New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-17
MASTERING OUT VOLUNTEERS
THE ARMY TO Re REDUCED ONE Hun
DRIED THOUSAND MEN WITHIN
A FEW WEEKS.
TrY TELEGRAPH To THE TRrBr NJ. ]

my TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBI Ne
Washington. Aug. 16-The strength Of the
Army will be main above one hundred and
fifty thousand until Congress meets but in the
mean time. unless unexpected international COM
plications occur. about one hundred thousand
volunteers will be mustered out Of service. the
reduction process beginning next week. and
progressing rapidly as possible. with n view
t. its completion before October !. The first
regiment to lay down its arms will probably
be the Vermont Infantry. which has already
been ordered from Chckamauga 10 Fort Ethan
Allen. for that purpose where it will he Joined
BY Major stephen p Joceyn and First Lieu
tenant William c. Wxen who have been de-
tailed to wind IN it's affairs Three Now-fork
regiments, now at Hampstead. the 2olst. 2o2d
and 2o3d will speedily follow. and many. II not
all Of the incompletad regiments under the
Presidents second call for troops Of May - VIII
not he permitted to active service.
Adjutant- General Corbin said to-day that the
reduction OF the Army would only be under
taken after mature deliberation and under
strict and comprehensive regulations. TO avoid
a repetition Of the unfortunate experiences OF
the past. In the first place. regiments are not
TO be dsbanded In a wholesale manner until II
is absolutely certain that no further immediate
necessity exists for their services. and In the
second place the accounts Of every command
are to be settle before they leave the Army. ana
the record Of every individual will be completed
before relieving him from the restraints OF
military discipline. The physical CONDITION 81
every recruit determined when he WAS ac-
cepted and In order 10 protect the United states
pension roll. as II has never been protected ne
fore the precise condition Of every man upon
mastering out. we'll as details Of every injury
and Illness he may have suffered during MS
term Of service. will be set Gown I'm detail. Tho
process is apt 10 he tedious. and doubtless many
complaints Will he made hv volunteers who are
anxious To get back to their former occupa-
lions now that active hostties are over But
General Ccrhin points out that tho Responsible
ties undertaken ~ the United states for the
Protection ~ life and property in cuba and tho
islands recently acquired make the demands of
garrison duty fully as important and imperative
as tho considerations which call tho volunteer
arm into scrvi-,. and although the war is over
the urgent need Of troops Is as great as ever.
and merely personal considerations have got to
give way before National necessities.
The Nrst general order reducing the force will
provide as far possible for such distrihu-
ton Of the mustered out regiments among tho
States that the State quotas. according 10 popu-
lation. VIII he preserved In the troops retained
until Congress meets. and provides for the
further expansion Of the Regular Army 10 meet
the new conditions. According 10 the present
calculations not over 5000 mon will he
needed in Cuba for the six months fol-
lowing October l. and not over 10000 IN Porto
Rico after the Spaniards have evacuated. but
General Merritts entire command will have 10
he retained. and perhaps augmented as soon as
possible In all probability the division Of
six brigades that was assigned 10 General Wade
two weeks ago will 20 to Cuba next month with
the recuperatcd Regulars from Mon'auk Point.
The three regiments ~ Rough Riders. including
two which have not vet had active service. az
we'll as the Roosevelt regiment. only half ~
which LETT the United States. Will also 60 70
Cuba. and some of the seasoned troops from
Porto Rico Will do garrison duty there. Beyond
these no definite plans have been matured.