The New York herald., 1869-12-07
THE AR M Y
Report Of General William 4.
Sherman.
HEADQUARTERS or THE ARMY.
A .s,,trnxr II Nov D0 1SGQ

~~~~~~-'
HEADQUARTERS or THE ARNY,(
WASHINGTON, d. G., Nov. 20. 1862 }
GHNERAL-I have now the honor to submit my
report OF the army for the present year. AT tho
time Of the last annual report General U. 8. Grans
was In command OF the army ana remained until
the 4h OF March. 1862 when he became President OF
the United StaIes, and succeeded him as General
n-Chief The confirmation Of my commission was
announced the 9th day OF March and was or.
dered to assume command March .. which did,
At that time Major General J. M. Schoneld was
Secretary OF War and continued In that capacity
until March 10, when General John A. Rawlins was
duly commissioned and entered on his duties as SEQ
retary OF War-a post he filed until his DEATH Sep
temDer O. when the President conferred ON me the
commission, with the understanding that u was 70
be held only till he could select successor, ana Il
afforded great pleasure the 1st instant TO give
place to yourself General w. w. Bcknap.
AS these changes have. in q measure, affected the
course OF events. believe that you will be pleased
that take wider view OF the history and condition
OF the army and Its administration than ID custom
ary for the Commander-n-Chief.
LINE OF TIE ARMY
For the purpose Of military responsibility ana gov
ernment the domain Of the United States divides
into twelve departments and three districts, each
under the command OF an experienced general on
Ger, who by law Is invested with all the powers OF
the commanding general Of an army III the neld ana
is held responsible for the discipline and mante-
nance Of the troops, the preservation Of good order
SO far the military authority extends, and for the
care OF all public property that belongs to the army.
The limits and boundaries Of these departments are
better described by the map and tabular statements
herewith than by any mere words could give,
In order to prompt action In case OF need and TO
place similar territory aud similar interests under
common commander, these departments are again
grouped into four military divisions, which are COM
manded by the four generals next In rank to the
Commander-nC Chief.
BY the organic law OF July 2s, 1885, as modified BY
that Of March g. 1862 the regular army now consists
OF five regiments Of artillery, ten Of cavalry, twenty.
i've OF infantry, battalion Of engineers and the
cadets Of the Military Academy. These are all
assigned TO the several departments by regiments or
companies, but each division commander can reine
force any point within his command by transfer
ring the troops from one OF his departments TO
another.
As general rule the artillery companies are dis
tribued in the permanent forts along our scaboard
IRON Eastport, Maine, to the mouth OF tue Rio
Grande, and from San Diego California to Alaska,
serving on foot. One company OF each regiment Is
mounted and equipped as light artillery; oae OF
these companies Is stationed at washington and tho
other four at Fort Riley, Kansas. as school OF In
struction. Another company OF each regiment IN
all vc) stationed at Old Point Comfort, US school
OF instruction Tor heavy or sea coast az tillery.
All the regiments Of cavalry are serving In
Texas the Indian country aud Pacific Territories.
| with the exception OF . single company here in
Washington which ls the only cavalry east OF tho
The twenty-five regiments Of infantry are distrt-
buted:-One regiment along the northern frontiee,
one IN virginia one IN MISSISSIPPI and tnree IA sns
regiments are In Texas the Indian country and
! western States aud Territories.
FTnran n tl~
letts Point New York maroon; one a. Jefferson bar.
RACKS Missouri and que at Yerba Buena Island. San
Francisco narbor, doing garrison duty and more
especially designed TO preserve the practical know
ledge or aeld iortincat,on OF mines and Of pontoon
The CADETS are at the West Point Academy, UNDER
| gong Instructions preparatory TO being conmis-
AT this moment we have not q single regiment
that may be said to be In reserve All are on duty.
canaot be granted. l beg, therefore, your earnest
attention TO this matter tnat Congress may be APP
pealed not to diminish the military establishments
| any further, because or the great extent OF our
| country, the unsettled character OF region mea-
of miles the nomadic character OF the Indians who
inhabit this region, and the growing necessity OF
anording greater protection to the roads that tra,
interests therein.
Wnie the nation at large Is at peace state Of
quasi war has existed and continues to exist, over
onehal its extent, and the troops tnereIn are ex-
posed to labors. marches, lights and dangers that
largely diminished III Iexas, the Indian country, in
Arizona. New Mexico, Montana, Idaho or Alaska, 40
well as IN some parts OF our southern States be.
evc condition OF things would result amounting
to anarchy.
troops must refer to the reports or The division
aud department commanders herewith, and hope
the officers and men composing the army Will re-
ceve the assurance OF the country, to which they
are fairly entitled that their services are appre
ciated. Many OF the oiicers have been required to
perform at great personal risk, duties Of Indian
agents. governors sneris Judges and inspectors OF
election, &c1utes foreign to their military traininRf
and they have done thus duty without murmur
and with marked inteilgence The great mass OF
them are banshed TO distant sections ana Kept there
with Indifferent shelter without any o. tine facinnes
ana associations OF civilized life, and many OF them
have families that they scarcely have the means to
educate ana provide for. In my whole army cxpe-
ana yet believe they will cneerfully continue to
dure this state of facts II they can see in the future
any hope Of Improvements. do not understand thaf
tney expect more pay, but they live III hopes thas
our money Will soon approach the value Of gold In
It's purchasing capacity, and ! believe any dminu-
ton OF pay would turn tho thoughts OF every good
officer 80 change OF profession, that would be
| trenely damaging to the army Itself.
| The code OF laws by Which tue army Is governed
| Is very antiquated ana obscure, based on the old
| English muIlny oct in existence at the time of our
Revolution and bears date Aprli TO- 1906 laws
| respecting tho government Of the army have been
passed rom time to time, and volume volume Of
Regulations has been issued from the War Depart
ment, the last edition OF which bears date IN 1903.
| although they also nave been nodded BY numerous
| subsequent oraers and circulars so tnat at this
be certain of his rights and duties, and Is liable at
any time to suffer IN his accounts or incur personal
| liability for acts done In pard0naDe Ignorance.
Section 81 Of the act approved July rs, 1865, re-
| qured the Secretary OF War to have new code OF
Army Regulations prepared and submitted 10 Con-
gress at It's next sesslon 1.-THE existing regulations
| to remain In force until Congress shall have acted
! on such report" BY special orders from the Aciu,
| tant Generals ONCE December is, 1so,, 4 board
| composed Of Lieutenant General Sherman, MAJOR
| General Sheridan and Brevet Major-Generai Augur
was assembled In washington on the 2sth Of Janu-