The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-11-25
GEN. SHERMAN's REPORT.

The annual report Of General Sherman to
the Secretary of War is given to the public.
After calling attention to the various subordi-
nate reports, General Sherman says:
I agree with General Sheridan, that the army
Is too small in enlisted men to fulfill the heavy
duties now imposed on it, and is overworked.
l therefore renew my Recommendation of last
Year, that Congress be asked to give Is, 600
enlisted men specifically to troops of the line Of
the army, and to make separate provision for
detachments of advance men," "engineer
battalion. hospital stewards" "commissary
sergeants, "West Point detachments,' "de-
tailed clerks, &C., in the same manner as has
already been done for the Signal Corps.
In this connection I will venture to call your
attention to the fact that the Revised Statutes,
edition OF 1878, Section Ills, defining the or
ganization of the army, limits the strength to
"not more than $4,000 enlisted men," but sub
sequent appropriation bills by provisos have
limited the expenditures to Is, 600 enlisted men.
Still the legal strength is 80, 600 enlisted men,
and that number is the least possible at which
We can maintain the present organization Of
forty regiments in anything like good order,
discipline and economy, and I infer this end
can be reached by simply emitting the provisos
in the next appropriation bill.
General Sherman specifies posts in Kansas,
New Mexico and Arizona, and also Forts Keoph
and Custer, on the Yellowstone, built only four
years ago, and expresses the opinion that in a
very short time they will become commercial
towns rather than military posts.
I'm my judgment the time has now come
for the military authorities to select suitable
strategic points for permanent occupation and
Improvement, whence detachment can be sent
out for special service. As long as we possess
and must care for these small posts it is impos-
slble to abandon them to waste, and we are
forced to hold on to them; but if 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, l am certain it will result in
great economy and enable as to maintain a
large garrison with increased discipline and bet
ter service. For similar reasons, and because the
of the world Is carried on in ships of
5000 tons and over, and because of the heavy
draftof war vessels the most of our sea cost de-
lenses are supertiuous. Wenow have fifty million
people, and the idea of any hostile force land
ing on our coast is preposterous; yet our great
commercial 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 ali
be properly fortified and garrisoned. All minor
forts should be sold or abandoned. An annual
appropriation Of 81, 900, 900 would, in ten years.
put these forts in good order, and another mil
lion a year would properly arm them, and the
Secretary of War and President should have
discretion in thekdisbursement of this money.
Artillery officers should also be associated with
the engineers in constructing, altering, and
repairing sea-coast d~efenses, because men who
have to fight these batteries should have some
thing To do IN tbsg construction"