, 1865-12-06
REPORT
REPORT
OF1UE
SECRETARY OF WAR.
1906.


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Mr. Pnrt1pESr: The military appropriations BY the
Last Congress amounted 10 the sun, Of five hundred
sid sixneE millions Two hundred and forty thousand
cents. lslT0) Tbs military estimates for
10 thir5 three millions eight hundred and fourteen
eeIiy 90 cents, Us sia ssi.s&) W Tse % paonai
miI1ry force on The nst Of May. 1876, numbered
fps 70 s hs msi3 si;'ssa
ihou, md have siready been mus,ersa @ out Or scr
md oxpcrdsuse W IN lie Wor Dcparsmens, IL - % he
purpose Of This report to explain.
Al the eommcne.snen1 OF the last session Of Con-
gress much bad been accomplished towards SUI
lfestlDE the rebellion and retorinE Fedc1al az
:honlJ over The tnsurgent states. Unt The rebels
~ hsd r. ne Es o. bhs
tioserrmsnt existed IN Vi1ginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georsa, ,Aabama. Fotida, ,Mkslsslp.
considerable portion CT Arkan-as and ,Louisiann.
Thur principal army, under Its taSoriie commapd-
CT, Gen. Lee, defended with unhhnnted trout ,n-
iniono, Another army, under Gen: Hood. was
nd KsaiaeEy: wsst of e. Ni,siE sippi, = iarge
tns. ms Kansa., aud Missouri The CHIEF sea-
potts Of the rrbcl states-w Wilmington, Charles
ss ss'neaa aa 1Ra ass sos our SSas SssH
sd1ns sa'' sauadlons .wtss unsbie 10 prevent
tEadc and sugpphee reaching the enemy. FINITE
steancta, bhIIt ~ lottl9n Por1s lur 1e9ei GHtets
capital. roamed the high seas. burning, our ship.
and destroying our commerce. Masauders. hired
csn frontier, we're setting On foot puaucal expea-
tlons aEainst our commerce On the 1akcs, planning
to burn aud pluEde1 our towns nnd ciiles, and Eaze
fS frss5ent % oi he United states, II hopes % or over
Throwing our government BY anarchy Faith In
thtir final suceess and hope Of open recognition by
foreign governments etll animated leading trnitors.
Bnl now The approaching session Of Congress
efte.ualy and peacefully exercised Oyer The whole
heretofore ar1nyed against the national govern
ment have laid down their arms. ana surrendered aa
prisoners Of war. Every hostile banner has been
nlent IL overthrow lts president II prisoner in
close custody, awa ting Trial; while its vicpsesi-
dent and three Of its chief executive officers have
ency. All lie ordinances. Laws. and Organizations
created or existing nndcr or BY virtue OF the 10
called confederate government have been awept
sprsent s,atee have organized, Or ane buslly en-
gagged in organizing State governments, In subor-
.hnalson 10 lne federal authority ln harmony With
fedeinl government has been reduced, large armies
disbanded, and ncurly million Of brave men, late
II soldiers IN arms, paid and honornbly mustered
out Of service, have gunc from camps, gtsons 1nd
posts 10 their homes: and most OF them arc engaged
already in the peaceful pu!Eu1ta Of eiyi! life.
Among The eausea Which, under Divine Provi'
successful mlttary operations stand first IN order
A clear comprehension Of these operations re-
9mres bdet glance At the military position lust be-
Notwithstanding The tpcceskfnl campaigns on the
Mississippi. IN 1863, by thc reduction u Flcksburg
and Por Hudson severed IN tw1in the rebel terri
ty-Susg drove back t6o rebel invaders irom the
f. 9 vrn
ia, under General Lee recovered from Its disaster
Gettysburg, occnp!ed its former lines In Virginia.
Ind IN check 1hc army Of Tho Potomac. Ano;her
large army, under General lIag.:, ra-inforccd BY
Longstreet's .eorpe, threatened the reconqneat ot
mugs, our army OF the Cumberland, shut up and
| surrounded at Chattanooga, unable 10 move by
reason OF the inclemcncy Of the weather and In
pateahle roads, Was in extreme Jeopardy.
At this discoutasins juncture . change Of mill:
The Ohio, Tie Tennessee, and the Cumberland were
Of the M.ssisaippi, under Siajor General Grant,
soSIsIoT Geneisl George q. Thomas. relieving Cen
rs esss' 5.t,!ss 'a Of AsS; %snoa!eSI$s ~: E
fl1ects a corps against Knoxville, 10 recover East
so proved 1 Disastrous . iSass TO- the
n he Month of February, 1864, General sber.
Win hsrss rss fen vsk.
FIR AZ Meridian inflicted heavy loss upon the enemy
by tho destruction Of railroads and suppses, the
capture Of PRISONERS and the escape Of negroes and
y Of m invading army to tho rebel States
and support Itse1 On The country, and was the fore
runner or the great movements In Georgia.
The arraDgcments for the spring campaigns oa
1854 were made, on the part Of the Government, 10
put forth Its strength. In all the bureaus Of the
War Department supplies were provided on scale
could Be ,otrscen. The eatina,e. isere based upon
IN army organization Of ono million Of meu- The
States were called upon to strengthen the armies BY
ecuilon throughout all the loyal states; vast sup
nlies OF arme, ammunihon, clothing, subsistence
medical stores, and forage were pro- fded and dis
tllbuted depots to meet the wants Of the troops
wherever Ibe, might operate; horses, mules, sag
ops, railroad iron, locomotives and cars. btidge
timber, telegraph cable and wi1e, md every material
armies under all conditions, were supplied. Ton
gress with unstfntlng hand, voted large appsoptia
tlon. tor recruiting, paying. and supplying tht
troops. The Office Of Lieutenant General to com
nand I'll the armies. was created by Law. Ulysse.
=, Grant ma. appointed to that rank by the Presl
dent, and assumed command. as Lieutenant Gen
time The operations OF all the armies were unde
The Iational forces engaged IN the spring cam
paifn Ed IL y, military defaH@ents As ioiiows:
The Army Of the Potomac, commanded, BY Majo
General Meade. whose headqnartess were on tn
ftoned By the rebel army Of Northern Virginia, sts
ttnnsd % the South eide Of the Kapiaan, ande
Gereral Robert Z. Lee.
,as. ot the openin. Of The campai.n, disttnct or
rontzaitn, but On The aith day of May 1854, 1t M
Incorrdated INTO the Army or the Potomac.
| The Army OF the james was commanded By Ma
,cr Gere1al Butler, whoee headquarters were a
| Eot11es4 Monroe. ....-