The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1861-07-18
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Report OF ;ns Secretary OF vyar

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Report OF tiie Secretary OF VV0r.
The Secretary first rccomts briefly tho
facts Of the secession movement. us connect
ed with the service, dcnomciug Twiggs,
and complimeuting Anderson. He then
proceeds to state the present condition Of
the army. He says;
History will record that men who, in or
diuarv times were solely devoted to the arts
of peace, were vet icldy, on the Instant TO
rush to arms in defense of their rights when
asSaicd. AT the present moment the gov
crnmeut presents the striking aNamoly OF
being embarrassed by the SO 1crous outpuu'-
iu% of volunteers to sustain its action ln-
sloaA of labogiug under the difficulty of
monarClial gOVeinmCuts--thc want ol men
to fill it's armies (which in other countries
has compelled resort 60 forced curScrtl-
tiou)--unc Of It's main difficulties is TO keep
down the proportions of the army, and to
prevent ii from swelling beyond the actual
force required
Under the call for three months voluu-
tcc's, the government has now in service
eighty thousand men, The total force now
in the field may be computed as follows:
Regulars AMI volunteers for three months
and for the waI, - .'.' ..'.....'i 295,0OO
Adj to this thiIty-tivc regiments ofyol-
untecrs for the war,accvptel aulnnt
vet in service. .................. 5e 600
Add new regiments of regular army 10000 $4,000
Total forces now at command of Goy'ment $4,000
Deduct the three months volunteers 10000
Force for service after the withdrawal of
the three months men n.......'...'... 100000
1t will thus be perceived that after the
discharge of the three months troops there
will be still an available force Of volunteers
amounting to lSS,000, which, added to the
regular army, will constitute a total force of
100000 officers and men. 1t will be for
Congress to determine whether this army
shall at this time, be increased 10y the add
ton of still larger volunteer force.
The Courier recommends that the term Of
enlistment for the Increase of the regular
army be made three instead Of five years
and that bounty of SlOO be given to each
honorable discharged soldier at the end OF
! that time,
The mounted troops Of tho old army con.
! sst of five regiments, with u maximum az.
| =
! fourth of these troops are available for ser
vice at the seat of war; At least two regi
ments OF artillery are unavailable, being
| stationed OH the western coast and III tho
Florida forts.
The increase Of infantry is comparatively
large, but this arm of the service is thai
which the Geueral-n-Chicf recommends Gs
being the most efficient.
The organization OF an increased force, il
will ho noticcd is different from that of the
old army. This question was fully cOnsid
cred by officers of the army connected witt
this department, and after much deihCra
ton, it was concluded to adopt the Frcucl
rcgimcutal sayslom Of three battalions to
regiment. Each battalion is commanded by
a major, with colonel and licutenant-colo
mel for the general command of The regiment
This, it is believed, is the best organization
now existing. The number Of officers i,
less than under the old plan, aud, therefore
much less expensive. Whether this organ
2ation may not tadvantageously be eXtende,
to the Old army, after the passage of law
providing for retired list, is u question
which may property engage the attention o
Congress.
In making the selection of officers for thu
new regiments two courses seemed to b,
|
the regular service by seniority or by sclec
ton. The first appeared liable to the objec
ton that old and IN many instances incifcieh
men would be promoted to places whicl
ought to he filled by younger and more Wig
orous officers. The second was liable to tn
grave objection that iaVoritism might pref
udice the claims of worthy officers.
After the fullest consideration it was dc
termined, under the advice of the General
in-Chicf, to appoint onc-half of them tror
the regular amy and the other half irol
! civil life. OF the civilians appointed Il
rcgincntal commanders, all except one ar
either graduates Of West Point, or have be
fore served with distinction in the field; an
Of the lieutenant coonels, majors, captain
and first licutcuautB, a large portion hav
been taken from the regular army and th
volunteers now in service, while the sccOn
lieutenants have been mainly created by th
promotion Of mcrtous sergeant5 from Tn
regular service
The Secretary prefers the volunteer sy'
tenn to that of the regular army, and consiC
ers that all fears Of its reliability have bee
dissipatcd by the facts Of the present wa
He speaks in the highest terms of the vo
ulllttl lplCC III Ill lSSESNloi 40 0O'N''NA'p ~
liens and men.
The calling forth of this large and admi
able force, in Vmdication Of the constitute
and the laws, is in strict accordance with
wise prudence and economy, and at ii
same time time in perfect harmony with Il
uniform practice Of the government 81
, three years ago, when the authority Of Il
nation was contemptuously dchod by Il
Mormons in Utah, the only safe policy co
sistcnt with the dignity Of the governmc
Y was the prompt employment of such 6
:, overwhelming force for the suppression
: the rebellion as removed all possibility
r. ia lure. Ii will hardly be credited, howe
er, that The following language in relation
that period was pcnped by John b. tloy
Y then Secretary Of War, and now aotiye
T en- aged in leading the rebel forces, wi
a have even less To justify their action thi
q the Mon mons:
> When small force was sent to Utah, Il
d MormOns attacked and destroyed the
trains, and made ready for a general atta'
a upon the column. When sufficient pow
=" was put on foot to put success beyond {
,e dopbt, their buster and bravado sank in
whispers of terror and submission. II
movement upon that territory was deman
= ed by the moral sentiment of the count'
II was due to a vindication of its laws al
e, constitution, apd was essential to demo
strate the power Of the Federal Goyernmc
TO chastisc INSTRUMENTATION and que!l rebj
= lion, however formidable from numbers
position it might seem to he. Adequa