Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-09-27


The present military ssatus demands moi
oa;y tie most earnest effort to rsofais 'n'
array, 10. slso impsrstieGy calls 'of 'nof
oush and complete reorganization Oh Tue
army. Between Lincoln and UNDERGRADUATES
ID no proape,t for psace-,he WIT inas JUL
,;,,s under either candidate. If Mcclellan
should b eleosed. We shall, in all probability
,-;t, sss ,ha reformation of the Unitod States
srmv into q regular army, with regiments Of
esrssin numbers, and always kept upon good
war footing. Tho Confederacy must reor-
= ssn:zs its army. and, abandoning the proVi-
siousl organiz alton, consolidate the res'r sns'
und rso.sanixs the army as regular arm T.
The sesming millions of France and fussia
could lot support an srmy.organiSes as 's 'he
present Provisional army. Its framework 10
30 larSa that tho effort to keep it together ne
csss.rily makes skeletons Of companies, rsa-
msnts, brigadss aud div;aicns. The frame
,au7t DO ssaucsd to suit the filling in. Tssro
a,s 100 uasy old, ba.tle--worn regiments. and.
ssws src. mot fighting for glory, but for exlss-
ence 40 individuals and States, is is incumbent
IN as to consolidate these now worn down
res;msnts. 1t ia ROW more tban ever ne
caaasry 10 husband our resources; we cannot
any longer afford to preserve orssnz ahors
because Of the glory they have W'n; our saie'S
demands that THE sacrifice be made, and mon
who have won this noble reputation will freely
Law this ssorifoe upon the altar of thar ooun-
try. Our necessities now require compact
regular army, counting no more regiments tor
:, STATE than that State can maintain, bJ al
rnst accusation, at the standard of numbers 10
b known "a the avar footing. 81 e's pacem
marc bslsum. Whatever may 10 the rsialt ot
the Presidential election, let US prepare fer
wsr; let as abandon everything that retarcd
our aetion, and, closing up the ranks, prepare
n mset the increased army Of the enemy, nc.
with numbers, bat with increased efficiency.
There is no practical difhculsy in this rsor-
sariza.ion; but it viii encounter much orro-
siti,n, 1t will hot take one masket from The
army, though it viii turn out soms officers -,
The excess Of officers is an element Ut weak
resa. A regiment of two hundred musksts
has lust as many ofioera as one of ons thou
sand man, while brigade Of four regiments
If two hundred men each has shout ono hun
dred aud fifty officers; brigade OF four shou-
sand musksss wouldrequiro no more efisers-
Tte expense Of the Provisional organization is
enormous, while itD efficiency is much iesa than
that Of a regular army.
Adopting one hundred ami twenty-five,
rank and file, to an infantry company as its
war footing, will give twelve hundred and tif-
ty, rank and file, to regiment. This num-
Der oan be maintained by ooneoription. and the
efficiency of the regiment always preserved
1t will take four of the depleted regiments to
make this full regiment, and the one full resi-
msnt is worth more in action and moro upon
picket than the four skeletons, while the latter
hive over one hundred officers moro than the
former.
DESERT aps are more freq cent froIG weak and
quay organizations than from those Of full
ranks; da.iea arc more ardnous in weak than
in strong regiments; morale and Z esprit d't
corps more perfect and enthusiastic in tnll
than in depleted regiments.
The only objection that eau DO raised to a
reorganization will come from tho number CT
officers that must 90 out Of commission. Shall
thia objection be permitted to defeat tho great
results that would come from reorganization
We bsliove that many OF the officers will Bee
the necessity, aud with their usual patriotism
se9uissoe fer the good of the cause.
Tho calsalry requires thorough rsorg"''
cation. The fundamental evil thst vitistes this
arm Of the service ID the law requiring iha
soldier to provide himself with horse. In
NO other army is such an anomoly to bs found.
Iss etiso.s are sll Injurious. and has not one
benefit to redeem it. If the privates oan find
horses, the government can, also. If thu cav
ulsyman will taio care of his private horae,
he can bamGds to be equally careful of the gov
eminent horse. The oury-comb and brush
are "a much weapons Ct the cava!-
rymai rs the sabra and pistol. The
horse detail ia the fruitful Euurce OF the
enormous number Of sbsentees from the cav
airy service. sThese horse details present the
premium of furlough TO home-sick man
that induces him not to take euro of his horse.
The loss OF horse failing on the csvslrymaD,
makes him less efficient az soldier, than he
would be it the gorernment owned the hGrse.
Tho evil ia gross and gsriog, and has not
ous rsssou to recommend its oontinuapcs.--
The same reorganization required for The in
iautry is demanded for the cavalry. Gao To-
glmsn. Of eight hundred and fifty raok and
flo, trained, armed and equipped as oaralry'
would bs worth mora than two brigades, as a;
present organised. Twenty-Five per cont. Of
regiment Of cavalry 10 now required to hold
the horses Of the balance who fight on f0ot.--
The cavalry has degenerated into mounted in
fsltry, and will never be cavalry under the
Provisional orssnizsti,n. Tire character OF
tho fighting dons by the cavalry has resulted
more from the discovered inef6cisnoy Ct that
G,m of tue ssrv;as, than from any character
of tina country in which they have operated
To establish ky law o certain number Of cav
dry rsgimentS-to lie armed, trained, equip
led aad fought as cavulry--Nhoss number
should 10 kept up to the war footing, and
whose korsss should be furnished by tho gov
ernment. would dseresss tho amount CT cav
slry, but greatly increess its efficiency.
This subject of army reorganization is, cue
that demands the most earnest attention. We
shall continue to refer to it. and endeavor to
keep the matter bsfcrs tho country. We in
vito the attention Of the army to this matter.
We arc prepared to msst with nuoh cpposi-
, tion, but We believe ihs importance Of the cub.