Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-17

rank and command between officers of the
volunteers and regular forces.
The alscrity with which the volunteers have
responded to the call Of Governor Curry gives
ssurance that their aid will be as efficient as
u mas been prompt and il is hoped that their
continuance In the military service, to the great
interruption OF their ordinary pursuits, will be
limited TO the shortest possible duration, BY
the arrival OF reinforcements which have been
ordered to the regular troops of that depart.
ment.
From recent report of the commanding
general of the department Of New Mexico, il
appears that all the Indian tribes within his
command have concluded treaties with the
governor of the Territory, and retired to the
limits assigned them.
Service In Indian campaigns, though little
calculated to excite the military ardor of the
soldier, is attended by equal hazard, and even
by greater prvation than belongs to warfare
with civilized foe. The galantry, zeal, and
devotion Of both officers and men have been
repeatedly, within the last year, put to the Sc.
verest test. and they have on all such occasions
equalled the anticipations which past conduct
warranted, and have renewed their claim TO the
gratitude of those whose flag they bear and in
whose service they have suffered
The unusual extent Of the operations above
detailed has necessarily cansed large expendi-
lures, which must exceed the appropriations
made for the ordinary wants Of the military
servlce-an incident to which appropriations
made upon estimates prepared so long ia nd
vance are always subject.
My attention has recently been called to the
practice, IN the settlement of accounts at the
| treasury of charging sums due in past years
to the current appropriations. 1t is deemed
preferable that the settlement of old accounts
| should be provided for By appropriations for
arrearages, and that the practice above re-
ferred to be checked, since, so long as it pre-
walls, the appropriations for current expenses
must prove insufficient, and deficiency bills be
the necessary consequence
In my last report suggested several mea-
sures which | deemed necessary to preserve
and increase the efficiency Of the army
The principal of these was revision Of the
laws regulating rank and command, and those
fixing the organization of the army. In rela-
ton TO the evils there shown to be inherent
in the present system, | need .only say that
additional experience has demonstrated their
existence more clearly, while it has given no
reason to dstrust the advantages which were
hoped from the changes indicated That the
right of command should follow rank by one
certain and determinate rule; that officers who
hold commissions which entitle them to the
command of troops should not at any early
period OF service, be placed permanently in po-
sitions on the staff, which afford no opportunity
for increasing military knowledge or confirm
ing military habits; that troops organized
equipped, and necessarily employed for the
same service, should not be divided into differ.
ent arms; that those serving on foot with regi-
mental organization and bearing muskets or
rifles should not be divided into artillery and
infantry, nor mounted men, armed and equip
ped alike, be divided into Dragons and cav
airy; that engineers should not be divided into
two corps, with nominal Distinction Of engi
neers and typographical engineers. though
their requirements, capabilty, and duties are
so entirely alike that it has been found neces.
sary to adopt an arbitrary rule assigning TO
each part of the duties Of both these pro-
positions are the basis of the principal recon.
mendations submitted in my last report. They
appear TOO clear to me to need TO be enforced
by argument, and | hope that the evils which
the bare statement of the facts exposed will not
be suffered to exist after the subject shall have
secured the considerable attention Of Congress.
A measure scarcely inferior in importance to
those which relate to rank command, and or.
ganization, is that which has in view to increase
the efficiency of the army by retiring from &C.
| tive service those officers who are no longer
capable of fulfilling its requirements; but as
their profession affords little opportunity for at
tention to personal interests and as the very
low rate of compensation allowed for their ser.
! vices indicates that it was fixed i'm connection
with the idea OF a permanent tenure, IL would
scarcely seem to be just abruptly to discharge
them without any provision for the future Nor
would such course be consistent with the graft.
tude due to those who, amid the dangers aud
| privations Of military life, have been disabled
| by many years Of faithful service, or by wounds
received in battle. As, however, the claims of
individuals must always be subservient to the
public good so nothing can Justify system
which retains men in Office for which they have
become disqualified. When age, wounds, or
other casualties Of service have stripped an Of
fcer Of the power TO discharge the duties Of a
station which in earlier life he adorned, a iust
consideration for his own fame and due re-
gard for the public welfare demand that he
should give place to one whose mental and
physical activity is equal to the station, and
who, stimulated by early promotion, would not
fail to emulate the honorable fame Of him whom
he succeeds.
As one Of the recommendations intimately
connected with this subject, | have to renew
that made IN my former reports for an increase
Of the compensation Of army officers, and re-
vision Of the laws respecting their allowances
That this measure has failed heretofore 10
secure the attention which is, in my opinion
due to it, / attribute TO the misconceptions
which are general, as to the amount Of the PAY
and emoluments Of great majority OF officer.
in active service. In the present condition o.
the laws regulating the pay and allowances Of
officers, some may under certain circumstances
receive much larger allowances than others, and
indeed, more than the nature Of the service
justi6es, and these, which are but exceptional
cases, have given rise TO a general impression
that the compensation Of tho officers is much
higher than it actually is. Perhaps the error
would have been less prevalent we're il not that
their compensation is made up Of many items
which vary according 10 circumstances. and
render it difficult 20 compute the amount in all
cases with certainty; but whenever the subject
shall be fully considered, the result will, ! am
confident, show that the officers Of the army
are, on the average, less literally compensated
than those who pursue any other occupation
demanding equal capacity and requirements.
also renew the recommendation that the
provisions Of the act Of August 4, 1854, increas