The times., 1899-05-14
GROWTH OF THE
AMERICAN ARMY
Numbered SS6 Officers and
Men n 1889.
Constituted by a Resolution of Con
gress in That Near.
Gradual Increase of the Fighting
Force-ChunEes Brought About
by the Spanish War.

The Army of the United States was con-
sttuted by a resolution of Congress of date
of September %, 1888. being the first act
of national legislation after the adoption
of the Constitution. Our regular army was
a most modest affair under that act. 1t
consisted of a battalion of artillery, COM
posed OF four companies and a regiment
of infantry made up Of eight companies
In all this array OF twelve companies of
infantry and artillery there were l lieu
tenant colonel, 3 majors 12 captains, Ii
lieutenants, s ensigns, / surgeon, sur
geons' mates, As sergeants, As corporals,
"a musicians, and 720 private soldiers.
Grand aggregate of the United States Reg
ular Army in 1883, $50 officers and men,
lieutenant colonel being the ranking off
Ger in the entire army.
In 1890 there was an increase OF l ma
ior, captains, lieutenants. ensigns.
and $40 enlisted men, bringing the total
up to 1.273, of which force 81 were COM
missicned officers. The lieutenant colonel
continued to be the highest grade in the
army"
In 1871 the United States Army blossom
ed out with full-fiedged major general,
brigadier general, a quartermaster, and
chaplain. There was no increase in the
artillery companies, but a second regiment
of infantry was added and the aggregate
of the army was increased to 2,232, of
whom 104 were commissioned officers, and
2.12S enlisted men.
From 1892 to 1896 there was practically
no change from the following organization:
General and general staff, medical staff,
sublegions. each composed OF / troop of
dragons. l company of artillery, bat
talions of infantry, and l battalion of ri
f1es. There was l major general, l briga-
dier, l adjutant and inspector. l chief
quartermaster. and II subordinates, l chief
surgeon. and 3S assistants, l chaplain. 4
brigade majors. IL adjutants, IA majors,
56 captains. go lieutenants. ccrnets, As
ensigns; total commissioned. 25S; total en-
listed. 5,l56; grand aggregate in 1892,
5,4l4.
The act of May 30, 1896, considerably re-
duced the army from what it was in 1872.
The Office of quartermaster general and
paymaster general first turned up in this
year. There was reduction in the num-
ber of commissioned officers by 25 and a
reduction in enlisted strength of 2,03o.
| The grand aggregate in 1886 was 1883 men
and officers. There was a slight change in
1T9S-an increase in officers to 2S9 and en-
listed men to $50; total Also. Mean
/ while the major general was dropped. A
/ Judge Advocate appeared this year in the
army organization. Lieutenant colonies
| had increased to 6 and majors to 10. There
were yet no coionels in the army.
Later, in 1898, because of the war with
France. or threatened war, the army was
increased to 10000 men. lieutenant
general (Washington) and also two majo:
generals were added to the official per-
| sonnel. Otherwise, except in the particu-
| lar OF staff officers there was no change in
| the organization of the army. Under a
special act later in the year 1898 the army
| was again increased to 14,221 men and Of
! ficers.
In 1893 it was increased to 1851 officers
and men, and the army was composed of
two regiments of artillery and engineers,
four regiments of dragons, forty regi-
ments of infantry, and one regiment and
battalion of rifles. There was one Cen
| eral of the Armies" who was to have
been Washington by common consent. but
| he died ere the appointment could be con-
| ferred upon him by President Adams; one
major general, one brigadier general, an
adjutant general, quartermaster general,
paymaster general, physician general, an
apothecary general, purveyor, inspector
| of artillery inspector of fortifcations, an
engineer officer a judge advocate, and
four chaplains. Besides these chief staff
officers, there were many assistants OF
lesser rank. Total commissioned, 2,447;
| total enlisted, 1924 Grand aggregate,
81 .6sl In the act creating this force and
its personnel the rank of major general
was conferred on the quartermaster gen.
eral, but he was never commissioned to
that grade.
The act of May IA, 1900, authorized the
President to reduce the United State
Army TO Whist it was practically before
the trouble occurred with France. Conse'
uuently. all the generals were discharged
| except one brigadier and the staff gen
erals. The number OF commissioned Of
ficers was reduced to 3lS and the enlisted
strength to S.11S. The military peace
establishment by the act of March 16
1902. was fixed at 3,2S7 officers and men
There was one brigadier. All of th
chief staff department officers were dis
pensed with except an adjutant and in
| spector general For the first time th'
grade of colonel appears upon the arm!
rolls. with three of the grade at the hea'
| OF the only three regiments in the ser
vice.
There was no change until 1903. whel
the act of April u provided for an add
ton of regiments of infantry, l of RI
/ nemen l of light artillery, l OF ligh
, dragoons brigadiers. brigade inspec
tors, brigade quartermasters. hospita
surgeons. II surgeons mates, and l chap
| lain to each brigade. The number of Of
, ficers of the army was increased to IA
the enlisted force to 9.l47 men. This in
crease was compelled by the theatenin
condition of affairs with Great Britain
+ which ultimately eliminated in the wa
, OF lS12-15.
! The act of June %, 1872 made som
I important additions to our militar
| strength. The army was composed of
regiment or artillerists. regiments G
heavy artillery. regiments of dragons
% regiments of infantry, and l regimen
a of rifiemen-1, ,657 commissioned officer
a and 24.O9j enlisted men, There were
major generals, brigadiers, 80 colonel!
(, 30 lieutenant colonels. and 40 majors, be
!. sides staff officers of these grades. Their
was adju,ant general, inspector genera
? quartermaster general, adjutant and in
q spector general of the army commissar
general of purchases commissary gener:
of ordnance. paymaster of the army. hos
d pital surgeons. and judge advocates.
It In 1913 the major generals had increas
q ed to s. the brigadiers TO 16. the colone
n to 50, lieutenant colonels to SO. and u
# majors to lG6. There was no increase
the artillery or dragons. but there ha
a been an addition to 10 regiments of il
fantry. The grand aggregate of the rei
h uar army was 57,S5l men, of whom 3,2
n were commissioned officers.
e The Army in 1914 was composed of REL
If inent of light artillery, a corps of arti
n lery, a regiment of light Dragons. a reg
ments of infantry, regiments of rifeme
10 a regiment of rangers. and some sea fenc
l. bIes. Total commissioned, 3,f95; total eI
Ia listed force, 59.l79. There was no not,
If worthy change in the staff department
1t This was thigh-water mark of the Re