The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-01-27

year, anu HoW HUH Ii the SeuaCt,
provide for serious notifications of the
organization and pay of the army.
The maximum strength of the army
is fixedsby law at $4,000 men. These
are organized into twenty-five regiments
of cavalry, ten of infantry, five Of ar
tillery and Indian scouts. Sixteen
thousand six hundred and ~sixty-ive are
private soldiers and 8,345 are nom
commissioned officers and musicians.
Add to these 2,16S Commissioned off,
GERS on the active list and 300 officers
OIL the retired list, making in all 10.s02,
and according to General Banning,
chairman of the House military COM
mittee, there is an army organization
of 1866 private soldiers commanded,
marshalled and managed by 10,S03
commissioned and non commissioned
officers, artifcers, musicians and wagon
ers. This gives a commander for each
one and one-third soldier in the SER
vice, showing that u army is a army
of officers, an army for display, and not
a practical, useful, efficient military
force such as the country requires.
The present army of $4,000 men,
viewing the duties now required of it,
is asserted to be relatively smaller than
the army in 1860 of $4,000. In 1860
there were 70 military posts and III
regiments west of the Mississippi and
only eight forts and three regiments
north of the t%hirty-ninth parallel and
east of the Rocky mountains, embrac-
ing the area out of which the territories
of Montana, Dakota and Wyoming
have since been formed, with parts of
Nebraska and Minnesota. AT present
there are 112 posts and 323 regiments
west of the Mississippi, of which num-
Der 80 posts and IA regiments are with
in the limits above described-31 posts
and II regiments more than in 1860.
Since 1860 Colorado, Nevada, Dakota,
Arizona, Montana and Wyoming, occu-
plying a total of S01 ,426 square miles,
have been organized into territories
and states. There are, besides, the
Indian Territory, of SO, 991 square
miles, and the new Territory of Alaska,
SIT, 1890 square miles, where roam $780,
900 Indians. Beyond the Mississippi,
since 1861, there have been built in all
4,671 miles of railway through the In
dian country to be protected, like the
frontier, by the army from the Indians.
Moreover the Texas frontier is fire.
quently threatened and even invaded
by Mexican marauders.
OFFICERS IN A REGIMENT.
A single regiment Of infantry lately
paraded with eighty corporals, fifty
sergeants, a commissary sergeant, quar-
termaster sergeant, hospital steward,
ten second ~lieutenants, ten captains, a
quartermaster, an adjutant, three ur-
geons, one major, n Northumberland
and n colonel, 172 in all, in command
of 100 privates. In the Ease of another
regiment, after deducting the number
of non-commissioned officers, there
would be left e%ighty-four private SOL
diers.
IuE MlLllAht SOhohlooloNs
In the meantime, while these impor-
tant measures, agreed to by the House,
and now deliberated by the Senate mil
itary committee, are pending, the COM
mission appointed last year by the
President pursues its labors. The COM
mission, to consider the expediency Of
recognizing the army, consists of Cen
erals West and Corcoran, of the Senate;
Generals Banning and Hurlbut, of the
House, and General Sherman and Maj.
General Meigs, of the army. The Sem
ate will undoubtedly await its judgment
before acting on either Of the House
bills. The commi ssion is discussing
several propositions, but has not yet
reached definite conclusions. There is
a variety of opinion whether the army
shall be kept up to $4,000 or even to
10000 men, or decreased to 10000.
Three opinions on this question, from
the most distinguished officers in the
service, have been filed; three more are
expected. There is a strong DISPOSE
ton to reduce the number OF regiments
and increase the numerical strength of
the respective companies to 200 in time
Of war, giving each company n cap
tain, m first lieutenant and one Sec
ond lieutenant. Twelve companies of
this size would form a regiment of
$500 men, and this is the proposed
regimental organization. The COM
mission has not yet determined. upon
the consolidation of the quartermaster
and commissary departments.
THE INDIAN BUREAU.
All the members agreed that the In
dian Bureau should be transferred to the
War Department, believing that the
transfer would have good results for
Indians and for the people Of the from
tier, and that it would prove economi-
cal to the government. The members