New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-12

were mostly captured and destroyed Major Cen Grant
with orders Of the Presen assumed general oommso6
Of the Departments Of tho Tennessee Cumberland and
Ohio. In accordance with bis recommendation. MAJOR.
Gen. q. IL. Thomas placed in the immediate com.
mand Of the Department Of the Cumberland and Major.
Gen. w. T. Sherlnpn that Of Tennessee.
As the supply Of the army at Chattanooga demanded
prompt attention. he Immediately repaired TO that place
By bringing up from Bridgeport the 18th and l2h
Corps under Hooker and throwing force from Chat
tanooga under Gen. W. +. Smith, the south side Il
tho river at Browns Ferry. the points of Lookout
Mountain commanding tho river were rccapturcd on
tho 27th 2otb. and 29h of October This Important
restored his communications with his depos Of
| supplies.
ing to speak Of the brilliant exploits Of our Navy
remark that Gen. Grant and bis Department Command
ers report that Admras Farragut and Porter and TIE
officers have rendered most valuable assistance IL u
their operations.
GENERAL REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
It has not been possible in the foregoing summarize
refer TO all the engagements which troops has had
with the enemy during the past year. as no Official
counts or reports them could be found The details
given have been compiled from telegrams, dispatches
and reports received through the various bureaus
War Department. L respectfully recommended tina,
all those official documents and reports received since
the beginning Of the war be collected and published IN
chronological order under the direction OF the Adutsnt
Generals Department. Some have already been pub-
IIshed by Congress but they incorrectly printed
and badly arranged be almost useless historical
documents Tho Rebel armies live mainly upon the
country through they pass taxing oou anu forage axe
| from friends and foes.
This enables them TO move with ease and great rapid
| ity Our commanders operating In the Rebel States
generally find supplies, and in the Border states 1t
Is difficult 70 distinguish between real friends and enc
mics To live upon the country passed over Often pro-
duces great distress among the iDha0itants But 10
one of tho unavoidable results OF wal. ana - justified
by the usages OF civilized nations Some OF our oom
aanders have availed themselves OF TINS right Of mill
tary appropriation while others have 700 isrgs
/ /. -. nrA haUn nf IA
they might have done upon the resources OF the county
| In which they operated.
Gen. Grant says in bis official report: IN the march
| from Brunesburg to Vicksburg covering period 2
twenty days before supplies could be obtained from the
Government stores only five days raions were Issued
and three Of these were carried in the haversac tho
start and were exhausted. AL Other subsistence
was obtained from the country through rhlcb w
passed. The march was commenced without wagoM
except such could be picked up through the country
Instructions have been given 10 the Generals opera
tin in hostile territory, TO subsst their arucs 80 far
AS possible upon the country. receptng and account
Ing for everything TAKEN that all persons OF approved
LOYALTY may hereafter be reunerated for their losses
BY this means our troops can move more rapidly and
easily and the enemy is deprived OF supplies II he
should reOccupy the country passed over by u.s. Soms
OF our officers hesitate to fully carry out these measures
from praisevortLy but mistaken notions OF humanity;
for what il spared by Is almost invariably taken By
the Rebel forces who manifest very little regard for tho
suiFeriEgs Of their own people. In humorous cases
women aud children have been fed by US to them
from actual starvation. while fathers husbands and
Lrohors are fighting IN the ranks Of the Rebel armies
or rObbing and numbering IN the ranks Oh guefraA
bands.
Having once adopted the system OF carrying nearly
ten hours supplies with the army In the field, system
suited to countries where the OF tho population
take no active part in the war; II "a found very DIM
cult effect radical change Nevertheless our brains
have been very considerably reduced within the pas
wear. A stil greater reduction, however VIII " ~
Qured 10 enable troops % move u lightly and rap
idly as those of the enemy In this connection would
respectfully call attention 10 the present system OIL army
I M. es.fa Rfaly al =
sniers to officers and soldiers which could not be urn.
ished a much less price by the Quaitermaster and
COmmssary Departments.
Suffers and the employees are now only partially sub
Iect to military authority and discipline. and 1t "a nos
difficult fI those who disposed ~ act the part
SPIES informers smuggers, aud contrspand traders.
The entire abolition of the system would nd the army
of the ncumbrance Of suter wagons on the march, ana
the nuisance OF suffers stalls and booths IN camp IL
would relieve officers and soldiers OF mlch OF tncf
personal expenses, and would improve tne dscipno
aud efficiency of the troops in many ways and parton
ly By removing from the camps the prouigate evin
Of drunkenness. =.
officers and soldiers absent from their commando.
was estimated from official returns In anuary last ths
there we're we're then absent from duty - omcsss
and 2s2 O73 non commissioned officers and pr'at.s
ONLY part Of these were esy disabled or sick The
renainder were mainly al rters straeglcn. maIisners
| TO avoid duty. Much OF this evil has been absted
! Very few furl0ughs are now given. aud and omcsn
absent duty not only lose their pay but are suDct
] 20
also greatly diminished. AID NIGH be almost entirely
prevented II the punishment covd be promp, and GER
tain. In this respect our military penal code requires
revision The machinery 81 court martial Ia to cum.
boas Tor the trial Of MILITARY otieHses IN time OF actual
sar. To organic such courts II is often necessary "
diach large number of officers from active dit! N 'ns
Field and then single case sometimes occupies Vos
ill many months.
To enforce d.sei9as " De Eel! L Ia necessary thai
tr.I a"' punishment follow the offence.
In regard TO military EXAMINATIONS respectfully
recommend an increase Of the lnspec,orieneras Ds'
partment
The grades Of commanders OF armies and Of army
corps should b. made % correspond with their aetnA
commando The creation Of such grades need not
cause any additional expense to the Government as pay
lud snrolment Of Generals and Lieutenant enera.s
could be made the same ~ now allowed TO MAJOR Gen
cral, commanding divisions.
4 Also re.pectiuly coll attention to.ur artillery
gnuxation IL tie 9Th Regiment Of United States Ar
ilery each battery Is allowed one captain, four euten
ants, eight seFgeants and twelve oorporals and AZ
these together With the priyates receive cavalry pay
end allowances Ii the Let. 2h3d. and ith Regiments
" United States Artillery battery allowed one cap
tain. three eutenans. four sergeants and four eor1
ros ind. with the exception OK two batteries 20 esea
egimsnt for which special allowance was made oy avs
enacted on March 2, lS2l, and March 3 ISL Al Oh
these receive the pay aud allowances OF infantry yet
they are ALL with the exception Of four or i've sopa
MES performing precisely similar duties. 49,
field battery Of six guns absolutely requires AZ ,ae
officers and non.con mlssoned officers allowed n 70
9Th Artillery and the additional responsibiy Of ON
GERS and labor Of both officers ard enlisted men renter
necessary the additional pay and allowance s'eorle
by law Ia those grades Ia that regiment s.nlSe
remedy for these evils is the enactment OF law sNus
the ls "a "a and Ith Regiments Of L. s. Artle!y .a
same organization and same rates OF pay As 'ae ~,
Regiment which IL may be added Is also Me sane -
that already given TO AL tie volunteer ned oa''e'e'
now iu the t. :. service,
A similar discrepancy existed in the ca>aFy resi
urnts till m act passed by the last Congress iAaca
,hcm all upon tie basis Of organization ana pay
Tho act Authorizing the President 10 ean oui adu''o
volunteers drafted militia limits the call 20 ,s n,a.
olry artillery and infantry srns. and makes no Pr"
! i..ttA IaglnrnS