The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-18
Partial Reorganization of t1ae Army
Necessary TO Meet the Conditions
Arising from the War.
ORDERS EXPECTED NEXT WEEK
THAT MAY RESULT IN FURTHER RE
DUCING THE VOLUNTEER FORCE.
General MiIes's Report DeIayed--An-
other investigators SECURED by
President Mckinley.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.


Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17.--General Miles
announces that as soon as he is able he will
begin the preparation of his report of the
campaigns of Santiago and Porto Rico This
report will include the events leading up
to the campaigns and will, in fact, be GEN
eral Miles's history of the war. The re-
port will not be out for six weeks or two
months in all probability. 1t will be COM
pleted, however, in time for the congress
sional committees which will be appointed
to investigate the conduct of the war. The
report will give these committees much
valuable information which they might 9TH
erwise have to dig for. 1t will be in many
respects an interesting and picturesque doc
ument.
An Associated Press dispatch says: Gem
eral Miles and Acting Secretary Of War
Mekeljohn called on the President to-day
concerning several important questions in-
volved in the reorganization of the army
on the basis Of the changed conditions aris-
ing since the war. This, it is stated, is not
to be a peace basis, but rather an interme-
date stage between war basis and peace
basis owing to the many requirements in
Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines, Hawaii
and elsewhere. AS a result of the talk with
the President, the changes to be made We're
pretty fully matured, but they will not take
the form of definite orders until early next
week or soon thereafter.
In general the plan consists in reducing
the volunteer army about one-half. which
branch OF the work is already we'll under
way, and then redistributing the remaining
forces. regular and volunteer, to our new
possessions and dependencies-nameiy Ma
Mia, Hawaii, Porto Rico, Cuba the La
drones, ETC.. at the same time maintaining
sufficient garrisons in the United States.
The number of men required for our outly-
ing possessions is now being carefully con-
sidered but a final decision is dependent
somewhat on the decision of the commis-
sioners at Havana, San Juan and Paris.
In the redistribution of troops new
military department will be created, includ-
ing Cuba and Porto Rico. 1t was thought
at first that the garrisons on these islands
would be made part of one of the South
ern departments of the army. General Miles
is satisfied, however, that they should be
kept distinct from the army organization
within the States, and a separate depart
ment for the Antilles will result. The name
of the new department has not yet been
fixed.
for the several garrsons in Hawaii, Manila,
Porto Rico. Cuba and elsewhere the ques-
tion of selecting the regiments for the sew
eral duties is being gone over The whole
subject is being considered not so much as
a war measure. as there is little idea that
the troops will be called into actual service
in any quarter, but rather a means of
establishing adequate military and policing
forces to sustain the military form of gov
ernment, which necessarily must be kept in
operation in all of these localities, save Ha-
waii for some time to come
General Miles has appointed board,
consisting Of Lieutenant Colonel Ma
rion z. Maus, inspector general United
States volunteers; Major William III. DAILY.
chief surgeon United States volunteers, and
Captain j. B. Morton, assistant adjutant
general United States volunteers to look
into the condition of the immune regiments
which have been raised by the United States
directly. These are now quartered at Jack
sonville. Fla; Admission, Ala; Galveston.
Tex, and at Lexington, KY, and the board
will visit these points. The inspection is
preliminary to the execution of the plans
of General Miles for the selection of garri-
sons for Cuba and Porto Rico.
Orders will be issued from the War De-
partment Monday for the disposition of the
five regiments Of the regular cavalry now
at Camp Wikoff, in command OF Major
General Wheeler. Three of them are TO be
sent to a camp hereafter to be designated
within one hundred miles of Huntsville.
Ala; the Second Regiment is to go TO South
Dakota to relieve the Eighth Regiment.
with headquarters at Fort Meade, siIfd the
Ninth is to be distributed through Arizona
and New Mexico to relieve the Seventh, now
stationed in those Territories. The Seventh
and Eighth, upon being relieved, will join
the three regiments from Montauk at the
camp which may be selected In the vicinity
of Huntsville. Its location will depend
upon the recommendations OF a. board OF
army officers now in the South engaged in
specting camp sites. Major General Wheeler
will have command of the cavalry which is
to form part of the army of occupation for
Cuba and Porto Rico.
Tie War Department has decided to
Change its policy in the matter OF granting
applications Of volunteer officers for dis
charge, and hereafter no such application
will be considered unless indorsed by a SUI
perior officer and forwarded through him.
Heretofore the discharges have been granted
without applying any general rule upon an.
plications of officers themselves. Endorsed
by the representatives or senators from
their States. Now that the President has
definitely prescribed the regiments that ara
to constitute the army. 1t is felt to be im-
practicable and injurious TO continue this
indiscriminate method of making discharges
and hereafter political influence is not to be
allowed 10 have weight IN this matter. In
,asmucl as the President looks to the regi-
msntal officers TO maintain the efficiency OF
thelr organizations. it Is not regarded by