present
thorized toa-943S non-commssoned officers, musicians
arifcers and prvates-,here actually not than
1000 service and receiving pay, including the sick and
the few who always short leaves of Absence is ev
dent that the army greatly below the pressing wants
Of the country In other words, to meet those wants.
fully persuaded the experience Of the last twevenonth
that the total Of enlisted ought be nearly doubled
dependent Of any DANGER remote, Of aggression from
| abroad
The desired augmentation may be obtained either wholly
by regiments the addition Of prvates to companies
throughout the present regiments Either plan, by ITSELF
would be liable serious objections By doubling the pre-
sent skeleton regiments should have 500 regmenta
officers and l,5l6 commissioned officers musicians and
acers more than deemed absolutely and by
extending the number of pvates per company much beyond
go companies would rendered unweldy besides making
to add to each lieutenant and several
mssoned officers for the command the care and instruction
of so many men. submit, therefore, combination Of the
two plans, Of which the following are the details
1c the number 81 privaies in every company Of the
present Is regiments s4 The number limited is AZ
in the artillery and infantry companies, so in the dragoons
and 64 in the mounted rfemen (See Army Register p.
2s.) Those regiments would then stand . ...%
Two regiments 20 companies of dragoors- Totals
present total .............l l,.oo
Add "a privates to each company .......... $50
- 1910
One regiment or ten companies of mounted rifle
men-present total ..................... 765
Add 20 privates to each company 200
| Four regiments or AZ companies of artillery
-.
Add a. privates to each company. lois
4,6l6
Eight regiments or 80 companies of infantry
| present total. Il, ls2
Add a. prvates TO each company. 3,440
Engineer and ordnance enlisted men as present. 65l
1874
Deduct the total (9,43s) Of the p:esen: establish
ment, aud we should have augmentation of 6,336
prirates, without the addition Of officer, non COM
missioned officer, musician, artifcer. .". a..s
Add second regiment Of mounted riemen, organiz-
ed as above. ................ 965
Add ninth regiment Of infantry organized above. 954
Add two companies Of artillery TO the present 49, and
ganize the so into regiments instead of 4-one for
the Pacific coast. The two companies organized as
above would give a total Of f. 1872
Add the non.commssioned staff Of the 5:h artillery.
Add permanent detachment for cavalry and artillery
purposes, at the Military Academy, of sergeants,
corporalS musicians, and so privates-toal. so
Add Ike detachment for the general recruiting depot
in the haibor of New York. yk................... 90
(Tne deachmens permanently duty at those posts have
beretnfnre detlucted totals