The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-12

49, -AS~AA|A>s ! AVA OA"A
ensm ~ erganzed on scale Of $1,000 the tnr e
which there are ten OF cavalry, Ave OF artillery aud
twenty tve Of infantry. The star and line are com
and there Is any quantity OF numbering machinery
as the result OF legislative tinkering.
THE CURRENT OF ARMY LEGISLATION
Hostility TO a standing army has actuated Ameri'
can statesmen from the beginning or the republic.
were constantly exercised. But this hostility was
not always wull directed, and the Legislation has
from the First Congress 10 tue Fortyhrs there has
been an uncea sing but irregular current OF military
iaw-maklng Upon the traditional bete MORE @ OF
iree lnsti.utions; but while no single oHi-
Ger or soldler has ever been commissioned
or enlisted without direct authority OF law
admit OF. detailed review OF the history OF our
military establish meut Generally speaking 1t mas
threatened at home or abroad anu reduced and
neglected when the outlook was tranquil Com
or returnrng 70 peace footing and reluctance to
strip officers OF the rank conferred or won IN times
OF and Wac From drst 70 a S grea I
tenure OF Office, and the only severe strain upon the
principle was General Logan's recent reductl0n OF
the DurdensOme peace establishment folsted on
the country by Wilson and Scnenck IN 1860, q full
year. after hostlrles had ceased. This departure
ment would not nave happened II the combined
wisdom OF these military Legislators had given us q
provisional force lor immediate duty In the South
err states ana otherwise refrained from touching
the army with their unsKilful hands. But Schenek
was ready to go further Is evident from his
endeav0r to enact into permanebce the name
and functions OF the Provost Marshal General
an ONCE as necessary IN It's day and as odious
was that OF the pubic nangman in the olden time.
The temper or Congress- goaded by the press.
In Time or peace, and 1t was remanded to the tomb
on thirty days notice. These congressional gene
rails rode their hobules with something ike the skill
OF Jonn Gpln when he took thai famous ride, and
the statutes at large for 1866 are null OF the rdlcu-
loslaes, as Mr. Sumner would say, Of these military
nm
less, however, 70 bewail the condltion In which
the legislation OF Congress mas LEFT the army, aud
50 we may as well contemplate 1t as we IND 1t.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENLISTED MES.
The force OF ~, 900 enlisted men Is made up OF
small ordnance detacnments, employed as artisans
and abOrelS at arsenals permanent parties At the
recrunE depeIs; cayary ana arue s
sengers at department. and division headquarters;
about three hundred clerks, messengers and order.
sergeants ana $50 hospital stewards at military
posts; the band at the Military Academy; the signal
service and weather report detachment; an aver
age OF 500 recruits IN Udnstu or awaiting nstruc-
ton, equipment or assignment at the recruiting
stations and aoout twenty seven thousand men dis
tributed mostly In the South and among the hostile
Indians. This force Is admitted to be too small by
at least 5000 men for the service expected from 1t;
bur 1t is Otiicered, apparently, far beyond the re-
qurements OF SO small an army, and at least fully
up TO Its necessities.
GENERAL oFFICERs-rHE LINE AND STAFF.
AS before remarked, the army OF the United States
comprises about two thousand two hundred and
thirteen general officers, eight professors or the
Mliltary Academy eight chiefs Of STAFF departments
ment, eighteen assistant adjutant generals, nine
inspectors and assistant inspector generals, nine
Judge advocates, elgnty-foar quarternassters'
twenty-eight commissioners, 90 medical officers,
sixty four paymasters, III engineers, seventy six
ordnance officers one signal onicer, thirty post
cnaplaIns, 432 cavalry officers $50 artillery officers
and ST. infantry officers or the regimental
officers thlrty-iolr are permanently serving
as aides-ue,camp to generals with Increased
rank ana pay, about twenty-five are con-
stantly employed as Instructors at the Military
Academy; small and varying number are usually
on signal duty; and probably not more than twenty
are on temporary detached service OF other kinds
who was recently ordered to Europe to take care OF
the General OF the Army. The commissioned officers
exclusive OF tne generals are distingu s as me
the former is about two-1tths-a proportion which
has led to much unfriendly criticism in Congress,
force or these CRITICISMS, which were the CHIEF bur-
den OF General Logan's rhetorical speech last WIN
duction into Congress or his General Supply bill,
be definitely determined 1t Will be necessary to take
comprehensive view OF the wnole subject OF sten
service
The career OF the stan has been a tortuous one.
lis germ which was transplanted from Europe dur
Ing the Revolution took root in the quasi war with
France and sprouted vigorously In the actual war
with England. The present adJutant general,
inspector general, quartermaster general, pay
master general and surgeon general go back ior
$780, The cniel OF engineers dates from 1902 and
the chief of ordnance is ten years his JUNIOR but
has found life to go harder with him. The cOmmls.
sary general Of subsistence In his modern form came
to the surface IN The general reorganization OF 1871
but the present aged and respectable incumbent OF
that office General Eaton, to all appearances, mad
ceased to be modern before that time His duties, as
wei those OF the CHIEF OF ordnance III part were
previously discharged first by an officer Of the Treas
ury known as the purveyOr general OF supplies, and
aterwaru bv al army Official called the cOmmissary
general of purchases. All OF these places are now filed
by brlgldler generals, VINO are nippantly called
writing generals and generals OF pork and beans by
the irreverent officers oil the line.
The medical and hospital stan was established in
1799 the corps OF engineers 1907 the quartz
ter's department IN 1912 anu the nav department. 10
replace the regirnental paymasters, III 1921. me
ordnance department. irst established In 1872 was
merged into the artillery In 1921, but was re-
established ten wears afterward The artil.
lery are now moving for another CONSOLE