The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-12-18
Report Of the Secretary OF War.

strength OF the army to have been, on the
lst of July, II .49S, distributed throughout
the States and Territories. The demand for
men in garrison, however, has been so great
that only thirteen regiments have been ia
actual service ia the field. and these thir-
teen, so extended has been the seat Of war
during the past year. have been compelled
to travel, in addition to doing all the fight
ing, between twelve and thirteen hundred
miles each. The wars in which they have
seen such service have been waSed in Utah,
which Col. kane-though the Secretary
does not say so-brought TO SO ingorious a
conclusion; in Washington and Oregon ter
rItories, with the Indians whom Gen. Clark
first punished, and has now made per
manent peace" with, at their "xbject" en-
treaty in New Mexico with the Navajos,
who first broke out into an open defiance
OF our authority, and then, as If to add in
jury TO insult, killed negro, leading to .
war still prosecuted with vigor; and in
Texas with the ComaBches and kiowas,
which promises to be, the Secretary thinks,
one Of " hecceness and OF contiJerxble du-
ration la addition to all tais actual war
fare, apprehensons are felt from the savages
Of the Northwest, on the confines Of Iowa
and Minnesota, which, it is regretted, there
are not spare troops enough TO quiet
Whether We are, aeweser, to consider our
selves at peace OF not witt. Utah is not ma, c
perfectly clear. BY the appropriations,
treason was to be crushed at . single
blow" and when it was clear that there was
" sufficient power put on foot to put success
beyond all doubt" then Mormon bluster
and bravaio sank into whispers Of terror
and submission which being the case, the
- advance OF the army was an act Of mercy
an Inn mi, IN l.ln nH,A for
prevented the eifusioa Of blood" All of
which would seem clear and satisfactory
enough, old not the Secretary tell Us irnme-
diately a!terward that the Mormons still
"evince spirit Of insubordination and
disconten,,' AMI keep up strict, their Or
ganization, which has for its object and
end the complete exclusion Of federal authC-
rity from all participation in the govern
al affairs Of the territory, beyond a mere
hollow show" The expenditures of the
Quartermaster' Bureau for the year have
been nearly $l0, 900, ,00U, but how much of
1t has been expended in reducing the psople
Of Utah to "whispers OF terror and submis-
SION. which they show oy spirit Of f infHpqrr rh.qr
defiance Of federal authority, We are not
told
The Secretary limits his recommendation
for appropriation for national defences 20
" illet's Point and Fort Rchmend, as he
the expenditure on SO large a scale as these
defenSes contemplate should be distributed
over a series of years. He, however, re
Congress TO secure few plats of
ground in Brooklyn, to be occupied, ia case
Of invasion, by redoubts. On military
roads, explorations and surveys We gain no
new knowledge. Canels, as = method of
troops, are still in favor but
those that have run away have been
caught we DO not learn. The asylum at
Ky, it is recommended shall
be turned into a cavalry depot and school
for mounted service. An artillery school Of
practice has been established at Fort Monroe.
An additional Instructor General, the Secre-
tary thinks, is called for The two corps Of
engineers, known as the Engineers" and
" Typographical Engineers" he suggests
should be united into one corps, and that all
officers, from the heads Of bureaus to the
lowest lieutenant, should be called upon Pc
to serve with troops in thc field.
He recommends the appointment Of three
additional Brisader- r-Genera,s. New build
ngs At the Washington Arsenal are called
for. The claims against the government for
services rendered by volunteers in suppress
ing Indian hostiities, which amount to ve-
ry large sum, the Secretary urges should be
examined and li9uidated. And, finally, the
Secretary states that the estimates for the
Army proper. for :he next fiscal year, are
els, ,0lO O9028, no addition to which, unless
unexpected turns up, will be ask
ID for in q deficiency bill.