The age-herald., 1898-11-12
REGULARS AND VOLUNTEERS
Information Regarding the Proposed Leg
 iSlation for Increasing Service.
DETAILS OF SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN
Since the Signing of the Protocol Vol unteer Regiments Have Remain ei at Post of Duty at
 Great Personal Sacrifice.

Washington, November 11.-Adjutant Gen. eral Corbin has made his annual report to the secretary of war. It contain much of statistical nature about the armies of the United States, including the regular and volunteer branches. Gen. Corbln shows that army consisted of 2,143 officers and 26,O4O enlisted men. He refers to the legislation for increasing the strength of the regular army also to proposed legislation submit ted to the last congress, but which was not enacted. Under the war legislation the reg ular army was increased until it amounted to 2Ss2 officers and 56365 enlisted men, which included 5,365 men of the hospital corps. Regular army officers to the num- Der of 3S7 were nominated and confirmed in different grades of the volunteer army.
 Discussing the volunteer army, Gen. Cor bin shows the strength of the volunteer army at it's highest point which was during the month of August, which was 87S5 offi- cers and POT PA enlisted men. The aggre- gate strength of the regular and volunteer armies was II JOS officers and 263, ,609 enlisted men.
 Gen. Corbin says that "the suspension of hostilities resulting from the short but bril- liant operations of the army against Santi- ago. the suppression of the Spanish troops in Porto Rico no less than the successful opera tions of our troops in the Philippines led to the determination to muster out loo,- GOO volunteers. He gives the details or the campaign, and adds:
 nsnce the signing of the protocol the of- ficers and men of the volunteer regiments have remained at their posts of duty Tn most cases at great personal sacrifice That they have done this cheerfuily, making II all the more desirable that the speedy m crease of the regular army be provided for, in orfer that the volunteers may be re- leased from further service and be allowed to return to their peaceful vacations
 Relating to the Stan
 The following relates to the staff: Much has heef1 said of late concerning the organ ization of the several staff departments If. as recommended, additional omcers are given the line of the army so as to give Renty of trained officers TOT stam ..s uu.s in time ofpwar, the main objection VIII nave been met and it is doubtful II under all the conditions peculiar to this government, general reorganization of the staff or adop- ton of new systems will be founo oes,r- able; certainly nothing radical should De entered upon.
 The character of enlisted men is com- mented upon in the following. In assem- bling the regiments of the regular army at the beginning of the war, the charactetr oi the enlisted men arrested attention. dls- t.nguished foreign officer visiting the flitn army corps at Tampa remarked:
 ..Every man looked fit to command
 Their conduct on transports, on the march, in battle at Fl Clancy, San Juan ana Santiago gave abundance or evidence that hs good opinion was well placed. The oni- cers and men by their valorous deeds and gallant conduet met the high expecta tion of the country.
 General Corbin refers to the law which prevents the enlistment of persons who are not citizens of the United States, and says "The conditions will, however, make a modification of this statute desirable, to the end that the enlistment of from one com pany to the battalion of natives for each regi,. ent serving in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines may be authorized. The advantage of this is too obvious for dis cussion.'
 The assignment of officers and men for the various expeditions are given, with the casualties resulting. The number killed and wounded in all campaigns are:
 Officers killed, 23; enlisted men killed, 257; officers wounded, 113; enlisted men wounded, 1,464 The total deaths from wounds and disease up to October were 1O7 officers and 2,S03 enlisted men.
 The Recruiting Service
 The recruiting service in the regular and volunteer armies is referred to. Lack of officers in the regular army is specifically pointed out in number of instances.
 General Corbin has the following to say concerning the increase of the regular army:
 "The organization of the cavalry, artil- lery and infantry regiments has stood the test of trial in battle and received the ap- proval of those in command so that the in- crease of the line of the army demanded by our new possessions should be by the addition of the necessary number of regi- ments organized as are those now in ser vice The number of officers should be in- creased by one first lieutenant to each troop, battery and company. This would enable the department to meet the de- mands for various details required by law and yet lave the troops with the necessary number of officers for their proper dis clpline and instruction and in war allow the appointment of sufficient generals and general staff officers without destroying the efficiency of the army as threatened by the recent experience of the department. The number of trained officers as herein provided for at the beginning of the pres ent war would have saved lives and treasure. to say nothing of the increased efficiency of the service. At the beginning of the present war some 400 officei., were appointed to the staff of regular and vol unteer regiments With these and for aides to these 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 officer to the company. It is difficult now, with the sick and wounded officers, for the department to get one officer to the com pany and too frequently there have been two companies with but .one officer The increase pr6boss1 would, in no way, give greater number of officers thar required By the date fixed for the, assembling of congress, the department will. under your direction, be prepared to submit t.S pro- viding for the increase of the army.
 "Oficers serving in the West Indies and