The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-11-16
ARMY AFFAIRS.
GEN. sHERMANs ANNUAL REPORT
TO THE GOVERNMENT.
The Condition of tile Army rs II Is aud
as II snouId BE sone Recon-.
msndations for ConEress-
Tie Military Academy
nt West Point, &c.

/
WASHINGTON, November l5.-The an
nual report of General Sherman to tn
Secretary OF War is given to the publicto to
day. After calling attention to variou
subordinate reports, General Sherman
says: 81 agree with General Sheridan
that the army is too small in enlisted mel
TO fulfill tho heavy duties now imposed OF
it, and is overworked. I therefore renew
my recommendations Of last year tha
Congress be asked to give 5000 enlisted
men specifically to troops of the line o
the army, and to make separate provision
for detachments of advancement, an en-
gineer battalion, hospital stewards, com
missary sergeants, West Point detach
ments, detailed clerks, &c, in the SAINT
manner as has already been done for the
signal corps.
SIN this connection will venture to call
your attention to the fact that the Revised
Statutes, edition Of 1878, Section /, l,17S, de-
timing the organization OF the army,
limits its strength to not more than 80 00O
enlisted men; but subsequent appropria.
ton bills, by premise, have limited the
expenditures to 25.OO0 men, still the le.
gal strength is 10000 enlisted men, and
that is the least possible number at which
We can maintain the present organization
OF forty regiments in anything like good
order, discipline and economy, and l
infer that this end can be reached by sim.
ply uniting the provisions in the next ap.
preparation bill.
"The prosperous times and easy financial
condition OF the Treasury may now enable
Congress to provide suitable amendments
for forts with which to guard the chief
harbors OF the country"
Speaking OF the Northern Pacific, Union
Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads,
General Sherman says: "These railroads
have
COMPLETELY REvoLurIoNizED our COUNTRY
10 the past few years, and imposed on the
military an entire change OF policy. Hith.
erto, we have been compelled to maintain
small posts along wagon and stage routes
OF travel. These are no longer needed,
because no longer used, and settlements
which grew up speedily along new roads
afford the security necessary, and the reg
ular stations built for storage at convent
ent distances afford the necessary shelter
for stores and for men who are operating
in the neighborhood. We should
now absolutely abandon many OF
the smaller posts hitherto necessary
and concentrate at strategic points
generally near the National frontier or
where railroads intersect, so as to send out
detschments promptly to districts where
needed. Congress alone has power TO
dispose Of the property OF the United
States, and we, the military, find our
selves possessed OF lands and houses OBJ
tanned in earlier times which demand oc-
cupation for preservation, and earnestly
recommend that a provision be made By
law for the sale OF such abandoned mill
tary posts and outbuildings as is found to
be necessary, with the right TO apply the
proceeds ofthe sale to other places"
General Sherman specifics the posts In
Kansas, New Mexico and Arizona, and
also forts keogh and Custer, on the yell
lowstone, built only four years ago, and
expresses the opinion that in very short
time these Will become commercial towns
rather than military posts.
"In my judgment the time has now come
for the military authorities to select
SUITABLE sTRATEGErIc POINTS FOR rERMA-
NENT OCCUPATION
and improvement, from whence detatch-
ments can BIZ sent out for special service.
AS long as We possess and must care for
these small posts, it Is impossible for them
to waste, and We are forced to hold on to
them, but il Congress will delegate to the
President, the Secretary OF War and the
board Of officers the right to sell these
posts and appropriate the proceeds of the
sale TO strategic points, am certain 1t
will result in great economy, and enable
US to maintain large garrison with in.
creased discipline and better service.
For similar reasons, and because
the commerce OF the world is carried on
in ships OF three thousand tons and over
and because Of the heavy draft OF war yes.
sells our sea coast defenses are superaous.
Wenow have fifty million people, and the
idea OF any hostile force landing on our
coast Is preposterous. Yet our great com.
mercial ports should be made so safe that
even an apprehension of danger would
not be felt. Portland, Boston, Newport,
New York, Philadelphia, Hampton Roads,
Port Royal, Key West, Pensacola, New
Orleans, San Diego, San Francisco and
Port Townsend should all be properly
fortified aud garrisoned.
ALL MINOR FORTS
should be sold or abandoned. An annual
appropriation Of 81 100000 would, in ten
years, put those forts in good order, and
another million q year would properly
arm them, and the Secretary OF War and
the President should have discretion in
the disbursement OF this money. Artil.
lery officers should also be associated with
the engineers in constructing artillory
and preparing sea coast deienses; because
men who have to fight these batteries
should have something TO do in their
construction. Referring 10 the reports oil
Gen. Schotield and Col. Getty relative to
West Point and the artillery school at
Fortress Monroe, General Sherman said:
In my judgement both oi these institu.
tons are in as good order as possible, and
both are an honor to the country. Edu.
cation must always be the surest basis oil
national security and honor. The eiuca.
A. L. 49, tE.tTt km1 80 kka