Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-12-18
Report Of the secretary Of War;

We CLEAN from the report of the Score
tary of War that the strength OF the army
on the 30th of September, 1868, was
4S,0S1, which, by the 1st of January, 1859,
viii be reduced, by the expiration Of ser
vice, to about $4,000. In November, 1867,
orders were issued to reduce all regiments
of infAntary and artillery (except light
batteries) TO 80 men per company, and TO
cruiting for those arms has been discon-
tinued. THERE'S but one volunteer officer
left in the army. A regiment of vol
unteer Kansas cavalry has been employed
| for the Indian war, hut the service Is not
expected to exceed six month"; The Sec
retary recommends that the reduction OF
the army during the ensuing year be made
| gradually, by ordinary casualties, by dis
charge of incompetent and unworthy
officers, and by consolidation Of regiments,
and by the disbandment of the four regi-
ments of the Veteran Reserve Corps The
term of enlistment, he suggests, should be
incre, sed to five years as q measure OF
economy and efficiency.
The Secretary speaks highly of the sue.
cessful labors OF the inspecting officers OF
the army. The Bureau of military JUS
| tice is deficient In the number of advocates,
and no provision Of law existsfor their APP
! pointment. There has been much pro
gress made in instruction IN military
telegraphy and signalling, and the study
4 has been added to the courses at West
Point and at the Naval Academy.
The expenditures for the Quartermas-
ter's Department during the year ending
June 80, 1868, including claims for stores
taken for the use of the army during the
war, were 36,506,8S1. Claims for prop
erty taken during the war have been al
lowed to the amount of 5000, ,313; reject
ed, $2,654, ,430, and are still pending to
thesamount of S6,0O6,601
At an expense of 81, 700, 600 the remains
of 3f8233 soldiers have been collected in
the National Cemeteries, and of these
175764 have been identified.
The proposed military depot at Jeffar-
sonyille has been broken up, and the
$500 900 appropriated for a warehouse ct
that point has been returned to the Treas
ury. .s
j The Southern railroads yet owe &4,627,-
805 for material sold them after the war.
The Secretary asks an appropriation of
$4,000 for stock farm TO supply horses
for the cavalry.
The average cost of the army rati0ns
during the year has been about 23 cents.
Tobacco to the monthly value Of $50, 900
has been furnished the troops at cost
Subsistence to the value of $3.50, 900 has
been supplied to the purposes Of the
Freedmen's Bureau, and to the value Of
1910, 900 for the support of the Indians.
A large sum of last years appropriations
remain unexpended, The deaths in the
army during the year were 1851 452 of
these were from yellow fever, and 228
from cholera: 174 were discharged for dis
ability.
The expenses of the Medical Depalt-
ment during the year were $842, 100.
| n,t,a ,,-,,,s,, d;4nraa of tha PAY nonarA
: ment for the wear ending June so, 1868,
were as follows: For the regular army,
81, sos, 908 for the Military Academy,
Sf0S, 100, and to volunteers, $42 SOC, ,444.
The disbursements for rreconstruction pur.