Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-05
THE ARMY.
An Important Year In the History Of the
War Department.


Since my last annual message, and in
% and 28, 1898. the remaining volunteer
force enlisted for the Spanish war. con-
seers with ''e over 5ooo voiunteer s offieers,
has been discharged from the military
service ser Is -, OF the younteers ss7 qcers
pines. and 1850 Of the regulars, who were
entitled to be mustered out, after the rat-
ificati0n Of the treaty Of peace They vol
sod 81 s a 81 s new T9a ro op Th sy
were returned home In the order In which
they went to Manila, and are now all Of
them out Of the service and in the ranks
or citizenship. recommend that the
congress provide special medal of honor
for the volunteers. regulars, sailors and
marines on duty in the Philippines, who
voluntarily remained in the service after
their terms of enlistment had expired.
Increase of the Army.
BY the act Of March 2. 1899, congress gave
authority to increase the regular army
to MAXIMUM no. exceeding 81, oo Sos enlisted
tsers, to be recruited from the country at
large. By virtue of this authority the reg
ular army has been increased to the NUM-
and new volunteer regiments have been or
ssa oesrS Two 81 i these Voisntes sn r e9p
ne 0ee 81 'o05 TSe new new
troops to take the places OF these re-
turning from the Philippines have been
IT. to Manila q nj to the number Of
regular army and 594 officers and 1883
enlisted men of the new volunteer force,
while 5g officers and IA. 11s men of the vol
unteer force are on the ocean en- route to
Manila. 80.
Our Army in Luxon.
The force now in Manila consists of COS
officers and 30,57S regulars, and 594 officers
and less Of the ,eo volunteers making an
When the troops now under orders shall
reach Manila, the force in the archipelago
VIII comprise 2,051 officers and 63,4s3 men,
army organized for the Spanish war and
the e, creation Of a new army. the transport
tation from Manila to San Francisco of
portation of the new troops to take their
places have been a work Of great magni-
tude well and ably done, for which too
partment - -
o; During ing the past year we have reduced
S cur force ne IN Cuba and Porto Rico. II
enlisted men; in Porto Rico. 81 efficers a. and
1856 enlisted men and battalion Of 400
men composed Of native Porto Ricans:
y Whi Is. stat d9G throughput the United
states are $40 officers and 1877 men, and In
Hawaii IL officers and 455 enlisted men.
Communication for Ofcers and Men.
The operations Of the army are fully pre-
scented In the report Of the secretary of
war | cannot withhold from officers and
men the highest commentator for their
soldierly. conduct In trying situations,
their willing sacrifices for their country,
and the integrity and ability with which
they have performed unusual and difficult
duties In our island possessions
In the organization of the volunteer regi-
ments authorized by the act Of March 2,
1899 1t was found that no provision had
been made for chaplains. This omission
was DOUBTLESS from inadvertence recon-
mend the early authorization for the APP
pointment of one chaplain for each of said
regiments. These regiments are now in the
philippines, and It Is important that Inn
mediate action be had.