The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-12-07
COLUMBIA.
Saturday MOrning. Deoembary. .iss7.
The Departments REPORTS.

The Official reports from the various
departments of the Government, are
too voluminous for publication in our
columns, and indeed are too lengthy
for the generality of readers. We,
therefore, take up two Of the most
important-that from the War De-
partment, and the report of the SEQ
retary OF the Treasury -and give our
readers n brief abstract of each. p.
The report of Gen. Grant, Score
tary of War ad Interim, is quite in
teresting in its details Of matters ap-
pertaining to his department. On
assuming the duties Of his Office,
Gen. Grant found the army officered
almost exclusiyely by men whose
military experience did not reach be-
yond the period Of army extravaganza
brought in with the war, and whose
notions OF expenditure were alto
gether too liberal for times Of peace
Practices only excusable in war times
were still up; ambulances and mount
ed ordeFies were still maintained at
every headquarters though there, ,Was
not the remotest. chance of their COM
ing into use; army stores asiall kinds
had accumulated in stof9 houses, re-
quiEing stosbe carefully guarded at
larger Tcpstsgper annum, than their
actual n Faiqe. Theses evils were
promptly correotsd by order Of Gen:
Grant the ambulances and mounted
orderliess we're discontinued, and all
surplus stores were sold off. In both
cases very large reduction in mill
tary expenses was effected. In,addi-
Sion to this, the bureau of rebel
archives. Dr. LiebaS'e ospeciality,)
and the buregufor exchange Of pfi-
sonefs, wsrS transferred tpEthe: Adm
'tant-G Generals Office, relieving from
GoEetnment kemploy oyment q large
number of clerks and general officers.
With the exception of changes in
District CbmmSndsrs, the orgapize-l
tion and practical working of the
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and
Abandoned Lands, remain as last
year. The operations are favorably
noticed, but Gen. Grant makes no
recommendation respecting,its con-
tinuanees The Bureau will expire
next. JaIy, unless otherwise provided
byiGongress. The report calls atten-
ton to the large number Of deser-
tions froL- the. army. On the 3Oth OF
September, 1867, the aggregate
strength Of the army (officers and
men) was &c, ,815; the number of re-
cruits during the year. "a, 191; and
desertions, 13,6O8. Gen. Grant re-
commends, with the view to better
andmore effectiye discipline. the or
ganization of companies of disci-
pline," and that the term of service
be changed from three to Ave years.
Tho volunteer force which, at the
date Of the last report, consisted OF
lI,000 men, now consists of 203 COM
missioned officers only, no enlisted
men remaining.
The most interesting facts are re-
ported from the Surgeon-General's
Department. 4,008 monthly reports
of sick and wounded, 315 special re-
ports, 59S folio records, 2,365 burial
records. and 1902 hospital, muster
and pay rolls, have been received
during the year. The registers of
the dead, as far as completed, con-
tain the names of 244, TAT white
soldiers; 29,796 colored soldiers;
also, 3O,204 rebel soldiers: ~,
In Gen. Grants opinion, no breecli- !
loader in this country, or in Europe, /
has been produced which is superior
to the converted Springfield musket,
as altered at the armory; and none
equal to it, in its serviceable qualities,
can be produced at less cost. In
view of the fact that oil the $1,000
converted muskets will very soon be