The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-12-16
WASHINGTON.
Gen. sherman,s Report.


i WASHINGTON. 70
Gen. sherman's Report. ,..7
als3 % 80 q. -Ei.tflI
In the Washington kilograms to
tOi.hs Western Associated Press
printed JIM Mondays Gincinnaii
Commercial, we find the following
synopsis of the forthcoming report
of the Commander of the Armies
Of the United States:
WAsHINGToE, December 5.--Gcn.
eral Sherman, in his report, which
will be submitted 10 Congress on
Monday, opposes any further re-
duction OF the army. lie says the
entire arDyi is on duty, and he has
constant calls for moro troops,
which can not be granted. He
calls the Presidents earnest atten.
tion 10 this matter, that Congress
may be appealed to not to dimin-
ish the military establishment, be-
cause Of the great extent of coun-
try, the unsettled character of a
large extent, measured, North,
South, West and East, by thou
sands of miles, the acts of the In
dams who inhabit this region, and
the growing necessities OF uffording
greater protection to the roads that
traverse it, and the mining and ag-
ricultural interests therein. Where.
as tho nation at large is at peace,
q state OF quasi war continues to
exist over one.halt its extent, and
troops therein are exposed to la
bors, murders, fights and dangers
that amount to war. Withdraw
ing or largely diminishing the
troops in Texas, the Indian coun.
try, Arizona, New Mexico, Mon
tana, Idaho, or Alaska, as we'll as
in some parts of tho Southern
States, would, ho believes, result in
q condition of things amounting to
anarchy. lie refers to the labors
and exposures Of officers and men,
and hopes that they will receive
assurances, 70 which they are fair.
| ly entitled, that their labors are
appreciated. Officers have been
required to perform, duties of In.
dian agents, governors, and sher.
ifs, &C., foreign TO their military
training, and this duty they have
fulfilled without murmur, and
with marked intelligence. Never.
he says, has he known army Off
GERS so poor. but they hope that by
the appreciation of the currency
their compensation will soon be.
come more satisfactory. Any di.
minution in their pay would result
in the loss of every good officer
and the extreme damage Of the or.
my itself. General Sherman ad.
vises tho adoption by Congress of
the new army regulations, as pre-
pared by special board of officers.
In referring TO army commissions,
he says there are 500 unattached
officers, Of whom l56 arc awaiting
orders. The number of retired
officers is one hundred and seven-
ty-scven. He urges that cavalry
and artillery regiments be officer.
ed alike, in rcgimental and compa.
ny organizations. and asks for an
extra lieutenant for cavalry com.
panies. He argues that it is IN.
just that reduction Of the army
should fall exclusively upon the
infantry arm Of the service, and
recommends that after Congress
has enacted the necessary laws,
the President assemble q board OF
disinterested general officers, TO
whom shall be committed the whole
matter of reduction and reorganiz.
alton. General Sherman comments
upon what he calls the ubsurdity
Of the staff of the army making
their reports to the Secretary of
War. If this is continued, he says
we have the absurdity of the Gen.
oral commanding the Army, with
his chief staff officers, reporting to
somebody else. He hopes for leg.
islation that will allow officers Of
the army to call upon tho General
for troops, instead Of the President.
He advocates an increase of pay
for the soldiers. He recommends
that the forts covering the cities
of Portland, Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Or.
leans and San Francisco be com.
pleted as soon as possible. ''
THE ALASKA PURCHASE.
He calls attention to the earnest
Recommendation of General Thorn
as, that the seal islands of a laska,
st. Paul and st. George, be sold to
tho highest bidder. He is inform
cd that parties in San Francisco
are ready to bid several millions
of dollars, which, he says, would
go far toward indemnifying the
Govornment for the otherwise poor
and costly country. .... ..r.
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un,u Rals .hnnId stand