The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-08
THE ARMY.
Annual Report Of cen. sherman.

ages Is Gil $40.
THE ARMY.
Annual Report Of Gen. Sherman.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
WAsHINGIoS, u. G., Nov. 70, 1870. !
GENERAL: Since nv annual report of
Nov. 20, 1869, several changes have oc-
CURED in the distribution Of the army incl
dent 10 the restoration of the States OF Vir-
ginia, Mississippi and Texas, and in the
gradual reduction Of the force. The geo
graphical territory Of the United States Is
now divided into ten departments, and these
are groupud into four Military Divisions.
The Military Division OF the East is COM
manded by Maj. Gen. q. q. Meade, and is
composed of the Department Of the East,
Brig. Gen. |. Mcdowell, and the Depart
ment Of the Lakes, Brig. Gen. L. ST. George
Cooke. The Military Division of the South
is commanded by Maj. Gen. II. W. Hal
leck, and is composed Of the Depart
ment OF the South, Brigadier General A. ii.
Terry, and the Department Of Texas, Col.
J. J. Reynolds. The Military Division Of
the Missouri is commanded by Lieutenant
General Z. H. Sheridan, and is composed of
the Department of Dakota, Major General
W. 5 Hancock; the Department of the
Platte, Brigadier General L. L. Augur. and
the Department OF the Missouri, Brigadier
General John Pope. The Military Division
OF the Pacific is commanded by General John
NJ. Schoiield, and is composed OF the De-
partment OF the Columbia, Brigadier General
f. X. 5. Candy; the Department Of Califor-
mia, Brigadier General L. o. C. Ord, and the
Department OF the Arizona, Colonel George
Stoneman.
I This subdivision Of the country Is found TO
be well adapted 10 the Use OF our military
/ forces in the diversified sections and inter
ests committed to their charge, and the gen
eral officers in command are I'll well quail
fed for their respective dIties. l inclose
/ herewith the annual reports of ali those COM
manders, except Of General Sheridan, who
/ is absent in Europe, and Of Colonel Stone
/ man who is in that remote Territory, Arr
IONA, with which our communications are
difficult, and his report is not vet received,
| but will be submitted soon as possible. To
these reports must refer you for the actual
distribution of the troops and details Of the
years work.
According To the latest reports, the Regu-
| lar Army is composed of ,, iSS officers and
"a, SO enlisted men. Under the operation
OF the act approved July Is, 1870, the num-
Der of officers is being rapidly reduced, SO
that by the LIST of January, proximo, it will
reach the legal standard of 2277. OF en-
listed men, the present number is made up
as follows: Ten regiments of cavalry, 8, S92
| five regiments of artillery, 1890; twenty.
| five regiments Of infantry, 16, 1856; total
| troops OF the line, 81 lis. In addition tC
I
troops, $50; permanent recruiting partie,
| and recruits, l,629; enlisted men of ordnance
| zoo; West Point detachment, 26l; 81, ma
detachment, 50; hospital stewards, 333; Ord
nance Sergeants, l2l-5,692; grand total
$3.50. BY the same act, this number mus
be reduced by the lst Of July, 1871, T. tn,
limit of $4,000.
As a matter of course desire that the re
ductiou should fall as lightly as possible Oh
the troops of the line, for if the companies o
cavalry and infantry which occupy the re
mote posts are too small, Department Com
manders will be forced to break up many o
the smaller posts, and to Use two companiei
where one now suffices. Ii the non-combat
ant class be kept TO the present standard o
1892 men, there will be left for the line on
ly u, 3Os, which divided up among the i3(
companies which compose the present organ
ization, will allow but sixty men to a com
PAW. The universal experience is that tn,
constant loss by death. discharge
desertion &c, especially in the NOR
remote and most dangerous dis
tricts, will reduce the actual number presen
for duty TO about two-thirds of the pre-
scribed limit, or will bring the companie.
down to about forty men, which is too small
for efficient service. / believe that, on
fair representation, Congress will make di
rect provision for the engineers, ordnance
! signal detachment, and hospital stewards
This would leave the limit Of 30, OOOto apply
only to the troops of the line and their nee
essary recruiting parties.
On the examination of the reports here
with, invite your attention TO that recon-
mendation of General IIalleck " hich refer
to the Use of troops in assisting the civil au.
thorities in maintaining peace, collecting the
revenue, &c, which has become 50 common
Of late The duties Of the soldiery in thi,
connection are not prescribed by statute Sc
clearly that the officers can understand theii
rights and duties, and the civil agents and
authorities often expect more than can bt
rightiully OF lawfully done. think the
soldiers ought not to be expected to make in.
diyidual arrests, or to do any act Of violence,
except in their organized capacity as a poss,
oomitat,ls duly summoned by the United
States Marsh !, and acting in his personal
presence. Yet, if il is deemed lawful and
proper that the soldiers should do more than
this, concur with General Hallock, thai
Congress should so enact in clear, distinc,
terms.
During the past year the Department Com
, manders have given great attention 10 the in.
strictiens and dicipline Of their troops, and
as our force becomes less and less, deem il
important that they should receive every en-.
enlargement, for We know that from the
Regular Army the volunteer, when called in
TO active service, expect TO learn the routine
Of Service In this connection, Colo.
mel J. J. Reynolds, in Texas, OBJ
jects, with good reason, that he j:
forced to Use his men a greater part of their
time as laborers on public buildings, roads,
and other works, which disqualified them as
soldiers, besides preventing them from scout
ing the frontier As much as would otherwise
be the case. As matter of course, soldier
must labor in taking care of themselves and
their necessary supplies; but to build perma-
nent works on which they have but partial
interest is kind Of labor that ought not to
be imposed on our reduced establishment.
would advise the Secretary Of War to pre-
scribe some plain rule, drawing a clear dis
itnction between there two kinds Of labor, and
q publish it to the army, in orders or regula-
! uon, 50 that il would enter into the contract
of enlistment, and soldiers would not, as they
frequently do, plead this cause rs justification
Of desertion-
During the past year the troops have been
well supplied in all respects, and have been
paid regularly every two months. General
! Augur's Recommendation that the troops be
raid at short intervals is worthy of every con-
sideration, for it is known that pay day COM
ing so seldom is apt to be considered sort
of holiday and not unfrequently results in
disorders, such as recently occurred at Bravo,
which reflect upon the usual good fame Of
the army.
The Boari of Officers, assembled at St.
Lonis, Mo-, by virtue Of General Orders
| Nos. GO and .3, of 1869, have reported that
their lsbors have been substantially conclud-
ed, and although not vet in possession Of the
text. | desire 10 express nv opinion OF the
importance Of their work. This board CON-
posed Of officers Of great experience, was ne
auired TO rePor; on the best small arms
and s1uipments for the army, and
alec To prepare a system Of tactics for all
arms of the service. Their conclusion on
the fir, branch of the subject has heretofore
been laid before the Secretary Of War, who
hiss ordered supply of the arms recom-
mended by the board to be distributed to the
army for further practical tests; but observe
that the Chief of Ordnance, in his annual re
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