Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-01-09
The Costiies. Army in the World.
instance.

which to oragni3e an army the
great Prussian soldier would stand
monument of dumb astoniShment
"The army of the United States
is diffused through 2l2 posts"
Sherman would add. "Are they
strategical positions Z" Won Moltke
would inquire when his breath
came to him. "Not at all. They
are houses rent Free" would he the
answer Of Sherman, unconscious
of the gathering of derislon IN
the great Prussian's mind.
Sherman would he right in his
fact. House-rent free is the prinri-
pls of the organization of the United
States army, and we invite the
attention of Congress to the shame
ful truth.
On the northern edge of the
Strait Of Mackinaw, connecting
Lakes Huron and Michigan, is the
pretty island Of Mackinaw. 1t is
United States military post. 1t
commands nothing. 1t defends
nothing. The territory north ami
south is American. The channels
of commerce all around it are so
wide and deep that the guns of the
fort cannot cover them. The island
is lovely and is a fashionable sum
mer watering place. The post
buildings are commoiious and
luxurious. At Fort Mackinaw are
stationed two companies Of the
Twenty-second Infantry and about
ten commissioned officers. These
men should have been sent to Idaho
or Dakota fighting Nez Psrres or
Sioux Inhians. AT Mackinaw they
were Of no more use than they
would I've in n national Sunday
school convention. Why were they
kept there? The real reason is be-
cause Mmkinaw is charming
place for Army officers to live in.
The nominal reasons are that onr
frontier must he defended. and that
there is large amount OF public
property at the post which must
I've guarded against waste and loss.
These are transparency childish
fibs; but gray-haired men annually
swear TO them.
At Fort Niagara, in the State
of New York, is one company OF
the Third Artillery; at Fort On
tario another company; at Fort
Porter, in Buffalo, is another,
charmingly included in the city's
park, and with paved aud gas-lighted
avenues to theatres, balls, dinners,
pretty women, and concerts. The
aged fib is that this artillery de-
tends our imperilled frontier. But
there is not single British soldier
in Canada. At Newport Barracks
Kentucky, are two companies OF
the Eighteenth Infantry. with nc
possible enemy in sight. At ST.
Augustine, in Florida, two com.
, panies of the Fifth Artillery vary
life pleasantly to the invalid girl.
. from New England, hut utterly
I waste the money their maintenance
Y among orange groves cost thu
] country. Two companies Of Thu
;, First Artillery play soldier at For
!. Trumbull, Connecticut, give
I military flavor to free-of-rent house
t keeping there. At Fort Warren
= in Massachusetts,, the officers o
! two other companies Of the Firs
i Artillery are charmingly housed
n and provided for, and at that ev
d posed point guard the Unite
q States against invasion by the ses
y Simply because there are delight
l. ful residences at Fort Brady, Mich
z igan, are two companies of tn
E. Twenty-second Infantry statione
" there. There is no military reaso
y whatever for the existence Of tn
= post. And there is none for quar-
,e tering at Fort Adams, in Rhod
ls Island, save that life there, house
rent free, is exceedingly pleasen
is and that the officers and their wivt
% constitute q part Of the society {
II Newport.
4. There are IN the United Stat,
lie 212 military posts. or these IL
d are garisoned by not less one con
10 pany Of soldiers each, and 62 h
-e detachments Of less than one con
h pany each or they are in chara
lie of ordnance sergeants. This vi
= explain the diffusion Of the arm
IT This will account for the largene'
IL Of the force IN the East, and SINAI
IL ness Of IL at the West. This wi
lie explain the alleged want of soldier