New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-04
SUERNAN'S EXPLANATION.

WASHINGTcN Aug. Seen. Sherman and the
Secretary of War, Mr.. Cameron, were III attendance
before the House Committee on Military Affairs to-
day in reference TO the Senate bill now before that
Committee for the increase of the cavalry regiments
for operations against the Sioux Indians Gen.
Sherman was asked to give his opinion on the sub
iect and did so. The proceedings follows:
Gen. Saernan-I think it will be very prudent to pro-
vide in advance for at least $500 men, ard cannot
conceive OF economical or better method of dong
il than the proposed by the Senate, which is simply
to increase The number private soldiers to that extent
by this plan retiorce the regiments In the held
so that each company OF cavalry will consist OF 100
An increase OF $500 men Will enable "a To do
that and the estimates prepared and sent TO the senate
VIII be amply sufficient for the purpose.
The Chairman-IIavc you any doubt as tn IN" ahiIy
of our army now in front of the Sioux TO whip themi
Gen Sherman-I have not particle OF doubt hut that
if the Indians will stick together Crook alone can whip
them or Terry alone whip Them Jointly there no
doubt of it, But the Indians may scatter aud proDapy
Will scatter. and the mountainous character OF tho
country will facilitate their couccaling themselves
They will divide up small parties, and that viii
probably require increase OF forCo over taat when
would be necessary TO whip them in the aggregate II
the Indians scatter then we Will have tn DIVIDE up INTO
detacmcnts and each detachment is liable to encounter
the whole OF these Indians If they shonld assemble AGAIN
Mr. Hugburt-What is your view in regard to the ma
tera out of which this increase Of force should be OBJ
tanned
Gen sherman-We have got Ito trust in great measure
70 uck for that The pay Of soldiers is very small com
pared with that paid for labor and, therefore, as matter
of course we gotfo take the best material we can
ge pay but taose who are in charge OF Tue 'd
operations against the souX-TcTy, Crook. sheridan
and others-are willing to risk .t branch OF the prop'
ston They all in favor Of increasing tue strength
of companies rather than of rcsOrng 10 cal for NonE-
teers.
Mr. McDougail-Do you think that recruits can be eot
! in timel
Gen. shcrman-Yes, think the recruits will he col.
/ ectcd pretty rapidly now.
The Chairman-Under law passed by this Congress II
is provided tina: all cavalry regmn ts may be recruited
to 100 for each company, and II Is iurihcF poNu'"
that this shall increase the total aggregate" oil the
army 10 more than 1000 enlisted men. Gen Sheridan
DO his letter appears to understand that this increase
! apulics only to regiments 90 the Texas frontier
GEN shcrnan-You VIII rcco!lcc' that that was tho
/ first propostlon suggested by member from Texas.
Gen. Mills, think. TnIt proposition obtained good
deal of publicity. and Gen. Sheridan was under the I'M
preston that the bill passed by Congress was passed
on that basis. He in there The bill, Us passed
| enables us to put 100 mcn into each company
of all the ten cavalry regiments, but In trying 10 do
that we would have to depctc the infantry and artillery
coupancs in all parts Of the United states 50 low a. .
almost make them valuele.s Wncn yoa get company
below 30 or 40 men. ceases almost 10 h. mitiY or
ranization The officers lose Interest Ia their profession
II AT, II PAT the "H't i-'''
meninto ten cavalry regiments the iaianty resimeaiSad
the artillery regiments would fan probably below - men
TO the company Any gentleman who has served III the
army knows that that takes life out Of any military
organization would call the attention o. tho commit
tee another branch OF the proposition II i very easy
To take $4,000 men and divide them up into ten
regiments of cavalry. five Of artillery. AMI 20 OF IN
fantry, in very fair proportion. Bht we nave Other
detacbucn,s that We ca nOn-Combaints- ailHhic
men You al know that in batl' you can only bilnS
about twothiris Of the best organization to the 'front.'
and would on lcngc any member of the committee 10
say that could take 10000 men and bring Oooo INTO
| line Of battle.
The General continued: We have sj2 men. .sgncd
20 any regiment or organization aged In the recruit
ing service. That may be in excess OF opnciy bni u
seems to be the result of experience and certainly have
,trven by all in my power 70 reduce That number
Then We have 800 men charged ~ general service men
men who are employed al tho War Department at the
beodouartcrs OF the army and Ia the different military
divisions and departments, who are, In fact clerks. and
| nothing else Then the Ordnance Department. which
never sends "A man into the field, matter Of course
has $50 men enrolled and charged against the aggregate
OF % 900 men Then have go men AT West Point 10
aid the young there IN their Instructions to take
! care of their horses. do police work. etc.
| Ever since the Revolutionary WaT We have al
! WAYS kept from 100 to 200 men at West
! Point. Therefore there are go ncn-a number
which is not regarded by the authorities ~ excessive
II could would reduce IL somewhat Then we Fave
| 226 hospital stewards You all know what they mean
They DO take muskets Teen we have ll2 ordnance
sergeants, scattered along the seaboard mostly. or
course they be brought into the field in the indian
or any other Then have III cOmmissary agents.
! GO men prison guard for Fort Lcayen-
| worth, and 273 recruits who available
! and pay DC sent forward This makes nearly 1900
! men out OF your $4,000. The remainder has not
only to engage Indian but has To take care Of an
| immense amount Of property, probably hundreds Of
millions OF dollars worth, al Of which would he exposed
to plundcr and all the accidents OF common property
were not these men stationed they are. Indeed our
five artillery regiments are mostly engaged III guarding
public property, but recently, under the pressure, We
have taken nearly one-ba Of them leaving the rest to
take OF the guns, magazines, ana property OF The
most valuable kind. which Congress has expended
hundreds of millions Of dolar- and which II watched
would run dc ay be carried of probably by people
round about. account for every man III the army.
| Mr. iurbut-Do you include In that list the Signal
| Corpsf
| WHAT The ARMY HAS TO GUARD.
Gen sherman-So, Sir. They are not charged against
the % coo men, The number Of III the army,
cording TO last return is 2IG70. In trying to keep
within the % 900 have, matter Of course, go 10
keep well within the standard In the meantime dis
charges are going account OF expiration If service
or OF sickness deaths. &c, 80 that doubt whether we
have to-day 600 men who properly speaking, sol
dicrs I'm the line OF battle. There Is another c0nsdcra-
| ton We cannot send the whole Of our available
! force into the Indian country, because the
Indians occupy central position with reference to four
| very important Territories, viz: Montana, DAKOTA
| wyoming and Nebraska. The Sioux Indians have for
years years been depredang upon these Territories
Then the Pacific Railroad passes through Wyoming and
Nebraska over which have invited travel from all
pars Of the civilized globe, and If any accident 10
happen to one Of their trains from Indian hosos, and
| ~ ncnpe we're murdered In them, IL would be