Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-11-16
GENERAL SHERMAN.
Annual Report Made to the Sscre-
tary Of War.
THE ARMY OVERWORKED
Influence Of the Great Pacific
Railroads..
UNNECESSARY MILITARY POSTS.
West Point and the Artillery School
at Fortress Monroe.
UNNECESSARY MILITARY POSTS

w 0St Folnt ana tne Aftlllery School
at Fortress Monroe.
ESPECIAL BY TELEGRAPH TO THE RECoRp-usroNl
WAsHINGToN, November 15th.-The an
nual report of General Sherman to the Sec
retary of War is given to the public to day.
After calling attention to the various subor.
dinste reports, Sherman says:
MORE TROOPS NEEDED.
agree with Sheridan that the army is too
small in enlisted men to fulfill the duties
now imposed on it, and is overworked. /
therefore renew my recommendation of last
year, that Congress be asked to give %, 900
enlisted men. specifically to the corps of the
line army, to make separate provision for
detachments of advance men, engineers bat
TALON, hospital stewards, commissary SER
geants, the West Point detachment, de-
tailed clerks, etc., in the same manner as
has already been done for the Signal Corps.
In this connection, 1 will venture to call your
attention to the fact that the Revised Stat
ute, edition of 1878, Section 1115, defining
the organization of the army, limits its
strength to not more than 10000 enlisted
men; but subsequent appropriation bills,
by proviso, have limited the expenditures
to $4,000 enlisted men. Still the legal
strength is $4,000 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, disci-
pline and economy, and infer that this end
can be reached by omitting this proviso in
the next appropriation bill. Prosperous
times and the easy financial condition of the
treasury may now enable Congress to pro-
vide suitable armaments for the forts which
guard the chief harbors of the country.
THE PACIFIC RAILRoAps-UNNEcEssA MIL
ITARY POSTS.
Speaking of the Northern Pacific, Union
Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads, Cen
eral Sherman says: These railroads have
completely revolutionized our country in the
past few years, and impose on the military
an entire change of policy. Hitherto we
have been compelled to maintain small posts
along the wagon and stage routes of
travel. These are no longer needed,
because no longer used, and the set
Elements which grow up speedily along
the new railroads afford the security neces-
sary, and the regular stations built for stor-
age at convenient distances afford shelter
for military stores, and for the men when
operating in the neighborhood. We should
now absolutely abandon many of the smaller
posts hitherto necessary, and concentrate at
strategic points, generally near the natural
frontier or where the railroads intersect, so as
to sendout detachments promptly to districts
where needed. Congress alone has power to
dispose of the property of the United States,
and we, the military, find ourselves possessed
of lands and houses obtained in early times,
which demand occupation for preservation,
and l earnestly recommend that provision be
made by law for the sale of such abandoned
military posts and outbuildings as is found to
be necessary, with the right to apply the pro-
ceeds of the sale to other places-th property
of the United States. Sherman specifies
posts in Kansas. New Mexico and Arizona,
and also Forts Keogh and Custer, on the yell
lowstone, built only four years ago, and ex-
presses the opinion that in very short time
they will become commercial towns rather
than military posts. In my judgment the
time has come for the military authorities to
select suitable strategic points for permanent
occupation and improvement, whence detach-
ments can be sent out for special service. As
long as we possess and must care for the
small posts, it is impossible to abandon them
to waste, and we are forced to hold them
but if Congress will delegate to the President,
Secretary of War and 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 US to maintain large garrisons, with
increased discipline and better service.
SEA COAST DEFENsEs.
For similar reasons, and because the COM
merce of the world is carried on in ships OF
5000 tons and over, and because of the
heavy draft Of war vessels, most of our sea.
coast defenses are superfuous. We now have
so, 600, 600 of people. and the idea of any
hostile force landing on our coasts is pre-
posterous yet our great commercial ports
hension of danger would not be felt. Port
land, Boston, Newport, New York, Phila-
delphia, Hampton Roads, Port Royal, Key
West. Pensacola, San Diego, San Francisco
and Port Townsend, should all be properly
fortified and garrisoned. All minor forts
should be sold or abandoned. An annual ap-
preparation of S1,O00, 900 would in a few
years put those forts in good order. and an.
other 81, ,000, 900 a year would properly arm
them, and the Secretary of War and Presi.
dent should have discretion in the disburse-
ment of this money. Artillery officers should
be associated with engineers in constructing,
altering or repairing the sea-coast defenses,
because the men who have to fight these bat
teries should have something to do in their
construction.
GOOD WORD FOR WEST POINT.
Referring to the reports of Scho6eld and
Colonel Getty relative to West Point and the
artillery school at Fortress Monroe, General
Sherman says; In my Judgment both these
institutions are in as good order as possible,
and both are an honor to the country. Edu-
cation must always be the surest basis of our
national security and honor. The education
and manly training impaired TO the young
men at West Point has repaid the United
States thousand times its cost, and has
more than verified the predictions OF General
Washington. From time to time periodical
complaints have arisen to its prejudice, such
as the one which occurred last year in regard
to the colored cadet. Whitaker, though a
patient and close investigation, in the midst
of tumult of abuse. resulted in a perfect
| vindication of the authorities of tha,
Academy. Every cadet at West Point is
an appointee of member of Congress,
each member having cadet of his OWL
nomination there. with only ten appointed
by the President at large. The corps Of
i cadets ia tharPflra a pop th{r,l conn Tor r,a p,