The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-28

injury in battle These sx months recruhs shoud ssu
bose hall Of tho reglments and uecessarv
handed to make room for .hem They you'd Be cons.
posed Of the best young mon OF the froousr maoy
time, but would think enstog for she sssm Of
I'VE years II Is no objection to say that six
Eon,hs would be- TOO . short time . make
disciplined troops OF these men. They would all be
skiliu riders aud dexeTous In the ase Of are arms
soideriy accomplishments which take years 10 teach
nadkqua,ely, TO many Of our lnoan,ed men Az thew
would 80 az once into the field they would need little be-
You'd kno Wedge OF routine ia CAMP fe for
hey would &c already cited for spy duty, SO
essential IN Indian warfare la actual battle with the
Indians, success Is more owing 10 individual prewess
skill in arms and horsemanshp, than TO discipline
After few years. this system would supply the from.
tiers with very large numbers OF settlers suicionty in
disciplined 10 give them confidence ana sel
the haunts Of the savages would render them fully capable
OF either defence or aack la point OF economy great
advantages would accrue TO the country II would save
all expense for the forage Of half the MEMBER Of hosss De
longing to the mounted service; il would the pay.
clothing, subsistence, fuel and quarters Of tho mum
per Of half the year and during the most OK
pensve att Of IT, the winter; and whist giving fresh
supply OF good hores every year. woai cost the govern
men, nothing for them To Proyeat any miscarriage Of
the plan IL might be introduced Gradually IN such man
not 10 impair the efficiency Of tho TO
danger the security Of the frontiers.
The Texan and New Mexican people would beyond
Doubt gladly embrace such an opportunity 10 enter ihe
service, than whom no better troops for such service
could be found This system would considerable
SONS in the hire Of spies and guides, nearly all OF whom
are nov taken from tbs class OF men.
STAY DEPARTMENTS AND CORPS.
again bring 10 your notice, and urge upon your spe
cia attention, the recommendation which I'VE hereto
fore the subject OF the staff corps Longer expert
ence cnvinces me more and more of the beuecia effects
10 the military service which would result from the adop-
ton OF these recommendations bill "for the better
eanzton of the general saf and of the engineer aud
ordnance departments was reported from the Committee
Military Affairs the last session OF Congress- which
embodied the main principles of suggestions and
tending TO promote economy by re<,clol Of additional
officers therein provided, that bull il law
would bring about suitably the end in The general
effect OF its provisions will to throw open tho stan du
ties 10 the whole army, TO bring the staff line officers
into more frequent and intimate and provide
for returning TO their regiments such officers may DO
found 10 have DO aptitude for stat duties Now, under
the existing organization such officers ,lapg commits
sion, but IN one branch OF tho service be trans
fcrred however much the erest Of the their
tastes wishes may reuGcr transfer desirable
BY the proposed organization there will be few perma
Dent officers Ia each OF the staff departments and CORDS
who by their lCog experience Ia the special duties
tanning 10 each. viii be well qualified take general
charge Of and give general directions to business.
leaving the execution 81 the details the officers Of tho
Inc. These officers will acquire thereby knowledge of
and familiar ty With staff duties, which will bs Of cal-
culable benet in time OF gar large armies are 10
be organized and kept in the 6d The proposed arrange
men will effect moreover, the very desirable end Of
making every officer first JOINING the army, for
time in regiment, and thus become practically ac
quanted with soldiers duties and the actual of
troops in service before nc become eligible appoint
men III any Of the staff departments corps No officer
win be appointed permanently to any Of them sthough
the competition for such appointments will be equally Oman
iosalD until he shals have shown IN aptitude ana Ia
lent for It's special duties; thus adding prac-
tcal standard of fitness to the present theore-
teal one Of class standing during pupage at the MI
hary Academy. Such diffusion OF the knowledge Of tho
duties Of the stat departments ana corps among tho
whole army instead OF combining IT, as at present. 70 few
officers, will be Of great benefit to the military service Of
The country.
