Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-12-17
Report Of the Secretary of War.


Report Of the Secretary of War.
The report of General Beknap, Secretary of War,
opens with reference to Gen. Rawlins, of whom il
says: 60 OF Gen. Rawlins, it with truth be said
that the virtues of true manhood characterized his
life, as a soldier citizen, and statesman, while or
the records of the department will ever remain the
sagacious Judgment The Secretary then explains
that few recommendations will be made at length,
az the duties of the office were assumed but few
days prior to the date of this report, November 20
He, however, refers to the material matters of the
reports presented to him, Referring to the report
of the General of the Army he says there IL de-
partments and districts, each under the command
of general officer; and the several departments
are formed into military divisions, commanded by
the four Generals next in rank to the General of the
Army. The regular army consists of 5 regiments OF
artillery 10 of cavalry, rs of infantry, the battalion
of engineers and the corps OF cadets All the rcgi-
ments are on duty. The Secretary indorses arecOm-
mcndation of Gen. Sherman that legislation be had
enacting the rules and articles OF war adopted by
the boards, convened in conformity with the act OF
Congress, July %, 1866, and approving the new
regulations compiled in June, 1868.
The Secretary then continues, still referring to
Gen. Sherman's report: AFTER the consolidation
made in accordance with the act of March 3, 1869,
there remained, Nov l, 500 unattached officers.
All of these have been assigned to duty excepting
156 who are awaiting orders. 1t seems equitable
and just, should a reduction be made that officers
awaiting orders by their own request and preferring
tention than those who applied for assignment. OF
this class there are 139 officers. Some of them,
however, had special reasons for asking to be
placed on the awaiting order list which the depart
ment recognized, and which should be regarded.
1t is certainly fair that the consequences of a re-
duction of officers should fall proportionately on
cavalry, artillery, and infantry and should Con
gress act in the matter it is proper that this consid
Grafton should not be overlooked In reference to
the question of reduction, concur with the report
in recommending that authority be given to retire
n nynhp FORE aI1Eo han
allowed by law-seven per cent. of the officers
of the whole army. The present maximum of the
army is 1884 enlisted men. Relying on two-thirds
for actual service, the number of men is -, 1872 By
the plan of organization submitted in the report
there would be $50 men, twothirds for actual
service would be 20, ESQ men below which it would
not be prudent to CO. the necessities of the
try and the great extent of territory to be protected
will require every man of that number.
Section of the act OF March, 1862 provides
that, until otherwise directed by law, there shall be
no new appointments and no promotions in the Ad-
jutant Generals department, in the Inspector Gen
erals department, in the Quartermaster's depart
ment, in the Commissary department, in the Ord
nance department, in the Engineers department and
the Medical department. L recommend that the
staff corps be retained at the standard fixed by the
act OF Jny 49, 1866 and that the clause prohibiting
appointments and promotions be repealed, in order
that vacancies may be filled, as the practice
prior to the passage of the act of March B. 1869 AL
though the army may be smaller than heretofore,
experience has shown these officers necessary
for the smaller as the larger force" He indorses
the recommendation the Adjutant General of the
Army for the repeal of much of section g. of the
act Of March 3, 1869, as prohibits further appoint
ments or promotion leaving the organization of the
Adjntant Generals department as it was fixed by
section 10 of the act of July %, 1866
An increase OF the number of Assistant Inspectors
General is recommended.
With regard to the Bureau of Military Justice
the Secretary says the Judge Advocate General re-
ports the number of records of military courts re-
ceived reviewed, and registered to be 49, 444 num-
Der of special reports made, 1852 The Bureau, in
addition to its regular duties, has been charged
with the duty of systematically arranging and in
dexing the important state papers belonging to the
office of the late Col l.. G. Turner, Judge Advo-
cate and Brig: Gen. L. G. Baker, Provost Marshal,
and the work is steadily progressing.
The expenses of the Quartermaster's department
during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, were
$21 ,96S, 4S40s, reduction of S14,5O0.000 below
those of the preceding fiscal year. In February,
1862 the number of civilians hired by this depart
ment exceeded 10000, which has since been re-
duced to 4,500 Nine officers have done duty in
the Quartermaster's department, in addition to the
officers of the establishment, 81 in number.
The report of the Quartermaster General states
that the clerical force of this Office has been reduced
so low by the late legislation to seriously retard
the public business and 10 provide for the settle
ment OF accounts some increase in the force is ne
cesssary.
A building capable of accommodating all of the
bureaus of the War department, fire-proof and
secure, is much needed Military records of great
value are exposed to destruction, and are so scat
tered as to impede and delay the public business
by buildings owned by the United States, amounted
to S4,264 IS, being yearly rental of $5O,9542S
The railway companies to which the military rail
road material in the Quartermaster's department
was sold credit at the end of the war; incurred
debt originally of 1851 406 Interest has increased
this amount to $9,0O0000, about one-half of which
has been paid but some railroads being in default
and showing no disposition to meet their obliga
tions, suit has been lately ordered to be brought
against them. But few vessels have been owned
by the department during the year.
The railroads of the cOmDanies having daclinnd
to adhere to the war rates OF transportation, have
been paid during the fiscal year upon their general
tariffs, with classification OF military supplies set
tied in conference at convention of general freight
agents. There have been paid for water transporta-
ton during the year 424 222 So for railroad trans
portatlon f. ,304 30 Of this amount 1898, IS
81 paid to the Pacific railroads one half being
paid in cash, and the other half retained in tnt
treasury to meet the interest the bonds guaran-
teed by the United States During the year 81, 600
persons, $500 animals and $4,000 tons of stores
have been moved by water, and 1000 persons IA
900 animals, and 10000 tons Of stores by railroad
$4,000 tons of stores have been moved by contract
for wagon transportation. The Pacific Railroad
has occupied some of the principal routes of former
wagon transportation, and has saved the govern
ment much money in supplying the posts along the
line. by arranging between the departments of
War and the Interior, supplies for the Indians are
now transported by the Quartermaster S department
on routes in the Indian Territory the actual cost
under the contracts being refunded to the War de-
partment out of the appropriation of s., 100000 for
pacfcation of the Indians, granted April TO- 1869.
Although the amount OF clothing and equipage
on hand at the end of the war has been reduced by
sales and issues, there still remains stock valued
at over $40, 100000. The general depots have been
reduced to four, and at only two of them is there
any large collection of material, viz: AT the
Schuylkill arsenal on the Delaware and at Jefer-
sonville, on the Ohio. This latter is being drawn
upon constantly but it still contains ST., 000-
600 worth of war material.
There are 70 national cemeteries, and 313 local,
post, or private cemeteries in which soldiers lie
buried The titles of II of the national cemeteries
have been approved as perfect, by the Attorney
General There are 322, 607 interments reported OF
which u, 946 have been identified The expenditure
ON the work has been nearly S3,000000.
During the year 5,S55 animals were purchased,
and 3,492 were sold. These latter produced the
sum of 223, 33S2
Subsistence supplies for the army have been
mainly procured in 10 large market cities The aver
age cost of the ration at these markets has been
about % cents. Salt meats the Pacific coast, for
troops stationed there have been obtained favora-
bic prices. Tobacco, at an average monthly value
of $4,000, has been furnished to troops at cost
prices and the Freedmens Bureau has been sup
piled with stores to the value OF nearly S2500On,
most of which has already been paid for, and the
remainder Is in process ofrefunding at the treasury
The Issues to the Indians az the various points have
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