Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-04-23
NO. 80.
From the North American.
OUR MILITARY CAPACITY.

We have said that the army of seyenty-iivo
thousand men called for by the proclamation OF
President Lincoln will constitute the largest ever
embodied at any one time in America. Il seems
that this is an error Iu the year 1910, when
war with Engand was Imminent, the President
recommended tho detachment for the United
States service of no less than two hundred thou
sand Of the militln Of the States, and the organ
ization of volunteer force Of twenty thousand
men, the latter to be held In readiness to act at
the shortest notice. A militia force Of one
hundred thousand men was actually apportioned
among the States, and Of this the share Of Penn
sylvanie was IA 900.
Fifty years--hslf century--haye elapsed
siRce then, aud now levy Of seyenty-tve thou
sand troops Is regarded as something unparalleled
Pennsylvania is asked for less than thirteen
thousand now, whereas her share then was
fourteen Thousand. la 1910 the whole union
had but 7,2S0,8l4 inhabitants. Now the free
States alone have nearly 20000,000, and Penn
syyania, which had but sl0,09l inhabitants in
1910, has now 100000 New Jersey in 1910,
with 245, 800 inhabitants, furnished as her quota
Eve Thousand militia. Her portion is only
little over three thousand.
10 1858 we returned TO the United States 60
vernmeut, as the number Of our enrolled militia
in Pennsylvania, $4,000, but the aggregate is
really somewhere about half q million Of men.
Illinois in 1881 returned as her enrolled militia
tUltDVV uhuf III u lupulhtlOh VI 4 AgfVlfouus--
Pennsylvania, with three millions Of people,
could not have less thAn half million Of lighting
men The whole number Of enrolled militia in
the free States is set down in the Army Register
at 1895, ,Sl6, but it is much beyond that. Even
Of that total 10000 men do not constitute one in
thirty. The militia OF the seeded States are
rated in the Register at 37S,6S2. A force Of
10000 men, such rs the telegraph tells US is to
be called out by Jefferson Davis, added 10 the
$1,000 already called, would be 1890 men, or
half Of all the able bodied menin the oiigarchy.
Three northern States, New York, pennsyl-
vOnia and Illinois figure in the Army Register
for ,16s, 900 fighting men, and Ohio increases
the aggregate to one and a half million Indiana
has sent to Washington no return Of her enrolled
militia later thnn that of 1882, which was 53-
9l3, but in 1852 the State had 225, 2j5 white
male adults, and has now, no doubt, nearly three
hundred thousand. From res0urces such as these
il would be no hardship to draw m army Of one
hundred thousand men. In Pennsylvania The
enlistment is altogether voluntary, and more are
obtained than the War Department has asked
for.
In Massachusetts, they did not waste mo-
ment's time. Instead Of whiting for people 10
volunteer, the Governor accepted The existing
volunteer companies and directed draft to be
made for q sufficient number of men TO fill up
the quota to each corps. But then In New
England they are less Of a military people than
we are here. War always occasions great ex-
citement in Pennsylvania. The whole thirteen
thousand men might easily be obtained in fhila-
delphia. President Lincoln's proclamation called
only for militia. The word has scarcely any
meaning now. In the Mexican war the volun-
teers fought as steadily and as well as any Of
the regulars, and without them the great victor
les could not have been achieved. We are aware
that in the last war with Great Britain the militia
were unreliable. But they had not the discipline
-. s.1,
The present force has not boen drafted anywhere
ont Of Massachusetts, and is really an army Of
volunteers, the entire bnsis of 1t being the pre-
vously existing volunteer uniformed and drilled
corps.
Militia are used only for local and temporary
service, and are usually mustered for three
months. When once in the field the present
levy will be enlisted for year at least II nei for
the war, and instead of being conhued within our
own States, will be moved about at the pleasure
Of the War Department, 30 us to acquire all the
habits and discipline of the regulars. A sugges-
tion has been made that ii would shorten the
war and save trouble if the army were increased
OF the outset to Eve hundred thousand men
There can be no doubt that the danger is great
and formidable, aud hence the means to avert it
should be in proportion. The field Of action is
vast, and the difficulties to be overcome will
require the exercise Of large military skill and
every available means.
In cases Of this kind, one Of the most serious
troubles is the inexperience Of the generals with
the movement Of great masses Of men. Where
our armies have been so small, and The battles
on limited scale, the management does not
present so many complications as where tho
armies and fields aIe alike vast and difficult
With such generals IS Scott and Wool there
would be no embarrassment, and we presume
that they will be entrusted with the handling Of
the army. Our new officers may need caution
and experience, though with men like Patterson
and Cadwalader the ordeal Of the Mexican war
is sufficient Of n school. Respecting General
Iarney we have as yet heard nothing. General
Sumner is yet in Utah, in command Of that
military department
So numerous have been, and still continue 70
be, the designations of the army officers, ihnt
there is getting to be scarcity of juniors All
the younger officers have been promoted, in con-
sequence Of these designations, aud thus we shall
have tho advantage Of young blood and enthus-
iasm, as well as fresh intelccts and ardent ambi-
tion in high grades, where hitherto noae but
elderly persons had been seen. By the time the
new levy shall all be in the field, the regular
army will be pretty we'll purged Of lis dsaifected
officers. 10 perfecting the discipline Of the new
leyies, there will be abundance Of work for all
a.. nffpia1c