The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-05
UNITED STATES ARMY.
The Commanding Officers Re-
port to Secretary Endic0tt.
Statistics and Recommendations
From Major-General Schofel1.

Mar General J. NJ Schofeld, command
ing the United States Army, has made his
first annual report to the Secretary of War.
The past year, he says, has been one Of peace
among the Indians formerly SO troublesome
in the Division Of the Pacific.
The troops of the Division of the Atlantic
have been fully and constantly occupied,
especially the artillery, with heavy seacoast
guns. The progress already made gives
grounds for confidence that the troops will be
fully prepared to handle effectively weapons
Of modern construction and OF the largest
calbres as soon as such weapons can be made
ready to be placed in their hands. A
moderate increase in the numerical strength
in the force to handle the new guns
will be indispensable. General Scho-
field renews the recommendation
made in his last report for the Division
of the Atlantic, that two regiments
be added to the artillery, without any ma
terial change in the number Of officers, ne
cessitating the addition OF about five thou
sand to the number of enlisted men to the
number now allowed by law.
commanding officer of the infantry and cav
airy school, stating that number Of young
officers have, without adequate excuse, Jailed
to meet the professional requirements
of that institution, and submitting that
those officers have proved themselves lncon-
petent and are thus debarred from regular
promotion. He recommends that no officer
who has been officially reported by his COM
manding officer Tor disability or other incom-
potency shall be promoted to higher grade
until he shall have passed satisfactory ex-
animation. He suggests as an important addi'
tion to the duties now performed by ermy
officers detailed for general military edu"a-
tional purposes to colleges that they may
practically instruct in sea cost defence such
portion Of the National Guard rs may be
organized for that branch of the public ser-
General Schofe!d says chat during the
past twenty years the necessities Of
the service in the Indian country
have caused the posts along the seaboird
and northern lakes to be correspondlngly
neglected. TIE barracks and quarters as
well as the Notifications have been left in
many cases to fall into a state of decay, The
time and circumstances now seem peculiarly
favorable to placing the Sea coast and from
tiers Of the country in state OF security.
Reference is made to the Impairment OF the
efficiency Of the army through absence Of
officers from their regiments or corps. 1t is
said that the service would be greatly bene-
fitted il such officers as are disabled could he
retired and their places filled by young and
active men.
lie report says that there were 2435 de?er-
tions from the army during the past year
and that the average Of desertions for each
of the last five years were 1913 per cent. Of
the entire enlisted strength OF SID per cent
during the whole period.
General Schofiafd recommends that at least
half the pay of soldiers hereafter enlisted be
retained until they have fulfilled their con-
tract of service making exception in the
cases of men known to devote their pay TO
the support Of dependent relatives, and tn
it be made practicable in time Of peace for
an enlisted man to dissolve his contract OF
enlistment in manner honorable to himself
and Just to the Government by obtaining q
discharge, with forfeiture of so much OF his
retained paw rs may be necessary to relm'
burse the United States for expenses.
Instructions in rife and carbine practice
have been successfully conducted during the
year with favorable results, and it is now
proposed to require increased attention to
pistol practice.
In conclusion General Schofeld recon-
mends liberal appropriations for thu Signal
Service proper and the strengthening OF the
military posts on or near the grea5 lnoiah
reservations.
In report to the major-general command
ing Adjutant-G General Drum calls attention
to the evil Of desertion, which, he says, re-
suits principally from dissatisfaction with
army life and its restraints, restlessness With
recklessness of obligations assumed. and 9
desire to secure transportation to distant and
supposed favorable points in the West. De-
sertion he SAYS can never be eradlcated, but
may be greatly lessened by the adoption OF
remedial measures, such as the reduction
of the term of service from five to three
years and the right to purchase discharge
During the past year there were "a, TO appli'
cants Cor enlistment. 1S,0l7 of whom were re.
jected:. The accepted recruits embraced ~
colored, 4136 natives and 1851 foreigners
The Adiutant General says that notwith.
standing every effort has been made, so far
as the recruiting appropriation would war
rant to secure the necessary recruits tn I'LL the
army, it is still more than 1870 below the
authorized strength of 5000 enlisted men,
and many of the regiments are greatly re-
tuced.