The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-11-12
The Annual Report OF the General q
the Army.

| General Sherman has submitted his an
/ nual report to the Secretary.o of War, inclos-
/ ing the reports Of Generals Drum and sack
/ att, 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
| cipiire Al d 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 that
clause of the existing law which limits the
enlisted force Of the army to 5000 men.
/ Considerable space is devoted to the discus
/ sion of the subject of officers servants,
General sherman maintaining that no sol
/ lier should ever be compelled to do mental
labor without compensation, or without his
/ consent, and he recommends that the exist
| ing law be repealed or modified so us to Sc
cure this end.
Referring to West Point, he saws 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 fulfls its uses,
and can safely be intrusted to prepare boys
TO become the soldiers OF the future.
There are in the army 43O companies,
necessarily widely scattered over our vast
| domain, to guard the property and prevent,
/ a 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 soliicrS-all
! that | would ask for at TINS ume-bccause 1
believe this increase will add little, If any,
| TO the annual cost Of the army, and yet
7 give great relief to our overtaXeu soldiers.
/ In the last ten years our front ierS have OeN-
/ tended under he protection OF our small
| army rs to add at least 200, 100000 to the
/ taxable wealth Of the Nation. This has en-
| aOlcd emlgrantS to settle up remote parts OF
| the country, and is the principal cause Ofthe
| great prosperity which is felt throughout all
| parts of the country When the National
| treasury was poor and loaded with debt,
/ the army cndcavored gracefully to submit
/ to OVerwork, but they now appeal for re-
| llet; and do most earnestly ask the honor
| aDle Secretary Of War to apply TO Congress
| to repeal that clause Of the existing law
| which limits the enlisted force of the army
! to 10000 men, and to enact that each and
/ every company in the army may be
/ enlisted TO at least fifty prvateS, making
/ slNly-tWO enlisted men and three
officers to each of the 43O companies,
/ thus Increasing the army proper to
| $4,000 enlisted men, which number, in
practice, will probably never exceed 2j,O00.
rms should form the cOmbatlnt force: and,
! as experience and universal practice have
/ demonstrated the necessity for another or
I non -cOmbatant force, | further urge that
/ spo cial provision be made by law for each
| OF the GLOWING separate and distinct pur-
/ lOseS-viZ.:
Engineer battalion. ........ ....... 200
/ mountaineering companies and par
, ties. 49,. .......... go
Enlisted men detailed on general service
Ordnance Department Gaborers and me
West Point detachments Military Ac-
Prison guard at Fort Ll eavenworth To-
Hospital stewards 1a5
| Ordnance Serg ants ................ ....... liz
Gommissary Sergeants. l5O
mum scouts. ...........-... 800
Signal detachment. Observation-Disclosures. 800
Total, ,......................... asa
| fore evnloinnJ viii ,,,oI,o IN q 81 o,,Ii.tJ
force Of cvary not,,ro a limd on 20
GpneroI S6ern,o,, sIihn,itS . yt t'", -,
tbe actnaI nIn,her Of omiitoI ,,, IL; ~ VI
rel,,,Io,. oI,ii 6ntnho,. 'iion III INC
Ca,.,i,,, - my oo,
S0;
Infantry IA f9l
| Total c6mbatants -. 49, 80 10 M
| Non-combatautS engineer, battalion,
oldance department, recruiting serv-
zee, signal CORPS etc! ................ &7Sl
Iota ehliS'ea force OF army ............23 'o9t
/ " Nearly every general officer command