Smyrna times., 1862-12-11
Report of the Secretary of War.

Naturally much interest attaches to the report of
the Secretary of War.
lie commences by stating that the armies OPERA
ting in the ten military departments, according TO
recent official returns, constitute force Of 775 1876
officers and Privatcs, fully armed and cqupped.--
Since the date of the this number has been
increased to eight hundred thousand men.
When the quotas filled up the force will number
a million Of men, and the estimates for next year
based upon that number
After reviewing the military operations ofthe year,
nc proceeds to say" In commercial, political and
straeg'cal points nt view, success has attended
the Union cause than witness ID upon so
large the atrc IN the brief period, against so
formidable an enemy.
"The Union forces are now in the Fl Id, under
able commanders, stronger than ever rc>oute and
eager to be I'D against the enemy, and to crush the
rebellion by vigorous winter campaign The
mics OF the Potomac and the West stand ready to
vie with each other in the quickest and heaviest
blows against the enemy. Taught by experience
the ruin of inactIon and the hazard delay spirit
of earnest activity pcrvadc the forces OF the
United States beyond what has hitherto been exhi.
biled."
Under the calls of July and August there are al.
ready in the field over 420,000 troops ofwhch
$4,000 are volunteers, $4,000 Of whom have vol.
unteered for three years or during the war.
The expenditures for enstmens, recruiting, drill
ing and subsistence Of volunteers regulars and mill
tia, amounts to the sum of s20, ,692 ,282.99.
The advantage of filling up the old regiments is
sho"n BY many considerations Various expedicnts
/ have heen adopted TO accomplish that object. The
official returns show that siucc tho call for volunteers
1890 recruits have been added the old regiments
BY the aid Of Legislation it is hoped that this
important object may be cffcctualy attained.
The issues Of the Ordnance Department include
apps field and siege, and 206 tortifcaten cannon
1884 gun-carriages, caissons, mortar beds, travelling
forges and battery wagons, l,216,6c6 small arms
967,29l sets of equipments and accoutreucn:>, and
2l3,29l ,27 rounds OF ammunition for artillery and
small arms, still leaving large supplies of ordnance
stores at the ursenals and depots.
During the fiscal year ending the Both Of June,
1862. the sum of S. $50, ,O39.54 was paid to the reg
ular troops, that S9l ll66l06l paid to volun-
teers, and that 1887 ,8l9O7 have been paid since
the Both Of June, o62. The report that nearly
all the regiments paid to tho Goth of Jlnc many
to the Both of August-that some delay in payment
has been eccasoned by want of funds but it is be.
evcd that all will soon be p,id
The Surgeon Generals report shows an expcndi.
ture of the whole appropriations of that department.
amounting to $24458J4.89. The number of gen.
eral hospitals is hundred and ffty.Onc. The
number of patients in them is ffty-eght thousand
one hundred and seventy five. The whole number
| lar ic.lt a.. L..
ninety thousand.
In the concluding portion of his report Secretary
urges that the rebellion should be attacked through
its most accessible quurIer-slavcry. A population
of four millions true to the interests of the Union
with slight assistance from the army, will, under
proper regulation and government be of the greatest
assistance in holding the territory once recovered.
The princpl staples of the South are the product
exclusively of their labor. If protected upon the
lands they have heretofore cultivated, with some or
ganization and with support from small detachments
of loyal troops, they would not only produce much
OF what is needed to feed armies and their trains
but they would forever cut off rsm the rebellion the
resources Of country thus occupied.
The rebel armies move with ease through portions
Of the Border States, living upon the country in
.
pie bring forth their boards and offer them 10 the
rebels for sale or gift Protect the laborng popula-
ton, who the majority in the greater part of the
South in the possession Of the land and its products,
and this great advantage will. for Whatever portion
of the country we occupy. be transferred to u.s. As
soon as the coast is thoroughly occupied. and the
people organized trade will revive Cotton. rice, su.
gar and other products will be exchanged by the
the producer for what he needs. Their wants will
be supplied direct from the Northern factories, and
the cultivation of the great staples will enable them
to pay for what they use. perfectly free trade
may thus grow uP-setween the North and the South
and with greater or less rapidty it will spread
the whole country. forces succeed in meet
ing and dispensing the rebel armies.
No great territory has been permanently reduced
without depriving the leaseEs Of ils people of their
. 7