The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-29

loss by this robbery IL said to be immense.
80 numerous are establishments by desert
ers that Inspcctor-General SACKEr has re-
ported in favor Of branding arrested de-
scrtcrs with hot iron on the hip with the
letter II, so rs to make this fraud impossi-
BILE. lie also recomr ndcd this branding
| M n terror, to dissuade nom the first de-
sertion. The magnitude OF this evil IL so
great that the administrations of the army
from the Secretary of War and the com
handing general down TO inspectors, unite
yearly in an invocation TO Congress to
| make desertion felony, punishable by o
| long term of imprisonment NJ bard labor
| in United States penitentiary. But II it
were punished with death. II could not he
| stopped. The root of the evil Is that, in
time Of peace. the United states army Is
not an army In the military sense of the
word, but is an amshouse to the privates
End pension fund to the officers. Neither
20 into IL to fight. Both go into IL simply
to live. II the soldier can better his liveli-
hood with the wages of n miner me
chanic, or a laborer he will desert. II
the officer can better his livelihood by
marrying a rich woman, by becoming
civil engineer. or a manager OF a mine, he
will resign. Desertion and resignation are
equivalents In fact though not i'm law
The unnatural relations TO the service of
both enlisted men and officers, spoil their
| military relations TO each other. The
private II not necessary TO the safety, the
success. and the glory Of the officer, save in
the cavalry regiments fighting the Indians.
Therefore the officer does not care for the
| soldier. He has no conradeship with him.
He does not watch over his welfare. He
does not try to hold him up TO n standard
OF excellence, and make him really a
soldier in the full sense OF the word. A
fisherman takes care of his dory, for II is
the instrument OF his success and the safety
of his life. cavalryman in the Indian
country takes care Of his horse; for II the
amin dies or gets disabled. he can neither
march nor fight. Theartillery and infantry
officers In the United States army do not
take care OF their soldiers, because they are
not necessary to them. There is no fight
ing to do and the officers therefore have
not an efficient motive 10 keep the men mp
| to the morale, health, and discipline OF good
| fighting condition. The privates are simply
| integral parts OF n machine, for the off,
GERS relations to which ~ generals. col
| onels, majors captains and licutenants,
| they draw from the Treasury of the United
states large pay and allowances There is
not the community OF interest between
them which danger, or mutual dependence,
| or JOINT interest or common glory makes
| between men Neither Of them is engaged
| -. ~,
IN war. Each l. SIMPLY getting lNcllhood
| -tbp officers plppnut peutp,I and eom-
| - r'''''' 80, -
| satisfactory. So wholly unnecessary IL the
| soluieT ~ Tue oUhccI lnHl u Tue ohllIt ihhh
and file of the army should run away to-
| A.. -. -, a.. ~ - ......i., 49,, -,
nor no diminished
This deadly divorco bo,ween command.
ers and soldiors and this natural sur-
rsnder hv tho of,cers of THAR ,rus, 10
roverp cuide and core for thair rank and
an, arc ~ nm record ovidenoo m rho yar
Denortmept ono If those corns and AZ
vision con,morderS IN tho wor who
were nainfulv tough, in t,ght and
hloodv n,aces tho vortblessnoss ~ 49,.
troons and tho vaIue Of GOOD ones
Gen opn. after stating in one Of his
denartment reports the desertion from
tho SECOND Cavalry nj tho astounding
Azure ~ "A ner cont in eight months
and mentioning tbe raceint Inv ono in
fantry regiment in one wear of 2oO re-
cruifs and its loss NV desertion i'm tho
same time of over 200 men. exposes the rot
~ o,,r army in theso words.
ann. A., ... -, 81, .... 4.
e1pect, d to keen al ihe books. oa ali the rolls,
attend OIL we diills, be respnuslnle ior aii We
other sergeants have entire charge the men IN
aaaIteis, ana 4 eqaen,y OF scoutina ana escort,
TO do II oricer's duty; and tho duty sergeants
Ia, 81 ,et month Only exceeds 10y lev Genus
"no'H s''"'"'' "'e's'