venture again to call your attention to the urgent me-
cessy for an additional insecor general onr territory
is large for the duties of inspection TO performed BY
the present officers, and the duties tar important
to be neglected
There is another measure for increasing the efficiency
Of The army, which recommended by my predeces-
sor. fully concur in it, and recommended II In my
nua reports This Is provision for retiring disabled and
nhrm officers. Separate bills for eiectng this object,
iaenucal in language, Were reported from the re-
Congress at the last session. Tho provisions
of these bills meet my entire concurrence. rney
secure TO every officer fair and open examination Of his
case with the privilege Of adducing testimony be put
record and submitted 10 the examination Of the Pres
dent, who must in s suIciency establish dis
ability for active before the officer be retired
Their enactment will bene. the pcbic SERVICE and at tho
same time make fair provision for officers who may
have been worn out in service, whilst will carefully
guard the rights OF all who be affected by It
ton, and exclude the influence Of favor iudice.
The many objections which have been urged against q
SINH for the naval SERVICE and which duo
not to the measure itself, but to the in which
of annvina hs arny D Inc aai
bring this Subject special notice and repeat my former
ENLISTED rEAnsTEEs
The importance Of regularly enlisted corps OF team.
sers bus been long and often brought notice Of
Congress that nothing bata deep conviction Of its almost
absolute necessity induces to refer TO again. the
want Of that authority which enlistment alone will gve
most serious delays have often occurred in starting i'm
porant trains for the Of the army and the exgencie
OF tho Services caused by bad faith in performing en-
gsgemens have seized upon BY teamsters To exact
exorbIant wages from the government ia law was
pissed authorizing the enlistment OF competent rela
BILE men for this special duties whose term Of enlistment
fhn in,Ap -a.sn,,
and heavy expense now go frequently incurred would be
wholly avoided. There cannot possibly be any we'll
founded objection to this plan but the contrary every
consideration recommends most particularly as it would
be attended with large saving the country each
year The necessity for this measure becomes
gent hs our operations are more removed beyond the
borders Of our settlements. sat
cAME1s
The experiments thus far made--and they pretty
f1idemonstrate that cames sttue most useful and
economical means OF transportation for supplies
through the great deserts and barren regions our ne
ror camel will go safely with its burden ground
so rough aud preciptous that mule will scarcely pass
over II unladen without assistance They require NO
forage but what they gather in the most sterile and
parts of continent, and many DAYS together
live conveniently without water An abundant supply of
these animals would beyond all doubt enable army
70 give greater and prompter projection 10
frontiers, and TO all interucean:c routes than
three times their cost expended in any other
way. As measure of economy and efficiency,
cannot too strongly recommend the purchase Of full
supply to the favorable consideration Of Congress-.
The report OF the surgeon general contains important
suggestions for the good Of the service The Increase Of
the medical staff recommended by him has become Il ne
cessity and requires the action OF Congress-.
The coffee ration OF the army is fixed by law and
not be altered by any regulation. II is manestly
small aud ought to be increased The good Of the ser
vice requires that the supply OF coffee for the army should
be put on the footing with all other ra,ions and loft
TO the experience Of the service fix the quantity.
herewith transmit communication from a surgeon of tho
army upon this subject whose recommendations are
CURED in by Brevet Major General Twggs.
The reports Of Colonel 1eaed and Major Mordecai Of
their observations the military systems OF Eur 1pe were
submitted to Congress last session They informa-
bn OF great value TO the army and country and de-
serve to be printed without delay.
The efficiency Of artillery has at all times been an
object OF solctude 10 those who have considered its
portapce. The arm Is for which both study aud
perience are particularly necessary Our military cstab
sinent IS so small that every corps IN the army main
y employed in active service Of general description
and all attention by the troops any special branch
military science has TO be made secondary incidental
have endcavored 10 mitigate the evils Of this system
far as the artillery concerned by prescribing and Great
ing facilities for an haoitual discipline In the service Of
that arm The corps has been divided into two classes,