The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-27

marshal and acting In MS personal presence Yet
should do more than this, concur with General
halleck that Congress should 30 enact In clear ana
distinct terms.
During the past year the department commanders
nave gwen great attention 10 the instruction and
oiscpile oil their troops, and as our becomes
less and less deem II important that they should
receive every encoura2 enent, for we know that the
volunteers, when called into actlve service, expect
10 learn the routine Of service from the regular
arhy In Tins connection Colonel j. j. Reynolds, In
,eAas. OBJECTS, and with good reason, that he IL
forced TO Use his men great portion or their time
~ laborers public buildings roads and nc
olner work which dsqualiies them as soldiers, be-
sue preventing them from scouting on the frontier
"a much as otherwise would be the case. Az u mat
ter OF course, soldiers must labor In taking
. ,n % themselves and OF their necessary SUP
pHes, nut 10 build permanent Worrs or roads,.
~ which they have out partial interest IL a KIND
~ labor that ought not TO be Imposed on our reduced
.s.aDllsnment. would advise the Secretary OF War
~ prescribe some plain rule, drawing u clear dis
.h,Cuoh between these TWO kinds of labor, ana To
puoisn ~ 10 the army IN orders or regulations 30
ma. u would enter into the contract OF enlistment
@ SOLDIERS would not as they frequently do, plead
,n s cause as Justification Of descriion. During
ane past year the troops have been well supplied in
on i.spcc's ana nave been paid regularly every two
months. General Augur's recommendation that the
troops De paid at shorter intervals ~ worthy OF
every consideration, for II Is known that pay day
coming so seldom Is apt to be considered sort OF
nn Nv anu no. unirequently results In disorders.
such az recently occurred at Provo CITY, which re-
meet upon the usual good fame OF the army.
SMALL ARMs-rHE NEW TACTICS.
u
Wy virtue Oh General Orders Nos. 90 and y OF 1891
nave reported that their labers have been substal,-
sh s concluded ana although not yet in possession
y. .ne text, desire 10 express my Opinon OF the
Importance Of their work. This Board COM posed OF
ohouis Vi great experience, was required To report
Oh the best small arms and equipments for the
ARMY and also 10 prepare system Of tactics Tor all
Arms Arms OF service Their conclusion Oh the first
Dranch OF the subject has heretofore been laid be-
iofe the secretary or War; VINO has ordered supply
o. the arms recommended by the Board, TO be
distributed to the army for further practical
LcStS: nut L observe that Ghief a (rtln
III Ms annual report, advises that another 1ifty
Thousand or the Springfield mnskets should he al
tered according TO the ordnance pattern, the one
now III general use by our infantry. This would
Imply selection OF that form OF musket, before
The recommendation OF the Board was strongly in
FAVOR OF the Remington system, ana l concur with
,e ent H ana therefore suggest to the Secretary
ready ordered before mourning the expense of the
altcration OF the second hity Thousand. All officers
agree That The present musket Is an admirable
weapon Dut the breech block Is not suitable to
. carbine, and 1t Is entirely out OF the ques-
ton tor the pistol, whereas the Remington
system is equally suited to all, so that we
could have identicay the same cabre ana
caftfldge Tor all arms, matter Of Infinite mpor-
lance Ill action ana especially 80 for our troOps
VINO are often detached from their own baggage
Tor months. and come IN for q supply OF ammunition
to their special weapons. The Remington IL already
adopted ny the navy, and this Is an additional
reason Tor lis adoption In the army for Ia combined
operations both arms and ammunition could be In.
tualy mterchanged.
Prior 10 our civil war we naturally looked for a
system Of tactics to the experience OF European
armies ana, as actually occurred, had the infan-
try tactics OF one nation, the cavalry OF another and
arliIeiy OF mixed Sort 80 that there was no just
harmony between them. There Is no good
reason why the same general rules of COM
Inand ana signals should not be uniform for
all arms OF the service, and this Board has
proceeded on this theory Until the text is
received, properly corrected and ready for
tho printer, shall f0rbear any comments further
Than TO say That the time Is most opporsune for The
adoption or an improved system OF tactics for all
arms the service, and before any steps are taken
Tor their adoption, rec cmmend that some cOmpen-
satlon 10 given 70 General Uptan for the use that
mas been made OF his system Of infantry tactics that
mas been heretofore adopted ana used by the IN
fantry.
In conclusion would merely renew q former re-
commentator, that reasonable annual appropra-
lions De asked Tor barracks, both to replace the I'M
neaitny classmates OF our seacOast forts and TO
shelter from the weather the men whom the ma
tonal necessities force 10 station in the drcary
ana lnhospitable regions Of the interior OF the Con
tInent. am, with great respect, your oDedient SER
want. w. r. SHERMAN t;enar,j
General w. W. BELEHAr, Secretary or War.