The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-11-18
UNCLE SANS ARMY.
The Adjutant General Makes His
Report to the Secretary of War.
AN INCREASE OF The ARMY URGED.
Tho Department win Have n BnI on the
Subject to submit to Congress
Recommendations ms to the
National Guard.


to the secretary of war. IL contains
much of a statistical nature about the
army of the United States, including
the regular and volunteer branches.
lie shows that, at the breaking out of
the war, the regular army consisted
of 2,143 officers and 26,04O enlisted
men, He refers to the legislation for
increasing the strength of the regular
army; also to proposed legislation sub
mitted to the last congress, but which
was not enacted. Under the war leg
islation the regular army was in
creased until it amounted to 2,332 Off
GERS and SO, 1856 enlisted men, which in
cluded 1896 men of the hospital corps.
Regular army officers 10 the number
of 3S7 were nominated and confirmed
in different grades of the volunteer
army.
Discussing the volunteer army, Gen.
Corbin shows the legislation regard
ing 1t and gives in detail the different
organizations called out from the vari-
GUS states and territories. The
strength of the volunteer army at its
highest point, which was during the
month of August, was S,7S5 officers and
207,244 enlisted men. The aggregate
strength of the regular and volunteer
armies was IL, los officers and 263, 900
enlisted men.
Gen. Corbin says that the "suspen-
sion Of hostilities, resulting from the
short but brilliant operations of the
army against Santiago; the surrender
OF the Spanish troops in Porto Rico,
no less than the successful operations
| of In, ha DlNiltn,.fnac Cd
to the determination to muster out
10000 volunteers. He gives the de-
tails of the campaign, which have been
published, and adds:
Since the signing OF the protocol the officers
and mon OF the volunteer regiments have re-
NAMED at their posts OF duty, in most cases ab
great personal sacrifice That they have done
this cheerfully and without complaint makes IL
all the more desirable that II speedy increase
OF the regular army be provided for, in order
that the volunteers may be released from fur
Their service and be allowed to return to their
| peaceful vacations
The number killed and wounded in
all campaigns is as follows: Officers
killed, %; enlisted men killed. 257; Off
GERS wounded, 113; enlisted men wound
ed, l. 464 The total deaths from wounds
and disease up to October | were 107
officers and 2,sO3 enlisted men.
Gen. Corbin has the following to say
concerning the increase of the regular
army:
The organization OF the cavalry artillery
and infantry regiments has stood the test OF
trial in battle and received the approval OF
| those In command; so that the increase OF the
line OF the army. demanded by our new possess
sions, should be by the addition OF the neces-
sary number Of regiments organized as are
those now In service. The number of officers
should be increased by one first lieutenant to
each troop. battery and company. This would
enable the department to meet the demands
as TO various details required by law, and
| then leave the troops with the necessary
number for their proper discipline and nstruc-
tion, and in war allow the appointment Of suf-
! hcient generals and general staf officers with
out destroying the efficiency OF the army as
! threatened by the recent experience OF the de-
partment The number OF trained officers as
herein provided for at the beginning OF the
present war would have saved lives and treas
ure to say nothing OF the increased efficiency
OF the service At the beginning OF the pres
ent war some 400 officers were appointed to
the stan and volunteer regiments. With these,
and for aides TO the generals and other duty
absolutely required for the conduct OF the war,
absent from their commands, the regiments
were sent to battle with scarcely more than
one oficer to the company 1t is difiicult now,
with the sick and wounded officers, for the de-
partment to get one officer TO the company and
too frequently there have been two companies
with but one officer. The increase proposed
would In no way give greater number OF ON
GERS than required by the date fixed for the
assembling Of congress, the department will,
| under your direction, be prepared to submit "A
bill providing for the increase of the army
Gen. Corbin recommends that the
men of the national guard who en-
tered the volunteer army be allowed
to return and be readmitted to their
state organizations. Advices to those
who control the national guard is given
as follows:
While the yearly state encampments have
been productive OF positive good in imparting
practical instruction TO the troops participate
| ing the experience of the recent campaign has
| demonstrated the absolute necessity OF further
assmilating the condition OF enclmped troops
| to the actual necessities Of active service by
making the men, while in camp dependent for
their subsistence on the army ration to be fur
nshed by the state authorities, on ration re-
turns, and cooked by the troops, In precisely
| the same manner as on oetual service in the
| Held. An organization ordered TO u state
camp for military instruction, relying on IA
caterer to furnish the necessary food can
never acquire that sef-reliance which char
aeterizes the regular soldiers on active duty
| for, without previously received instruction in
preparing food the natural result when called
| into service will be poorly cooked and wasted
rations, which, failing to streng hen the ply
steal man. make him liable to febrlle and
stomGchc troubles incident 20 service in oil
kinds OF weather under distressing but unavoid-
able conditions For this purpose. involving
the issue OF ratons and purchase OF field cook
ing stoves and utensils the annual appropria-
ton made by congress for the support, in part,
Of militia, is totally inadequate, and its In
crease, urged In past years, has now become q
necessity
Gen. Corbir also recommends that
the pay of non-commissioned officers
be increased, and that there be re-
organization of army bands which will
secure the better class of musicians.
Diphtheria Epld~-nic at Wichita.
Wichita, Kan, Nov. l5.--An cpl.
demic of diphtheria has broken out
here Only about 1900 of the 1000
school children of the city are attend
ing the classes, the result of an or
ganized effort to force the school
hnard 10 olnca fha sahaoI,