The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-07-17
EXTEACTS FROM TAE REPORT OF
THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
WAR DEPARTMENT.

L.
SRI have the honor 10 submit the follow
ing report of the operations OF this department
The accompanying statements of the Adu
tant General will show the number, description
and distribution of the troops which are now in
service.
The commanding officers OF the regiments in
the volunteer ice, both tor the ttree months
service and for the war, have III many instances
not Vet furnished rhe depai tment with the mus
ter rolls Of their regimen For the want of
these rcturns, it is impossible to present as accu
rae ali enumeration Of the volunteer force ac-
cepted and in the field a. could be desired Tn
Ger the proclamation issued by you on the 18th
Of April las', the governors of different States
we're called upon TO Getach from the militia uI.
der their command a certain quota, to serve as
infantry or rlflemen, for the period of three
months unless sooner discharged. The call So
made. amounted in the aggregate 10 ninety tour
regiments making 1891 officers and men. Of
the States, called upon, the governors OF Vrgi::-
ia, North Carolira Tennessee, Arkansas, Ken
tuck. and Hi-so'.li, pcremptcriiy refused to COM
piy with the requi elnents made by the depart
ment. All t.. otter states promptly furnished
the number required of them, except Maryland,
whose governor, though manitesting entire read
mess 10 comply, was prevented from doing by
the outhreak ~ BI'tipore
In the states o; Virginia. Delaware and Mis-
souri,, notwithstanding The positive refusal of
their executive officers 10 cooperate with the
government. patriotic citizens voluntarily united
together, and organized regiments for the gov
ernment service. Delaware and Virginia furnish
ed each regiment, both of which are OF duty
in the field. In similar patriotic spirit the
loyal people of Missouri raised force OF IL ,445
officers and men, making in round numbers,
twelve organized regiments, 10 sustain the gov
ernment and to put down rebellion in that state.
And So also, the citizens of the District Of Co
lumbla, emulating these honorable examples,
furnished 10 less than =, s23 officers and men,
making in all four full regiments, all of which
are yet in the field, and doing active and
efficient service. Thus, notwithstanding the re-
fusal of the disoyal governors to respond. the
government, instead of having been furnished
with only the number OF troops called for under
your proclamation OF the 18th of April last, has
received, and has now in service, under that call,
in round numbers, at least eighty thousand
Under your second PROCLAMATION, of the 4th
May last, calling for volunteers to serve during
the war there have been accepted up TO this
date, 2OS regiments a number of other regi
ments have been accepted, but on condition of
being ready 10 be mustered into the service
within a specified time, the limitation of which
has, in some instances, not expired. 1t is not
possible to state how many of these NAV be
ready before the meeting of Congress OF the
regiments accepted, all are infantry or riflemen,
with the exceptions of two battaliODs of artillery
and four regiments of cavalry. A number OF
regiments mustered as infantry, have, however,
,tached To them one more artillery cOmpan-
les and there also some regiments partl}
made up of companies of cavalry. OF the pos
regiments accepted for three years, there are
now 1913 in active service, aud the remaining So
are nostly ready, and all of them will be in the
field within the next twenty days.
The total force now in the field NAV be com.
puted as follows:
Regular aud v luntesrs f,r three III IN hs aud for
the var 23j coo
Adj this City five 1e, men Of volunteers
f rthe war ,acr-p Ell an n / yet ce 80, 900
Add new r-s; meats If regular Amy 600
-.5 coo
Total force at comm Nc Of government $40 600
'-dUct tn re n'hs' volunteers, 50 600
Fore ! >eIvire after the aiihdiawal If the.
'h;e- r"nths men-.-...- -...--.-........23 go 600
It will thus be perceived that after the dis
charge of the three months troops, there will
be still an available force of volunteers amount
ing t. iS3, 900, which added to the regular army,
will constitute total force of $50 900 officers
and men. II will be tor Congress TO determine
whether this arm shall, at this time, be increas-
ed by the addition of still larger volunteer force.
The extraordinary exsencies which have call
ed this great army into being have rendered ne
cessary, also, a very considerable augmentation
Of the regular arm Of the service The demor-
azatiOn Of the regular army caused by the
reasonable conduct of many Of its commanding
officers, the distant posts at which the greater
part of the troops were stationed, and the unex
LODI of off, fb,r hoI
convinced those high in command in the service,
well as this department, that an increase Of
the regular army was Indispensable. The sub
ject Was accordingly brought to your attention.
and after careful examination, an increase was
authorized by your proclamation issued on the
4th of May last.
This increase consists of one regiment of cav.
airy, of twelve companies, numbering in the
maximum aggregate, ,ls9 officers and men
one regiment of artillery of twelve batteries. OF
six pieces each, numbering, in the maximum
aggregate, l,9O9 officers and men nine regi.
ments OF infantry, each regiment col tanning
three battaions of eight companies each, mum
bering i'll the maximum aggregate 2,452 officers
and men-making maximum increase of inian-
try of 22 O6s officers and men.
In the enlistment Of men to fill the additional
regiments of the regular army, | would recon
mend that the term of enlistment be made three
years, to correspond with the call of May 4th,
for volunteers; and to all who shall receive an
honorable discharge at the close of their term OF
service, Il bounty OF one hundred dollars shall
be given.
The mounted troops of The old army conss,
of five regiments, with maximum aggregate OF
4, 400 men. Not more than one fourth OF these
troops are available tor service at the seat of
At least two regiments of artillery are unavaiia
ble, being stationed on the western coast and in
the Florida forts.
The increas. Of infantry is comparatively
large, but this arm of the service is that which
| the General-in chief recommended as being mos
Efficient.
! The organization of the increased force, il
will b. noticed, is different from that of the ole
army. This question was fully considered b,
/ officers of the army connected with this depart
ment, and after much deiberation it was cOnclu
ded TO adopt the French regimental system o
three battalions to a regiment Each battalion
s commanded by major, with a cOlOnel ant
I lieutenant colonel for the general command o
the regiment. This, it is believed is the hes
organization now existing. The number Of fiji,
officers is less than under the old plan, and
therefore, much less expensive. Whether th
organization may not advaptageously be exten
ded to the old army, after the passage of Law
providing for retired list, is question which
may properly engage the attention OF Congress
/ cannot forbear to speak favorably Of tn
volunteer system, a substitute for a cuubrou
| and dangerous standing army. Ii has, hereto
fore by many been deemed unreliable and inei
fcient in sudden emergency, but actual fac,
have proved the contrary. II it be urged tina
Il.