Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-21
ABOUT THE BOYS IN BLUE
ABSTRACTS FROM GEN. SCOFIELD;S
REPORT ON IRMY MATTERS.
Peace Reigns Everywhere in Our Vast
Domains-HOw the Soldiers Have Been
Employed-Recommen of Meas
ures for Preventing observation-disclosures
Term of Service and a Means of Securing
an Honorable Release

an Honorable Release.
| WASHINGTON, November 19.-Major-Gen,
eral Scoficld, commanding the army in his
annual report says: The past year has
been one OF peace among the Indians, for.
merly so troublesome in Division Pacific.
Troops have been fully occupied in rifle
practice and other duties Stimulating those
of actual war.
| In the div ision OF Missouri, with single
disorder among Crow Indians, the use OF
troops has been limited to the prevention
of possible trouble with Indian tribes.
The troops of the Division of the Atlantic
have been fully and constantly employed.
A system OF practice OF artillery with heavy
sea coast guns has been steadily developed
and is now adapted for the entire sea coast
of the country. The efficiency displayed by
the officers and luen, and the progress
already made, gives grounds for confidence
that the troops will be fully prepared to
handle the weapons OF modern construc
tion and OF large calibre as soon as such
weapons can be made ready to be placed
in theiI hands.
General Schofield recommends that
TWO REGIMENTS BE ADDED
to the artillery, without any materia
change in the number OF officers, necessitat-l
ing all addition OF about 5000 to the num-
ber OF enlisted men now allowed by law.
Referring to Notifications, General Scho-
field says that during the past twenty
years the necessities of the service in the
Indian country have caused posts along
the seaboard and northern lakes to be cor
respondingly neglected. The time and Cir
cumstances now seem peculiarly favorable
to placing the seacoast and the frontier of
the country in a state OF security.
Reference is made to the impairment OF
the efficiency of the army through the alb
sence OF officers from their regiments or
corps. 1t is said the service would be
greatly benefited if such officers as are
disabled could be relic led, and their places
filled by young and active men.
There were 2,436 desertions from the
army during the past year, and the aver
age of desertions for each Of the last five
years was 1913 per cent. General Scho.
field recommends that the reward for the
arrest of deserters be increased to 500, to
be taken out OF the deseGters' retained pay,
and that United States marshals. sheriffs.
police officers, etc, be authorized to arrest
and deliver deSerters. That at least hali
the pay OF soldiers hereafter enlisted be
retained until they have fulfilled their con-
tract of service, making exceptions in cases
of men known to devote their pay to the
support of relatives, and that it be made
practicable in peace for an enlisted man to
DISSOLVE HIS CONTRACT OF ENLISTMENT
in a manner honorable to himself and just
to the government, by obtaining discharge,
with a forfeit of so much of his retained
pay as may be necessary to reimburse the
United States for expenses.
In his report to the ior General, Ad-
jutant General Drum also calls attention
to the evils of desertion, which may be
greatly lessened by the adoption OF RENE
dial measures, such as IL reduction OF the
term OF service from five to three years,
and the right to purchase discharge. Not
"thstanding !" every effort has been made,
so far as the recruiting appropriation
would warrant, to secure necessary recruits
to fill the army. it is still more than l 800
below the authorized strength of $4,000
enlisted men, many regiments are
greatly reduced.