The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-05
Repori of The Secretary Of way.

Ot tne SfCfefufy W0r.
MI Stanton's report opens with one of those
exhaustive sentences for which he is famous
iSoandment of the volunteer forces in SER
NC ae the time the rebel armies surrendered.
iiS the arms, ordnance. and military
,oios .t scattered over the vast theatre of war.
Na'e and disposition of unserviceallo mo,
"'oring In arsenals, magazines ond de-
po'' 'nat which might be used sett,;n,, o,,d
''UustihS war claims; Recruiting op1 or7,,,,;.
ing the regular army under tho rooo,,. -,
establishment. OF posts and garrisors on a.
irohtier ana IN the Indian country: tcstip,, tho
various improvements of breech-loadipc sn,o,I
arms, and supplying them to the army. nroc.
tical experiments to determine the destrpctiva
power of projectiles and the comparative re-
sisting qualities of materials; completing sea-
board detences and providing them with arma-
ments; planning and carrying on harbor and
river improvements; these, with the admins
tration OF the laws relating to refugees, freed
men, and abandoned lands, have constituted
the chief operations of the War Department
during the past year.
There are now only II ,O43 volunteers left in
the service, and of those 10000 are colored-
Inc regular army now comprises 10 regiments
OF cavalry, regiments of artillery, and Al reg
iments OF infantry. of these, regiments of
cavalry and OF infantry are colored and in
fantry regiments are composed of men wonnd
ed in the line of their duty. The aggregate Of
enlisted men, when the regiments are full will
be 54,3O2.
The.present organization OF military depart
ments and divisions is as follows;
:, The department. of the east, Major General
George q. Meade to command, TO embrace the
New England States, New York, New Jersey.
pennsylvania, and Fort Delaware Headouar-
tiers at Philadelphia.
The department. OF the lakes, Brigadier and
Brevet Major General joseph Hooker to COM
mand, TO embrace the States of Ohio, Michigan,
Indiana Illinois, and Wisconsin. Headquarters
at Detroit. ~. -
The department. Ct Washington, Bricadier
and Brevet Major General f. r. s. CnI,bv N
command, to embrace the District of Coium-
bia, Alexandria and Fairfax counties, Virgin
| Ia, and the States of Maryland and Delaware
excent Fort Delaware Headquarters al Wash
ington. -t-l
Ine department of the Potomac, Brigadier
and Brevet Major General John NJ. Schofield
to command, to embrace the States Of Viroin-
Ia, except Alexandria and Fairfs1 counties,
and West Virginia. Headquarters at Rich
mond r
The department of the south. Major General
Daniel Il. Sickles to command, to embrace the
States of North and South Carolina. Head
quarters at Charleston.
The department OF the Tennessee, Major
General George III. Thomas TO commend 10
embrace the States of Kentucky, Tennessee,
Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi Headquar-
tiers at Louisville.
The department. of the Gulf, Major General
Philip III. Sheridan TO command, to embrace
the States of Florida, Louisiana and Texas
Headquarters at New Orleans.
The department of the Arkansas, Brigadier
and Brevet Major General T.. D. Ord to COM
mand, to embrace the State of Arkansas and
Indian Territory west. Headquarters at Lit
tie Rock. a
The department of the Missouri, Major Gem
eral Winfield S. Hancock to command, to en-
brace the States OF Missouri and Kansas and
the Territories OF Colorado and New Mexico
Headquarters at Fort Leavenworth.
The department. of the Platte, Brigadier and
Brevet Major General Philip ST George Cooke
to command, to embrace the State Of Iowa, the
Territories of Nebraska and Utah, so much of
Dakota as hes west of the 104th meridian, and
so much of Montana as lies contiguous to the
new road from Fort Laramie to Virginia CITY,
Montana Headquarters at Omaha
The department. of Dakota, Brigadier and
Brevet Major General A. II. Terry to COM
mant, to embrace the State of Minnesota and
all the Territories of Dakota and Montana NOT
embraced in the department of the Platte
Headquarters at Fort Smelling.
The department of California, BriGadier and
Brevs Major General Irwin Mcdowell to COM
mand, to embrace the States of California and
Nevada, and the Territory of Arizona. Head
quarters at San Francisco. rt
fhe department Of the Columbia, Major
General Frederick Steele to Command. to en-
brace the State of Oregon and the Territories
Of Washington and Idaho. Headquarters at
Portland.
A board of competent officers has recon-
mended an alteration Of the Springfield rifles
at q comparatively small cost, which will con-
vert them into breech-loaJers believed to be
better in all respects than the Prussian needIe
gun The department has already On hand a
supply Of brceeh-oaders adequate to the wants
of the cavalry and the mounted and light in
fantry. l. t4l... ..IH
In the matter of extra bounties, the Paymas-
ter General has decided that it will be imprac-
ticable to make payment until all applications
have been received, classified and registered by
States and organizations. 1t is believed that
by this preliminary process the ultimate pay
ment of all viii be greatly expedited. +.t
An increase of the numbers of cadets al
West Point to 400, is recommended With tho
present number but one graduate can be SUP.
piled to each regiment every second year, after
meeting the ordinary demands of the staH
corps l,ln. af.
Phe business Of the Freedmcn's Bureau is
facilitated by the law Of 1866. About 10000 OF
the freedmen, and their children are now att
tending school in the Southern States. The
number Of rations issued to refugees and freed
men since june 80, has been pretty equally di-
vided between the two classes, and is diminish
ingon both sides. Assistant commissioners have
been instructed to transfer their jurisdiction
as Rapidly as possible to the State courts, but
in Virginia, Louisiana and Texas, Bureau
courts are still in existence There has been
but little uniformity of State action with refer
ence to the administration OF justice.
Sales fhorses and mules barracks and other
buildings, damaged clothing, transports, steam
ers and barges, railroad equipments, medical
and hospital property, are reported to the
amount of $32,727,6S9. The estimated appro-
priations for the Department, for the next
year. amount to S29O31 g6q