The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-21
risou With what Is now being exhibited 70 casing
world, on small peninsula mid the waters Of the


and thas too, 10 the satisfsction or sil-f the re-
quiremeBts OF such q frontier a. ours, with small
gsrJisoys scattered oyes Il at long intervals, snd
much abused white kid gloved army officers have
peDetrsted, have beea fully mesf It's skill and ac
quirements are such Ga TO recsivs the euogiums OF
foreign masters In the art-if war, with all its ter
rors has drawn largely on it's energies is science lis
prcbity, ard hiss not uttered q murmur OF disappro
baton, why should 1t be cut dow n and shorn OF
the glory IT has scqui cd Ia its entirety, In order
attempt new system that aas nothing to recon-
mend it but Its novelty, and pa OF witch was tried
in former years and found wanting? Our staff Is
large ore, cisproportionately 30 for 90 small an
army; but it must be borne 10 mind that the Same
for one OF ten companies The quartermasters fur.
nishiDg barracks, clothing, sation. &c. the
ON mhsaIy food, and the ordnance officer all
the munitions OF war, must sill cater to the wants
OF every soldier; and where tho garnsons are small
ard scattered, az is the case with US, IL would be
absurd TO institute comparison between the size
OF the stSf and the size OF the army. The ord
nance corps, besides its duties to the army proper
furnish es arms and equipments of every descrp
ton to our militia numbering over two milioas
OF men, Ii the number Of officers in tho ct aft and staff
corps too large, furnishing idlers and fancy men
would lead US TO the belief that such is mis-
opinion. Then the objection is not to the number
employed, but to the method Of selectiog and ap-
pointing. The question then arises this Is the
principle involved in every feature of the bi-wll
an organization requiring staff duties to be perform
ed by officers detailed, be preferable to the presen,
organization OF permanent staff corps AMI depart
mentsI We Will confine our remarks to the work
ings of the two systems In the Ordnance corps and
the Quarts rmasters department AZ those two par
ticularly affected by 1t: but the same remarks will
apply equally to the Others
The Ordnance corps Is at present composed of
thirty six officers, with colonel at the head There
are eighteen srsenals and several depots under its
charge and superintendence. The duties Of these
officers require continued study and experience Of
~ 1, - 49,
and experience of lifetime as, for Instance, In the
casting Of heavy ordnance to acquire that thorough
knowledge Of metals, their mixture and certain
qualities and chaIactelistcs, which will insure per
present corps, With slight incremeDts has been in
existence over twenty years. Il was in existence
on small scale when Mr.. Calhoun administered the
War department. On his recommendation and under
his influence it was merged into the artillery, t1e
ordnance duties to be performed by details from
that arm; In substance the very system Swallowed
forth in the BILL which reduces the corps to eleven
officers the subordinate duties to be performed by
subalternH detailed from the line After the trial of
several years. ii resulted in signal failure, and Mr..
Calhoun, who had been the mover Of the change,
now strongly advocated the return to the former
81 stem, that OF permanent corps.
Since that period IL has continued to be separate
department. And with what resul ~ We leave it to
tie Judgment Of the entire army. Under its super
iDtendence our material OF war is equal to anything
in the world-.oul artillery is model-our small
ufacture. We're these improvements due to the
organization OF o separate department? 1t Is but
reasonable to suppose that officers whose attention
ant to attain Proficiency by ohsr
IT'S the effect OF more division OF labor. The
younger officers of the CORPS who play a sub.
ordinate part at the different stations, are
daily fitting themselves for command: and to
those who sre best informed, the necessity Of having
constant access to the workshops Is considered alb
s0ute in the formation and education OF ordnance
tfic&r. If no separate corps Is necessary, on the
same principle why distinguish between infantry,
artillery and cavalry ?-why net merge them into
each other and let every soldier be perfectly skilled
in the duties of the several arms Lat every pri-
Of Give, and every captain and lieutenant be en-
d0wed with the splendid intellect of Napoleon
that Ia all. Let this bill pass, and what will be the
effect? lieutenant who has been with his regi-
Of the arsenals The supposition will naturally
be, that he will not be retained that duty more
than two or three years, whatever may be the de-
sire Of the War Department respecting him. and for
this very cogent reason: that every influential poll
ticisn, whose earnest recommends cannot be
sighted even by the most independent in power, de-
sires that some kDsman or the son of some political
supporter should have the benefit of the system of
details; and further because it is against human ma
ture, for we may as well attempt to promote as to
detail according to merit. IL will lead to favoritism
which 10 curse to any service, and to what Is
curse Of darker stamp-potical intrigue and in
lueDce.
With the feet staring him In the face, that this is
but temporary appointment, win the lieutenant
take any particular interest In his new duties,
especially when he is well aware that no new &C.
qniiement will add to his rank or position in the
service and that In so short time he can at best
learn but bare smattering Of what takes men
lifetime Of strict application to master7 No. The
knowledge Of ordnance duties viii be more widely
disseminated through the army, but there viii not
remain in the service an ordnance officer worthythe
name, sfter those who now compose the corps shall
have died away OF resigned. As well abolish the
West Point Academy because Its students are not
taught the classics-this being by some considered
necessary to finish the educated officer and gentle.
man-as to abolish the ordnance, because forsooth,
own duties cannot lay claim to the genius Of
Vauben. Yet this seems to be the knotty point.
Staff officers must understand all line duties
the marGuvriDg OF q regiment, the drilling Of
eSss n the o leading g0 q -
duties. gallant light artileryman must be able to
take charge OF cannon foundry, and dashing
dragon be equal to all the varied minuiti9 OF
artillery and worse dragons, would be the result.
And who can doubt il? Yet this IL the systsm set
forth in the BILL and which is TO be shining light
to the European students Of military poli.y.
Take the quartermaster department. It Ia now
composed Of thirty eight officers, with brigsdier
general at the head. Its duties comprise the fur.
pishDg Of an army with barracks, hospitals trans
porta.on, clothing forage, &C., DC; In fact, with
everything required by an army, except food aud
mutations Of war, which are furnished by the com
missary department and the ordnance respectively.
Witt out such department, properly organized
and perfectly efficient, by whatever name it may be
known, no army can ever take the field. Those who
supplied cur few regiments, called an army, in
the Mexican campaign can be appealed to in con.
frmaton of the fact that without their permanent
organization, with officers thorough masters Of the
thousand little details OF duty, and without the
careful, thorough and intelligent supervision Of their
distinguished chief, the army might have found
Mexicans.
A department on which an army in the field must
depend solely and exclusively not only for its eff
cheney but for it's very existence should be kept, in
peacs or In war equal to the greatest trials and
emergencies. And how Ia tois to be effected but by
ntlusting the duties to officers bred and educated