Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-07
The Army of the United states, ats
Numbers, and the Responsibility for
The Extrayagant Cost of the War.


The Army of the United states, ats
Numbers, and the Responsibility for
the Extravagant Cost of the War.
We call the special attention of the reader to
the following developments, from Republican
source, in reference to the conduct of the war.
1t is stated that the army of the United States
now numbers 725 900 men and that the daily
expenses of the war exceed three millions of
dollars vast debt is rapidly accumulating
which will weigh heavily in the future upon
every department of industry, and the day viii
come, and that ere long. when those in power
aud who have had the direction of events since
March Attn, 1861, will be held to a strict account
ability and be made responsible for the burdens
which will be thrown upon the nation through
maladmnstration. extravaganza and corruption
We copy the following in reference to the ad-
ministration of our public affairs from the Gin
cnnat Commercial. fla Democratic paper had
thus criticized the action of the Administration
it would have been denounced as hostile to the
Government, but coming from a Republican
source we suppose it will be considered by this
class as a bold exposure and denunciation of ex-
travagance, if no harsher term is used, in public
expenditures The Washington correspondent of
the Commercial. under date of March 30th, says;
The army of the United States numbers seven
hundred and twenty -6ve thousand men, and one
hundred and eighty EIGHT Brigadier Generals
The daily expenses of the war exceed three mill
ions of dollars, the cost of the army of the Pc
tOmac being about one half of that amount At
some future period the people will require reck-
oning of the score. They will inquire why such
vast sums have been expended. The books of
each Department of the army will be rigidly
scrutnzed, that the responsibility for each ex-
penditure may be fixed upon the proper officer.
The President as the Chief Executive officer of
the nation, will be required to answer for the
tire expenditure, and the COMMANDMENT Chief of
the army of the Potomac will be expected to ex-
plain 'the necessity for the accumulation of the
largest item of the sum total of the stupenduus
debt which will hereafter affiict the people.
No series of victories, let them even dazzle
like Napoleon's brilliant campaign in Italy, will
suffice to silence the camOr of the tax pay ers.
Whatever may be the verdict of posterity upon
the military skill of the commander, no result of
the war, however happy it may be. will suffice to
mitigate stern decision against past extrava-
gance. Thus il is clear that those who
sponsble for the vast cost of the war, can never
figure hereafter prominently in the political his
tory OF the nation, that any who may enter
tain apprehensons upon this subject, may rest sat
is6ed that a career Of political preferment is for
ever debarred To all whose acts have needlessly
consumed the property of the people.
Whatever successes Major General Mcclellan
may hereafter achieve, will never satisfy this
generation that the prodigious expense of the
army under his command, from the 9Th of De
cember TO this period, justi6able. For &C 4,
cording to testimony which have no right to dis
pute, the army of the Potomac was in better
| plight to advance early in December than TO- day.
and according to the evidence now before US, we
have right to infer that the enemy were as
ready to retire had we advanced at that time, as
at the period when they did evacuate their
/ stronghold"
The cost of the army of the Potomac, mean
time, was abundant to have paid for the construc-
ton and equipment of two first class iron clad
ships of war per day until now, which would have
constituted a navy sufficient in number and power
to have sealed up the ports of the civilized world
This is no idle speculation. 1t is an expressed
conviction by high authority, with whom figures
represent facts Some may question the asser-
ton that the army is not in as good condition for
aggressive operations as it was four months ago
If we accept the testimony of military men, no
room for doubt remains Besides, PLAIN logic as
sists the argument, since troops confined in camp
during any long period, without drill and active
discipline in the school of soldiers, must needs
lose tie skill and aplomb which is the result OF
constant active duty. Observation teaches US
that when there rain and muddy fields soldiers
are not apt to drill
That there were not satisfactory reasons for
OBTAINING the army in camp during the entire win
ter is sufficiently demonstrated by the fact that
the evacuation of Manassas was not anticipated,
but surprise, and that very soon after that
event IL became necessary TO devise an entirely
new plan of operations. That the sudden dsap
peara7ce of the enemy was a surprise who can
doubt after Witnessing the hurried advance of the
whole army the day alter the evacuation was
known Sometime ago | remarked the incom-
prehensiblity of that movement. A distinguish
| ed parsonage who ought to understand it. has de-
signed to illustrlte Perhaps you will understand
| il. When you and were urchins We sometime
| caught terrapins. The instict of the creature
upon being caught cansed it to retire its extrcm-
ties within its shell When in this torpid condi-
ton, it was problem how to restore animation.
The customary and effective method was to lodge
glowing coal OF fire upon the terrapin's back
Should | apply the illustration they would call
me "Ab0linonist" dreadful appellation.
Perhaps, however it is unwise 10 insnuate an
honest opinion upon military men or measures.
Should one presume to state a dsparaging fact,
or to indulge fair criticism at Washington Of con-
| spicuous military leaders, they stigmatize him
| AN xADOiuOulSt, II fdulcdl, n ''Idnatc, n
"howler;; and / don't know but they will get
to denouncing such in that confounding way,
which so overwhelmed the lady of Billingsgate.
But ii is the fashion at Washington. SO should
one presume to question the capacity of
one particular General to manage success
fully two hundred and fifty thousand or
more volunteers, he is supposed TO have received
a sufficient answer to any argument by epthets
of such frightful import as have dared to quote.
II is very dangerous, indeed, to criticize great
! commander and his acts in the presence of a
Washington hotel keeper. or a property holder,
| or a contractor, or certain classes of military
gentlemen, or even Congressman who have dis
tinguished themselves principally by obstructing
the promotion Of the for the protection of the
| Government.
Lest you might imagine ms figures extrava-
giant, l shall fortify by repor ing that Senator
Wilson said in the Senate yesterday that our
army numbers 725 900 men And / know. upon
what you ought TO consider good authority. that
| the Government expenses exceeds $3,OO0,OOO
daily. Ii we aud TO the 725 900 troops all the
various attaches the army not mustered into
vice but under pay of the Government, such as
staff officers in each of the States, wagoners, &C.,
the army will not fall short Of three quarters OF
| miIlioI OF NEIL IL would be interesting 10
know how many Of these constitute the army of
the Potomac. Certainly there are not 300,000 in
the West, nor can there be many more than &c.,
900 engaged in sen coast expeditions Can you
now compute the army Of the Potomscy