The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-12-24
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
WAR.

E or rnE ARMy.

tfi4ElF SIhEREtA II 4 atr. /
The authorized strength of the army
is now II, S94 men. The actual strength.
at the late of the returns, July 4,
1856, was 1852. The numb Der of en-
listments made during the twelve
months ending September 80, 1856, was
4;440. The number of offers refused
on account of minority aud unGtnes for
service was 1894. The number Of
casualties during same time was 6,696
of which 1928 were by desertion.
t. INDIAN TROUBLES.
The Indian difficulties in the West
have been successfully terminated, K
cept with the Cheyennes. .0a9
A vigorous campaign has been pro-
jected against the Florida Indians, Gen.
Harvey commanding the military posts.
WESTERN POSTS. - q NJ 9hi.
The expense and embarrassment to
the service resulting from the present
policy of locating military posts in ad-
vance of settlement, and along emigrant
route across the continent, continue to
be enormous, without any corresponding
benefit to1the country or frontier, and
a complete revolution of the whole sys-
tenn is urged. .-.ta
L.. PAY OF ARMY oFFCERS
The great number of designations in
the army show the necessity for an IT.
crease of pay. 1t evidences a policy
injurious to professional pride, while the
hard service and frontier stations of the
officers require of them sacrifices which
no other officers of the government are
called upon to make. The expense OF
living has been greatly augmented, and
the pay is about the same as it was fifty
years ago. 1t is bad economy, the re.
port continues, to drive the active and
intelligent from the service which they
adorn. :
OLD AND NEW FIRE ARMS. 14a. q
:, The operations of the national arme.
. ries have been restricted to the compile.
: ton of new models for small arms, and
the alteration of old models to the long
, range rifed arms, and to the prepare:
. tions requisite for the exclusive manu-
! facture of the adopted new model, which
! is a rifed arm, such as is commonly call
: ed the MIME rifle, with an improvement
of fhe,l lock after Maynard's plan.a TIL,
alteration of the common flint lock Il
o;bthe self.prining has been effected to
limited extent. The report recommend
the alteration to this molel of all tb
old arms of the United States, inclu
ding those distributed to the States
There are, altogether, upwards of hal
= a million. b
4 ARsENALs.
The arsenals at Watervliet, N. Y.
and Fayetteville, N. G.. are recommend
ed to be used for arsenals of construc
ton, for which an extension of the bull
dings is required.
n FoRTIFIcATIoNs.
u The sea.coast Notifications are pre-
= crossing: but there is much yet to b
= done before many of the most importan
. will be efficient. The Notifications f.
harbor defence are held to be most eff
Client, and reference is made to the fai
10 ure of formidable naval armament
> against fortified places in the Black Sc
= and the Baltic, as showing conclusivel
: that properly constructed fortifcation
u are a surere lance against the mos
~ formidable fleets. ea
RETIRED LIST.
ut The Secretary renews his recomme,
r dation for a retired list of disabled of
GERS, as indispensable to the efficiency
the service.