Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-11-19
The Annual Report of the General Of
the Army.

General Sherman has submitted his an
nual report to the Secretary of War, inclOs-
Ing the 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
cipiiEe 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 it is
recommended that Congress repeal thlt
clause of the existing law which limits the
enlisted force of the Amy to $4,000 men.
Considerable space is devoted to the discus
sion Of the subject of officers servants,
General Sherman maintaining that no SOL
dier should ever be compelled to do menial
labor without compensation, or without his
consent, and he recommends that the exist
ing law be repealed or modified so as to Sc
cure this end.
Referring to West Point, he says it has
been, and must continue to be, the fountain.
source OF military education in time Of
peace. In his judgment, the Military
Academy at West Point fulills its uses,
and can safely be intrusted to prepare boys
to become the soldiers OF the future.
" There are in the army 430 companies,
necessarily widely scattered over our vast
domain, to guard the property and prevent,
ns for irbk Al n1
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
torcements have to be hurried forward
from great distances and always at Il 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 soldiers-all
that would ask for at this time-because |
believe this increase will add little, il any,
TO the annual cost of the army, and yet
give great relief to our overtaXed soldiers.
In the last ten years our frontiers have SO eX-
tended under the protection OF our small
army as to add at least 81, 900, 900, 900 to the
taxable wealth Of the Nation. This has en-.
abled emigrants to settle up remote parts Of
the country, and 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 endeayored gracefully to submit
N nVnrUprls I'm for
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 $4,000 men, and to enact that each and
every company in the army may be
enlisted to at least fifty priyates, making
siNty-twO enlisted men and three
officers to each of the 430 companies
thus increasing the army proper t.
2G,6GO enlisted men, which number, il
practice, will probably never exceed 25.OOO
This should form tho UUnbatant force; and
as experience and universal practice havC
demonstrated the necessity for another o.
non -combatant force, further urge tina
special provision be made by law for eact
Of the following separate aud distinct pur'
pOses-viz.
Engineer battalion. Observation-Disclosures. 80
Permanent recruiting companies and par
| Enlisted men detailed on general service
(cerksl. ................... A.
Ordnance Department laborers and me-
! CuuulCS). .... ............. ~
West Point dctachmcnt3 military Ac-
| ).s.
Prison guard at Fort Lcavenworth
''''''''''''''''''' N
Nospllul steWdrus .'''.''.'.'...'''''''''' ~
| Ordnance Serg rnts. Observation-Disclosures. II
! Commissary Sergednts. ts..................... Il
| Indian scouts. ............... 81
| Signal detachment. .................... 81
Total, 3,7S
Which number, added to the 2G,66j be
fore explained, will make the total enliste
force of every nature and kind 3O,449."
General Sherman submits q statement
the actual number of enlisted men in tn
regular army October 10:
Cavalry ........................... SIS
hrllllcry '...................... E4l
dniantry iV'G
IOlhl COmDntHntS. .................. lH,ol
| NOn-combatantS (enpinccr battalion,
ordance department. recruiting serv-
s
Total enlisted force of army. 81
"Nearly every general officer command
ing troops on the frontier asks for large
increase than have herein indicated, bl
this may be better accomplished by givn
to the President the right to increase,
his discretion, companies most exposed {
danger to any number of privates not el
ceeding 100, limited always in practice |
the actual appropriations Of money ratht
than by the fixed number Of men,"
The General asks for an increase of nil
Majors in the Inspectors corps, and recon
mends that the whole question of coast d.
fense be submitted TO board of high of
GERS, while a similar board should consid
the matter of military posts and stations no
obsolete. These recommendations are wi
n view to the safe and relief Of the army fro
the care OF useless forts, posts and station
Some old forts, General Sherman admits, a
worth retaining, and, In order that the
may be properly taken care Of, he recon
mends that 4" the President be authorz,
10 transfer out OF the class Of enlisted mi
who have served for twenty-five years
more, a number not to exceed 800, includi
Ordnance Sergeants (now 112), and estabi
veteran corps to be stationed at the
old forts, with the rank and pay they he
at the close OF their active career of arm
service, to be subject to the rules and ar
cles Of war, but only to be used for guar
ing public property. One or two officers
the retired class and half dozen of the
old soldiers would compose good garris
for an abandoned post or fort. BY grant,
the retired officers thus detailed fuel a
quarters, we would provide homes
worthy veterans, which would be most hO
orable and charitable to them and adva
tageOus to the Government
General Sherman, in his remarks on W,
Point, says: "The Board OF Visitors su