The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-29

We perceive in several Of our exchanges al
lusions to an order recently issued by the WAR
DEPARTMENT dismounting five of the compa-
MES of light artillery. Some of our contempt
rares appear to misconceive the nature and the
object of this order. We have been at some
pains TO inform ourselves in relation to this mat
ter, and the facts are simply these:
We alluded few days ago to the fact that
Congress had reduced the appropriations for the
Quartsrmaster's Department during the present
and the next fiscal years much below the esti-
mates of the Department itself. and stated that
in consequence Of this reduction the appropria-
tons for that Department for the current year
lending 30th June nexD were already ex-
hausted. With view to meet this novel state
of things, the SECRETARY OF WAR has been
compelled to retrench every expenditure not
absolutely necessary, and many orders have
been issued, and new regulations established or
old ones revived, with view to economy.
Among the most pressing demands on the
Quartermaster's Department is that for horses,
number of which are required for various pur-
poses; and yet the Department finds itself
straitened for means to supply them.
Prior to the late war there were four compa-
MES Of light artillery in the service; after the
war broke out this number was increased to
eight They proved most useful and efficient
corps, and almost every battlefield in Mexico
can bear testimony to their skill and their valor.
In the only service, however, in which the army
is no,c employed, that is, in defending our
widely extended frontier against the Indians,
they are absolutely useless-not company is
or can be employed in that service. Neverthe-
less, these companies require, when fully
equipped, about four hundred horses, and these
horses required to be foraged and occasionally to
be renewed, &c. All this involves consider
able expenditure of money. Would it not be
strange, therefore, if the Department had sui
fered such number of horses to remain where
they were entirely unserviceable when it was
in urgent and indispensable need Of horses for
active service, and had not the means of pur-
chasing them2 1t undoubtedly would have
been. An order was accordingly issued direct
ing the horses belonging to these companies TO
be turned over to the Quartermaster' Depart
ment.
The effect of this order 10 not, as some of
our contemporaries have supposed, entirely to
change the organization of these companies,
and convert them into infantry. They still
retain their character in every respect, except
that, SO long as the order remains in force, they
are dismounted. Nor is it contemplated that
even this change shall be permanent. 1t was
simply means for providing for temporary
emergency measure dictated by absolute ne
cessity. When that necessity shall cease a
portion, if not all, Of these noble companies will
be remounted In the mean time two compa-
MES remain mounted. These, with the instruc-
ton that is given at the military academy in
this valuable branch of the service, will, it il
hoped, be amply sufficient to preserve the
knowledge of it in the army until circum-
stances will permit the number to be increased