Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-12-03
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Synopsis of Secretary McCrary's Rep


Hon. George W. McCrary, Secretary of War,
in his annual report, says that the actual ex-
penditures of the War Department for the fis-
Cal year ending June 80, 1879, were $42 653,-
723.65. The appropriations available for the
service of tie fiscal year ending June 80, 1878,
aggregated 45.O76, 702. 95; those for 1879 were
$53 ole, 040 60, and those for the current fiscal
year amounted to SAC, 1863, S21. 81. The esti-
mates for the service of the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1881, are $40, $3.50, 42S 90, to which
amount they have been reduced from $54, 306,-
643.14
The estimates for public works, as reduced,
are 1857, O34. 49, which amount is 1896, 043. "a
less than the estimates for 1879 $113, GAG. 80
less than those for $780, and IS, 81, 460.19 less
than the appropriations for 1880, which were
$40, 74, 494. 81. The views expressed under
this head in the last annual report are renewed
as best explanatory to the reduction OF these
estimates, which aggregated $50, 1872, S73. AZ
About seventeen-twentieths Of this amount are
for the continuation Of works once COM
menced under legal authority, and remaining
unini he'd for want of funds"
The Secretary joins in the recommendation
of Gen. Sherman that the army be increased to
$1,000 men; exclusive of detachments. He
says it is undeniable that most if not all the dis
asters attending Indian hOstilities are the result
of inadequacy Of force On our part The re-
cords of the War Department. show that since
the close of the war of the Rebellion fifty five
officers of the army have been killed II Indian
warfare, and corresponding number wounded,
beside proportionate number of men killed
and wounded. Among the list of killed will
be found such valuable officers as Candy, Gus
ter, and Thornburgh.
The Secretary concurs in Gen. Sherman's
recommendation regarding the sale Of aban-
dOned military forts and reservations.
10 oil ayfr or &ho rvfs
report will be found of interest:
~The Judge Advocate General reports the
convictions for desertion from the army as in
creased, during the past year, by twenty -four,
and expresses the opinion that the two princi-
pal, or most conspicuous, causes of deserton in
the army are: l. Drunkenness, or rather in
diligence in intoxicating liquors. 2 Oppressive
or injudicious treatment of soldiers by non
commissioned officers, and especially the First
Sergeants Of companies invested with an excess
of authority.
@New military posts have been under con-
struction on the Yellowstone or Milk river near
the northern boundary line, on TIE line of CON-
munication Of the renegade Inc eus who fed
into British America; on Lake Chelan, in
Northern Washington Territory, and on the
north fork of the Canadian river, in the Indian
Territory; also on Bear Butte creek, in the
Black Hills, Dakota. Other military posts
were authorized by la% at Ell Paso, Texas, at
Pagosa Springs, Col, and on the Niobrara
T1VoT, LII N0DTAsk6.
sThe military. cemeteries, eight in number,
are in good order, and improve in beauty as
cultivation improves 1t is suggested by the
Quartermaster General that Arlington Gene
terry affords ample space, without encroaching
on the ground occupied by the soldiers of the
war, to be used as national Government
cemetery for the interment of members Of Con-
gress and officers of all services of the United
States who may die at the capital or whose
friends may desire for them such q place Of
sepnlture.
1.-THE work of marking the graves in military
cemeteries with marble and granite head-stones
is practically completed. Contracts have been
let for placing marble head-stones on the
graves of soldiers who died during the war,
and were buried IN private village and city
cemeteries, and whose friends have not been
able to do this honor to their memory. The
work can hardly be begun before next spring."
The history of the Eads jetties work at the
mouth of the Mississippi river is given at
length, and the Secretary states that the Attor-
ney General has been requested to render an
opinion on several questions IS to the proper
construction of certain provisions Of the law
materially bearing upon the claim of Maj.
Eads for payment
The Secretary, in referring to the Ute out
break, takes the ground that the Govern
ment should insisl in its demands for the sur
render and punishment of the Indians respon-
sible for the Meeker massacre and the
treacherous attack upon Maj. Thornburgh's
command.