The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-30
The Army Dill as Passed.

before that body, and so great was the diversity
of Vows that it seemed impossible to combine
strength enough upon any proposed bill to pass
it. During the closing hours of the session.
however, Conference Committee OF the two
Houses succeeded in agreeing upon a bill, and 1t
was finally passed, and is now law. This new
army law provides:-
That the military peace establishment of the
United States shall hereafter consist of five
regiments of artillery, ten regiments of
cavalry, and fifty regiments OF infantry, all
of which, including the professors and the corps
of cadets of the United States Military Aca
denny, and such other forces as shsll be provided
for by this act. shall be known as the Army o
the United States.
The five regiments OF artillery are TO consist
of the FIVE regiments now organized; and the
1st, I'd, Sd, and Atm regiments of artillery shalt
have the same organization as is now prescribed
by law for the 9th regiment OF artillery: Pro-
vided, that the regimental adjutants, quarter
masters, and commissaries shall hereafter be
extra first and second leutenants, selected
from the lieutenants of the regiments.
To the six regiments o' cavalry now in the
service there are to be added four regiments,
two of which shall be composed of colored
men, having the same organization as Is now
provided by law for cavalry regiments the
first and second leutenants OF which shall be
selected from the officers and soldiers of the
volunteer cavalry, and twothirds Of the officers
in each of the grades above that of first Lieu
tenant shall be selected from among officers of
the volunteer cavalry, and one-third from the
officers of the regular army, who have served
two years in the field during the war, and have
been distinguished for capacity and good
conduct.
The infantry regiments are TO consist of ten
companies each. Four regiments are to be of
colored troops, and four regiments of the vete.
ran Reserves.
All vacancies in the grades of first aud second
lieutenant shall be selected from among the
officers and aoldiers aud one-half of the vacan-
cies in grades above that of first lieutenant shall
be filled by selections from among the officers
of volunteers, and one-half from the officers and
soldiers of the regular army who have served
two years during the war, and have been distin-
guished for capacity and good conduct in the
field.
The Veteran Reserve Corps is 20 be oficered
by officers of the army or volunteers who have
been wounded in the line of duty.
volunteer Objects IO' De SclDCleu IO1 aD-
pointment under the provisions of this act shall
be distributed as nearly as may be among the
States in proportion to the number of troops
furnished during the war. California, Nevada,
and Oregon are not included in this provision.
Each regiment of infantry ls to have one
colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one MAJOR one
adjutant, and extra first lieutenant, one regi-
mental quartermaster, an extra first lieutenant
ten captains ten first and ten second lieutenants
one sergeantmajor, one quartermaster-sergean
one hospital steward, one commlssary-sereeant
two principal musicians, and ten companies
and each company shall have one captain, one
first and one second lieutenant one first ser
geant, four sergeants, eight corpOrals, two
artifcers, two musicians, one WAGNER, and fifty
privates, and the number of prvates may be
increased to one hundred, at the discretion of
the President.
Fifteen brigade bands are provided for.
All enlstments into the army shall hereafter
be for term of five years for cavalry, and three
years for infantry and artillery.
II shall be competent to enlist men who have
been wounded, provided their wounds do not
ncapacitate them tor army or other light duty.
There shall be to the army one general one
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, five major-generas, and ten
brigadier-generals, who shall have the same pay
and emoluments and be entitled to the same
stan officers in number and grade us is now pro.
vided by law.
The various departments of the army are fully
reorganizel.
Suffers are abolished after July l, 1867.
The most sweeping reform in the whole bill,
and one which will meet universal approyal.
relates to the method of appointment, which Is
hereafter TO DE strictly by examination. The
language OF the law upon this important point is
as folows:-
mo o9'cer of the regular army below tbe ra,l,
of colonel shall hereafter be nromotad 70 n
higher grade before having passed sstisfactorT
examination as to his fitness for Drom otion ond
past record of services before hoard of tbTaa
general officers, officers of his corDs or arm of
service. senior to him in rank. And should the
officer tail said examination, he shall be sus
pended from promotion for one year, when he
shall he re-eXamined, and upon second failure
shall be dropped from the rolls OF the army.
Provided that If any officer be found unit for
promotion on account of moral disqualification
he shall not be entitled to reexamination.
'The adutant.general quartermaster general
commlssary general OF subsistence, surgeon.
general, paymastergeneral, chief of engineers
and chief OF ordnance, shall hereafter be ap.
pointed by selection from the corps to which
they belong. No person shall be appointed to
any vacancy created by this act in the pay,
medical, or quartermaster's departments until
he shall have passed the examination required
by law.
''NO person shall be commissioned in any of
the regiments authorized by this act until he
shall have passed satisfactory examination be-
fore board TO be convened under the 1irectiOn
OF the Secretary of War, which shau iRouire
into services rendered during che war, TIE cApa-