The times., 1899-11-02


It is expected that by December / next
all the infantry regiments United States
Volunteers. shown above as in the United
States. will have sailed for the Philippine
Islands. These, with the troops now there.
viii give q total strength OF 2,l17 officers
and 81, SOS enlisted men, an aggregate Of
65. 725.
The Organization of Volunteers.
The report says: Under the calls of the
President for I25, 600 men and 5000 men
tApril % and May ., 1888. respectively,
and in pursuance of the act Of Congress
dated April p, 1888, providing for the or
ganization of a volunteer army, State mil
itia organizations enlisting as a body were
received into the military service of the
United States. The immediate pressure for
recognition on the part Of the comm ission-
ed personnel of each State organization
throughout the country became so great
that the total number Of State organiza-
tions appOrtioned under that call. eXclud-
ing three regiments Of engineers. three
regiments OF special cavalry from the na-
tion al large, and ten immune regiments
OF infantry. aggregated,
-Cavalry-Two regiments, two squad
rons, and nine troops.
'ArtiIleTy-Onc regiment (heavy). eight
batteries Of heavy artillery, and sixteen
battalions Of light artillery.
"Infantry-One hundred and nineteen
regiments and thirteen battalions
The distribution OF the 125 600 men
among this number OF organizations com
PEELED a modification Of the prescribed or
ganization Of the different arms. and reduc-
tons in strength were made in several eX-
cepti0ual cases The usual maximum per
company Of the organized State militia did
not exceed sixty. and many we're not main
tanned at that number. OF the number ac-
tuaHy borne upon company rolls a portion
declined TO volunteer, upon reasonable
grounds. About % per cent were r, iscted
o. physical examination pgior 10 muster,
and sn additional number were reie-ted On
physical re-eXamination after muster, a
systematic enquiry having been made with
q view 20 the elimination OF all men Un-
fitted for military service: 50 that about
thirty OF the original company is a fair
estimate Of the number OF men previously
trained, armed. and equipped in each com
psny finally received into the United State
service The minimum number per com
pany required for muster IN was seventy
seven. and hence IN many instances about
forty-seVen recruits, mostly untTa ned and
without uniform or equipment were hasti-
ly obtained and physically examined with
out opportunity TO enquire into their moral
OF mental fitness, and d number were found
On the expiration Of muster-out flrlough
% be actual residents of neighboring or
distant States. Deficiencies Ia numbe s
from these causes became Immediately ap-
parent and the necessity Of providing in
almost every particular for the re -ruits
necessary 10 expand State companies 10
the State maximum and thence TO the min
imUm required for muster into the United
States service a. once developed dzfcien-
cies IN clothing arms. and equipment
Consolidation Of military organizations
urged by this department 10 nee. this
situation, presenting fewer regiments con
tanning a greater number Of trained men
fairly clothed, armed, and equipped. was
not accomplished. There were obtained
for State organizations. mustered in under
the first call about $4,000 recruits TO ap-
proEimate 10 the maximum authorized by
lsw-I0G per infantry company
Many Trying Conditions.
States presented for muster into the
United states service regimentaI and bat
TALON. stan ana noucommissioned staff Of
fcsrs. unknown TO any Law or regulation
Of the Army viz. regimental paymasteTs
regimentaI inspectors Of rife practice. regi-
mental c0mmissaries and ordnance Off
GERS. reKimeutal signal officers, battalion
adtutants and Quar,ermasters, assistant
surgeons-With the rank Of captain-Tegi-
mental and battalion cOmmissary. quarter
master and ordnance sergeants and bat
talon sergeant majors presenting or
mobilization. a heterogeneous army un-
satisfactory rot only from a military and
economical view. bur because Of dissatis-