Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-12-10
into the rank. scquit themselves we'll aud

into the ranks scquit themselves well aud
make good soldiers. An immediate appropri.
alton for bounties should be made.
The organic .hon Of the Invalid Corps 10 an
| neuneed, ar tits reported to consist at present
| Of 90 600 officers and privates, who are doing
pIieon and garrison duty and aiding In the
| arrest OF SKI lkers and deserters.
Energetic efforts were made to raise negro
| troops. Over fifty thousand men are now Or
| canned and in the ranks, and the number will
rap diy increase as our armies advance into
lie rebel States. The raising Of these troops
| fas teen retarded, first, by the military opera.
ons in progress; and, second, by the removal
%. *. slaves into tho interior beyond the reach
OF recI uting agents. This obstacle, 1t Is hoped,
| viii soon be entirely overcome.
| Many persons believed. or pretended to be.
lie,e and Cor hdently asserted, that freed slav yes
| would not make good soldiers that they would
| lack courage, and could not be subjected TO
| military discipline Facts have shown how
| florndiess were these apprehensions. The
| slave has proved his manhood and his capacity
| b an infantry soldier at Muhken's Bend, at
| thr ASA ult upon Port Hudson. and the Storm
The colored troops have been allowed no
| bounty. and, under the construction given by
| the Department., they can only, by existing
Law, receive the pay Of ten dollars per month,
| white soldiers being paid thirteen dollars per
| month, with clothing and daily ration. There
seem to be Inequality and injustice in this die
tnction, and an amendment, authorizing the
| same pay nd bounty as white troops receive,
| is recomme ndrd. Soldiers of the Union, fight
| ing under its banner, and exposing their lives
| in battle 10 uphold the Government, colored
! troops are entitled to enjoy its justice and be-.
! Deffcence.
With regard to the large number OF colored
| women, Children and aged and infirm persons
| who have come into our lines, the Secretary
| thinks II much better that We should feed them
| than that they should help support the rebel
| master " ho is in arms against Us.
The Adlntant General recommends
First. That the term Of enlistment in the reg.
| ular service be fixed at three years, instead OF
hYs, In accordance with the act Of July 49, I-y5I
xx-hf f.h a L,,1i
uary, 1865
| Second. That the law regulating the pavmen {
| Of chaplains be amended to allow half
| pay and rations during absence on lesye occa
| stoned by other cause than wounds or sickuess
| and to iuil pay without rations when absent
! for those causes.
The serious evil heretofore arising from the
| abtence Of many officers from their commando
the Secretary says, has been in a great part
remedied by the military courts now in sassion
| a. Annapolis and Cincin natl, who were author.
| lied 10 inquire into the subject.
Inc expenditures of the Ordnance Depart
| ment Tor the past year for arms and NJ ni.ions
! OF war amount to S42,i'3,630 u.
An immense amount Of material has been
| prepared At the different arsenals, aud work
in metals, wood, and leather, in lar ge quantity
| Is advanced towards completion, for the n an
ufactnre and repair OF Ill the various ma chimes
and implements OF war in use III the services.
The resources Of this country for the produc-
tlon OF arms and munitions of war have only
commenced their development. yet their extent
may be inferred from the enormous quantity
ofsupplies furnished during the last two years
At the b. gins ing OF the war We were comoeiIed
10 rely upon foreign countries for the suppIy OF
nearly all onr arms and munitions. Now all
tnfse thlngs are manufactured at home aud
we are independent of foreign countries not
only Tor the manufact ture, but also for the ma
teriaIs or which they are composed.
Ih6 excellence Of arms and munitions of
american manufacture which have been sup
pied by the Ordnance Department to the arrny
has been so obvious that cur soIdiers are no
longer wiling TO use those which have been
imported from other cuntrias
The efforts made during the war to extana
and improve the manufacture of arms and mR-
nitlons have resulted in discoveries of great
importance 70 the country in peace as well as
In war Among the arts thus improved ia the
manufacture OF wrought iron, now rivaiiins
the finest qualities OF the iron OF Sweden, Nor
way, ano ENGLAND SO highly priced in the arts
. lnls country until the present year has re.
lied upon those countries for material to make
gun. barrels, bride. bits, car wheel tires, and
other articles requiring iron OF finest ouaIity
The iron OF our own production Is now superior
70 toat obtained abroad for all these PURPOSES
An appropriation Of two million dollars an.
nuai,y is recommended for the purpose Of arm
ing the militia Of the different Stats The an.
pr"Irlation made last year for forthcations
has been well used, and our seaboard and bor
se aer 1ornaeanons s are reported now in a condi-
ton 10 afford formidable defence.
west Point Academy Is now full. The rebel
States not being represented, worthy youns
men 1rcm the Army have been appointed to the
The survey Of the northern and northwestern
lakes has been actually continued the past wear.
and an experienced and skillfuI ONCE has heen
detailed to examine and report what tsmnoTaSv
works are required to guard the lake shores
from rebel and piratcal raids.
The report of the Commissary General and
OF the Q Quartermaster g General shows our armr
the world
Nearly all the troops in the field have baen
paid up to October 3lst.
The number of patients remaining In general
hospitals June 80, 1863, was eI per cent, and
strength Of the army, OF whom Ie IL per mean nsnt
We're SICK, and gs per cent: wounded. The
corps Of medical inspectors, By the system OF
tn ths sts,s mas added materially
serVlce, and marked improvement In All
matters OF sanitary presaution and police IL
Military teiegraphs have been rapidlv eon-
strueted as our aFmies progressed. Daring
the fiscal year l,755 miles OF land and cub
marine line were Instructed, making the total
number OF miles OF land and submarine Mill
sary telegraph lines In operation during tn,
year 5,326, being length OF line suficisnt 10
glrdle more than one nth Of the circumference
OF the globe
Dligent effort has been made for the nfoYee
ment OF discipline, the detection OF frauds, and
their prevention and punishment by summary
guilty parties by court. martial and military
commission. In this respect much has been
accomplished by the Judge Advocate General
and bis assistants.
Secretary Stanton eays 1t gives him pleasure
to bear witness to the general dilieenee. abili-
ty and fidelity manifested by the chiefs of the
several bureaus Of this Department. Whatever
success may have attended Its administration
is, in q great measure, due to them and their
subordinates.
In conclusion, he expresses the hope that the
next annual report from this Department NAV
announce the complete overthrow of the re-
oeillon, and the restoration Of peace and the
establishment Of the Union on a sure founda-
tion in all bounds of the United States.
----------------
message OF Gov. Bramlette, of Kentucky
CINCINNATI, Dec. s-The message Of Gov
Bramlette, of Kentucky, is published this
morning. 1t represents the financial condition
OF the State AS satisfactory. The Governor
urges complete organization Of the militia
for home defence from guerriilas and robbers,
and robbers, and adds" is source of
qualification that the patriotism OF the people
has met the efforts TO place sufficient force in
the aeld for defence, and that we are now
more secure and better guarded than at any
time heretofore since the opening Of the rebel
lion In short time, under the arrangements
made with the Secretary OF War, the thorough
ore anization Of the enrolled and volunteer
m def will he