New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-06
NOTES FROM WASHfNGION.
ARMY REFORM.


ter published TIL TRIBUNE. TO tue disempcred state
of the army as exempIifed In tho numerous courts
martial and the unusually large number OF assertions
shall with your permission. endeayor to speli OUT 'he
story" Among the European armies, the BRUSH army
which Is by far the costly exhibits also at the same
time the least 6aterng picture, so far as discipline is
concerned Tie rcdcoats" are greater drunkards than
other European soldiers, and also proporOnay, more
given 10 descrion and army and the British are
both made up, not by compulsory conscrpton but vol
untary enlistment q comparison OF the statistics or
crimes and misdemeanors will add TO the night I'M
derstandng OF our military establishment Inc
data brought TO light last year during the Parliamentary
debates the reorganization Of the army snow tDat III
the year s6s-the date of the abolition OF h0gglnG-
there were in the British army 500 mprisonmens 25oO
convictions before courtsmartla and lfi soldiers
branded as deserers and all this in force which was
yaiously estimated Mt 10000 and ROCCO Including
the troops at home and in the colonies These are no
doubt cloouent statistics but what IL the catalogue or
crimes and misdemeanors In our little army far in ad
vance of that Of the Englshl Judging from the rcsi-
ments which fell immediately under my notice, | can
aver that things look infinitely less hattoring III
our army both with reference to msdemeanors
IN general and the crime OF dcserton In the British
army rs well az in the other European armies deser
tlons happen slngy-onc soldier will away from this
another from that regimentwhe In ours the men de-
sert in squads and this they do whether free or under
arrest being the latter frequently Joined by their
custodians guards. With some the watchword 10
wait for payday" which happens once in two months
others desert at any day hour. The new recruits
forwarded at a heavy expense to distant posts, as
soon as they get the first excitement and tho enjoy
ment OF novelty follow the track Of other deserters
and away they all rum undetcrrcd even WIN the pros
poet Of falling in with the wild Indians what is per-
haps still characteristic OF the situation Is the fac
that n fair proportion OF the deserters caught and
V.t.l aud huf
success.
II +, only clg months ago that five ont Of batch OF
some 20 dcscrcrs succeeded in redycaping from Fort
LcavcnwOrh the headquarters OF the general command
ing the Department. and officer assured me that such
debanddde took place last Summer ut the West Point
Academy. garrsoned by what is termed picked com
panics and that such took place in many
other military posts East and West. Reason may,
dcseron alone considered in the light Of the aggravated
circumstances just limited at, shows state OF decOmpO
siton in army and unless some measures are de-
vised now, while Gems. Frost and Snow keep the en-
listed their colors the question of reform must be-
come pulling problem The dsintegrating Influences
are manifold and daily increasing in virulence.
With all Difference due to our department commanders.
cannot help disa grceng with the general view
pressed In the last annual reports WIZ that the numer-
Gus desertious owing to the expiration, in July
last the Congress passed In 1864 raising the pay
of the soldier from $13 to SIG per month No doubt in
descrtion; but comparison between the number OF de-
sertions previous July last and those that happened
since date will show very slight difference; and
conceding even that desertions have become more
mcrous since July the fact he explained simply by
the natural process of the spreading Of the disease IL
the progress OF decentralization. To arrive at true
remedy army matters will have to he faced
squarely Somebody must begin to look around
IN earnest, and to speak out. Gen. Pope.
who has under his command much larger
force than any of the other departmental commanders
and who expresses his opinion that the reduction OF the
pay was lone considerable OF the assertions"
comes out in his report with the quite and cOnsCl
Ing OF considering the desercrs useful pioneers
who exchange the sword for the pillow; ntmating that
ain the end the Government loses perhaps nothing by
bringing active industrious men to this frontier c0un.
try" This version OF the descricns adopted, wOud OF
course, solve all difficulties II by charm; but IL will
well first TO find out if these runaways instead OF
seeking settlements on the frontier. do not make their
way back tho large Eastern cities and Canada, wholly
independent of colonization schemes IL would be
rather Interesting to know What the great lights in The
grand idea of Gen. Pope IN the mean time II might per
1 h h9t ee b nd are now in the famH Of
new army regulations. to discriminate between simple
descrer aud those who leave their eoorS with intent to
coonize.
But, to return to our courts-martal few examples
will suffice to show how the In force acts
Not hong ago cptain was ried IN Texas for drunken
The fangs OF the officer In this Hue known
the captain subject to attacks of mania pottt.
Under such circumstances, guided by regard for de-
y
fortunate officer would naturally have been disposed OF
with the least possible display OF humiallng scenes;
Regulations, directed otherwise Tho inebriety trial
opened ard conducted to the end with the
display OF degrading circumOcutiOn The charge of
drunkenness was accompanied by than II specid
cations, and the defendant Was found guilty OF the
raty Uncle Sam printers work 70 bequcath such
Judicial euroses, "a ohaire to posterity; and pos
terty will be at loss TO fnd cut that Capt.
brought trial on tho charge OF drunkenness, with
II Specifications, ond was declared guilty both
nN fha Loot
Not the least Objectionable feature OF military urs-
prudence is the absence of affinity relationship be-
The prevailing rule in vogue is tho compounded system
"a few months OF hard labor, with hue of certain
Fort Seden, Se Me xlco, private OF the Stb Cavalry
charged with conduct prJudcal to good order in
that, while prisoners ch0ppinR wood with
instructions to conduct the prisoners 10 the sinks when
DESTROYS to obey call of nature, he permitted them to
escape though heavily r0ned. The oiense Of the guard
It may be interesting TO remember happened IN Febr-
last tho being thai the offender forfeit IS
per month of his pay for tue period OF two months
Tho reader need hardly he reminded that this trial
cost the Government much more than it got
gu! OF this soldier 20 that the real gam st DC sought
s cXcrementary details 10 the archives OF the Govern
men private CT hue lOSn ot on @ed
to obey but permitted himself To say TO the officer that
he had got tired OF boing Imposed upon by the poor
white trash" Tnls also became the subject OF
protaced trial. and our oolored friend was sentenced to
forfeit per month for the period OF six months What
ever close nancers think Of this stem OF punish
mont bow military chiefs can eonnye ~ It, Is hard
to comprehend. lieutenant Of the Sd Cavalry was
not long ago tired for signing two certificates ~ draw
double pay for one month. and Instead oi being supy
arraigued for embezzleluent, no was by wonderful
process crcuuloeuton tried under three charges each
accompanied by string OF idle specifications and all
proving the same oense, In different words. But the
richest thing this inl IL that the defendant
fenced 10 be dismissed the service and ut tho same time
no declared guilty except the words In the spocii
cations, "intended To deceive"
10 describe all tho anomalies and facotous rules OF the
court martial proceedings would take volumes cannot
however, help referring 10 feature more. In every
case when soldier Is dismissed the service nc also for
feits his pay except what is due the aundress Prob
ably even the President himself could not tell us tho