The daily union., 1856-01-16
REPORT OF THE GENERAL-IN-cHIEF OF THE
f ARMY.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE Army,
New York, November 2T, 1855.

HEADQuAarERs or THE Army
New York. November ~, 1885.
The undersigned the immediate commander Of the army
being charged by General Regulations with all that
regards discipline and military control deems II bis duty
according TO ong-continued usage TO submit annually,
through the War Department such views and suggestions
may likely to increase without extravaganza in
cost haying regard TO numbers the national WORTH the
prowess and efficiency Of military establishment
In respect TO the condition Of enlisted men, Tor the
rank and file Of the army acts Of Congress cnarg
ing their monthly pay, and giving them through the
grade Of sergeant eligibility 70 commissions leave, per-
haps want but time work every expected and AL
most every desirable amelioration And the addition
the four regiments will it is hoped, give adequate
numbers to sabdue the Indians Ia actual hostility and af
ford reasonable protection every frontier against their
future depredations
An increase Of general officers is very sensbly
felt throughout the army and beg to suggest one add-
tona major general and two additional brgader gene
rails to make with the two brgaders OF the line already
in commission five commanders for the geographical de-
pariments of the army with six other brgader generals
for chiefs OF the Adutant Generals Department. the corps
of engineers the corps of Typographical engineers the Ord
Department. the Commissariat OF Subsistence and
the pay department respectively Justice symmetry and
the good Of the service appear equally to demand these
additions.
Several attempts have been made in Congress to
improve the efficiency Of the body Of commissioned officers
generally by retired is, as well as BY augmented
pensa,ion In the opinion of the undersigned both
measures of demons,rahle necessity
Some forty fifty officers, mostly in the higher commits
scns rendered noneectiye by the infrmies of age by
wounds chronic diseases, press downwards into
ethargy and then despair: thrice the number Of juniors
signing for the increased rank which would, before
they old increase the field OF distinguished useful
How the undersigned may himself be consider
ed of the he knows but while any
vigor remains he will not to urge remedy for the
great evil in question. sas4s
The other ameoration, affecting the commissioned off,
of the army much needed from the enhanced cost
ofa the necessaries and comforts Of life ia correspond
ing increase OF compensation such has already been
corded to our rank and file AS this general proposition
will hardly be disputed ywherc the mode and scale Of
q be
Fixed salaries, according to rank, wond generally By
persons in civil life be applied to military officers but the
experience OF all armies including own has made the
system of emoaments Allowances (rations forage &C.
graduated according rank and circumstances in addi
ton to fixed pay for each grade UNIVERSAL and to amper
with such experience would seem unwise Leaving for the
moment the scale of pay proper and every allowance ex
cept established, the undersigned will frat seek TO
find what approach reasonable increase of compenss-
ton may be made under the head of raons alone by
king the number cumulative according to the length Of
each officers service and putting up the communication 10
what has always been allowed to naval oicerstwen-
five cents a ration
The cumulative principle was frat adopted the
June 30, 1894 section in behalf of medical officers only
and next in the act of July s. 1885, section 5 in these
words:
Every commissioned officer Of the line or staff excu-
sive Of general officers shall be entitled to receive adj
don ration per diem for every Ave years he may have
Aerved or shall in the army Of the United States
Provdd That in certain cases. where officers entitled
10 receive double raiions the additional allowed in
this section shall not be included in the number to be
doubled
The undersigned cannot resist the temptation TO cay In
this place that be the two sections in question: and
followed up each before Congress- in person and by letter
To final success and that the exclusion Of general officers
in the second was the way Of compromise offered by
him after he had fully discussed the subject before the Mill
tary Committee of the House He respectfully sug
gests the change Of single word in the section just quoted
90 that every fee years may, for the future be made
read "eyery three years.
10 illustrate the proposed increase of compensation
taking the four middle classes of Commissioned officers
say OF the artillery and nfantrythis table is submitted