Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-12-16
Report Of the Secretary Of War.


fsry of War, opens with reference to
Gen. Rawlins, of whom it says "Ot Gen.
Rawlins, ii can with truth be said that the
virtues Of true manhood characterized his
life, as a soldier, citizen, and statesman,
while on the records of the department
will ever remain the evidence of his high
honor, his patriotism, and his sagacious
Judgment" The Secretary then explains
that ewsrecommendation will be made at
length. as the duties of the Office were as.
sumed but few days prior to the dale OF
this report. November 30. He, however,
refers to the material matters of the re.
ports presented to him. Referring to the
report Of the General of the Army, he says
there are Il departments and districts,
each under the command of general Off.
cer and the several departments are
formed into military divisions, com.
manded by the four Generals next in rank
to the General of the Army The regular
army consists of regiments Of artillery,
10 of cavalry, 25 of infantry, the battalion
of engineers, and the corps of cadets
All the regiments are on duty. The
Secretary Endorses recommendation of
Gen. Sherman that legislation be had en-
acting the rules and articles of war
adopted by the boards, convened in con-
lormity with the act of Congress, July
90, 1866, and approving the new rcgula-
tons compiled in June, 1868
The Secretary then continues, still re-
lerring 10 Gen. Snerman's report: "Af.
ter the consolidation made in accordance
with the act Of March 3, 1869, there re-
NAMED, on Nov. /, 500 unattached officers.
All Of these have been assigned to duty
excepting 156 who are awaiting orders.
1t seems equitable and. just, should a re-
duction be made, that officers awaiting
orders by their own request and prefer
ring that 10 active duty, should have less
claim for retention than those who APP
Piled 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 de-
partment recognized, and which should be
regarded 1t is certainly fair that the con-
sequences of reduction of officers should
fall proportionately on cavalry, artillery,
and infantry and should Congress act in
the matter, it is proper that this consider
alton should not be overlooked. In refer
L
cur with the report in recommending that
authority be given to retire greater num-
Der of officers for cause than is now al
lowed by law-seveh per cent. Of the
officers Of the whole army. The present
maximum of the army is 52,234 enlisted
men. Relying on two-thirds for actual
service, the number Of men is 1882 BY
The plan Of organization submitted in the
report there would be 1850 men two.
thirds for actual service would be 29,750
men, below which it would not be pru-
dent TO go, as the necessities of the coun-
try and the great extent of territory to be
protected will require every man of that
humber. g
"Section 6 of the act of March, 1869,
provides that, until otherwise directed by
law, there shall be no new appointments
and no promotions in the Adjutant Gen
erals department, in the Inspector Gen
erals department, in the Quartermaster'
department, in the Commissary depart.
ment, in the Ordnance department, in the
Engineers department, and the Medical
department | recommend that the staff
corps be retained at the standard fixed by
The act Of July %, 1866, and that the
clause prohibiting appointments and pro-
motions be repealed, in order that yacan.
eles may be filled, as was the practice
prior to the passage of the act of March
3, 1869. Although the army may be
smaller than heretofore, experience has
shown these officers are as necessary for
the smaller as the larger force" He in.
aorses the recommendation of the Adju.
liant General of the Army for the repeal OF
80 much Of section 6, Of the act of March
), 1863, as prohibits further appointments
or promotion, leaving the organization of
the Adjuant Generals department as it
was fixed by section 10 Of the act of July
=, 1866.
AN increase of thenumber of Assistant
Inspectors General is recommended.
With regard to the Bureau of Military
Justice, the Secretary says the Judge Adj
yOcate General reports the number of
records OF military courts received, re-
viewed and registered to be 1S444 num-
Der of special reports made, 1852. The
Bureau, in addition to its regular duties,
has been charged with the duty of syste-
mstlcally arranging and indexing the i'm
portant state papers belonging to the office
OF the late Col. h. q. Turner, Judge Adv0-
cate, and Brig. Gen. L. c. Baker Provost
Marshal, and the work is steadily pro-
crossing.
The expenses Of the Quartermaster's
department during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1869, were $2l ,968, 4S4.0S, a reduc.
lion Of Sl4,500000 below those of the
preceding fiscal year. In February, 1869,
The number of civilians hired by this de,
partment exceeded $4,000, which has since
been reduced to 1900 Nine officers have
done duty in the Quartermaster's depart
ment, in addition to the officers of the
establishment, "a in number
The report of the Quartermastcr Gen
eral states that the clerical force of this
office has been reduced so low by the late
legislation as to seriously ret4rd the public
business andto provide for the settlement
OF accounts some increase in the force is
necessary.
A hulldinp canahIe of accommodate