The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-11-17
The Annual Report OF the General Of
the Army.

General Sherman has submitted bis an.
uual report to the Secretary Of War, inclos.
ting tho reports Of Generals Drum and sack.
EFT. and the reports Of the commanding
Generals Of the divisions and departments.
The General says. referring TO the reports
OF the latter. that they all show that our
companies are too small for efficient dis.
cipline ard for economical service. When
the Treasury was poor and loaded with
debt. the army endeavored to gracefully
submit to overwork, but now, says General
Sherman. they appeal for relief, and 1t u
recommended that Congress repeal thai,
clause Of the existing law which limits the
enlisted force Of the Amy TO 5000 men.
Considerable space is devoted to the discuss
sion OF the subject Of officers servants,
General Sherman maintaining that no sol.
der should ever he compelled to do mental
labor without compensation. or without his
consent. ind he recommends that the exist
Ing law be repealed or modified so as to 80.
cure this end.
Referring to West Point, he SAYS 1t has
been. and must continue to DO, the fountain.
source OF military education In time Of
peace. In his Judgment, the Military
Academy at West Point fulflls its uses,
and can safely he in,rusted to prepare boys
to become the soldiers Of the future.
There are IN the army 40 companies,
necessarily widely scattered over our vast
domain, to guard the property and prevent,
as far as foresight can, complications and
troubles Of every variety and kind; at one
time protecting settlers against Indians,
and again Indians against settlers. When
these occur it is always sudden, and REIN
forcements have to be hurried forward
from great distances and always at heavy
cost for transportation of men, horses,
wagons, and supplies. This cost in the
aggregate will, In my judgment, be more
than sufficient to supply an increase Of
twenty per cent OF private solGiers-all
that would ask for at this time-because
believe this increase will add little, II any,
TO the annual cost Of the army, and yet
give great relief to o. overtaxed soldiers.
In the last ten years our frontiers have So ex-
tended under the protection OF our small
army As to add ut least l, 0OO, O00, OOO to the
taxable wealth Of the Nation. This has Ell.
abled emigrants to settle up remote parts Of
the country, aud is the principal cause Of the
great prosperity which is felt throughout all
parts Of the country. When the National
Treasury was poor and loaded with debt,
the army endeavored gracefully to submit
to overwork. but they now appeal for re-
lief; and do most earnestly ask the honor
able Secretary of War to apply to Congress
to repeal that clause of the existing law
which limits the enlisted force of the army
to 25,OOO men, and to enact that each and
every company in the army may be
enlisted to at least fifty prvates. making
sixty.two enlisted men and three
officers to each of the 43O companies,
thus increasing the army proper to
26,6GO enlisted men, which number, in
practice, will probably never exceed 25,OOO.
This should form the combatant force; and,
as experience and universal practice have
demonstrated the necessity for another or
non-combatant force, further urge that
sp cial provision be made by law for each
Of the following separate and distinct pur.
p0ses-viz.: