The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-06
our ARMY, Big AND LITTLE.
MANY PUBLICATIONS. ~ SIZE
MlRk IT'S RySTORi.
From 5OO In D5sA u Grew tnt!i II lIad
sl.OsO Men IN 1862 fin ,hr War ~
1879 Il Had 07.0ssO Men. 9O,'MO
During the Mexican War. ~. OOO
IbIrinE the civil War aud a. .lNlO IN sos

1879 Il Had 07.0s9D Men. O.1NsN
During the NcSican War. $1,000
During the Ci,l War aud ~ .(klO hi sos
The army of the United States. depend
ing upon and governed by the national
Legislature more directly than the army
OF any other country, has from the very
beginning of orr national existence re-
iected the necessities Of the co,iltry by
the way in which it has expanded or con-
tracted To meet existing conditions IT
may lie doubted If any other army went
through so many fluctuations of size as
ours has done
After Washington gave up his command
| at Fraunce's Tavern in December, 1873,
, Ten. Henry Knox as senior officer became
! Commander-in-Cn Chief, holding Office until
June, 1884, when he was mustered GU {
along with most of the army The rest,
consisting of regiment Of infantry and
battalion of foo' artillery, was placed under
the senior officer, Major Josiah Harmer.
| COMMUNICATIVE Chief by brevet as Lieu
tenant Colonel There were 700 men in
the army then.
! In 1889, after the constitutional govern
ment HAD got into working order. the army
|
March. 1901. the army was still further
increased, until it consisted of ~, officers
and 2,l2s men Arthur St Clair was COM
missioned Major-General. and pso facto
! became Commander in Chief, whereupou
f, Col Harmer resigned.
In March, 1892, the legion was brought
| into our army. 1t consisted Of four regi-
ments Of infantry, four companies OF
| dragons and four companies of riiiemen,
with total of 25s officers and 5.l3G men,
! Major-Gen. Anthony Wayne became Gen.
| eral-in-Chief Of the Army of the From
| tier. post which he held until Dec. Is.
| 1905. when he died He was followed by
| Major-Gen. James Wilkinson, who re-
manned senior officer until July =. l70s.
There was fear Of war with France,
and Washington, who had left the Presi-
| dency fifteen months earlier. was made
Lieutenant General and Commander-in-
Chief; and on March 3. 1893. the army was
enlarged. and the rank of General was
created for him. He never was commits
! stoned in that rank. however and died
Lieutenant
The army had been enlarged meantime,
its authorized strength being placed at
two regiments of artillerists and engineers,
four regiments Of dragons, forty regi-
ments OF infantry and one regiment and
| one battalion Of ri1emen.. Its total was
| 2,l7 officers and 1924 men. Ma Gen.
| SeSander Hamilton was senior officer.
When the danger of war was over the
! army was Cut down with great rapidity,
| the act of May IA, lsC0, looping men of
| right and left, until only two regiments Of
art ilerists and engineers, two companies of
hgnt dragons and four regiments Of in
| fantry remained; and of these James Will
| kinson again took command as senior officer.
| The army consisted then OF sls officers and
| Ais men; but only year later this num-
| Der was further reduced to one regiment
| Of artillerists and two regiments Of infantry,
| with a strength Of 241 officers and 3,048
| men.
The army remained at this size for six
years, with Wilkinson still in command.
until on April u, 1908. the strength was
placed at IA officers and 9.147 men, divided
among regiment of light artillery, a regi-
ment of artillerists. a regiment of dragons,
seven regiments of infantry and one regi-
! ment of rihemen.
Gen. Wilkinson was relieved as Com
mander-n- Chief in January, 1872, Gen.
| Dearborn succeeding him for the war with
Great Britain. Many additions to the army
were authorized during that war, the
greatest strength reached being 3485 Off
GERS and 59,l79 men. in one regiment of light
artillery, a corps OF artillery, regiment OF
| dragons, forty-fctr regiments of infantry,
| four OF riflemen, and regiment Of rangers
| and sea fencibles.
At the end of ihe war the strength was
| fixed at 874 officers and ITO men, in a
corps OF engineers. regiment of light
| artillery corps of artillery. eight regi-
ments of infantry and one regiment of
rifemen; and Major-Gen. Jacob Brown be-
| came senior officer.
After anot her six years the army was reor-
gained, with a staff corps, four regiments
of artillery and seven of infantry, the total
strength being $40 officers and $3.50 men
| When Gen Brown died in 1928 zen. Macomb
was directed to take command of the army
the first officer ordered to that duty, the
! earlier misunderstanding except WASH
| ington, being merely seniors for the time
| being.
| Macomb held Office for thirteen years.
| In 1892 battalion of mounted rangers was
| authorized, the strength of the army being
$50 officers and $50 men; in 1888 the rife
| men were discontinued and u regiment OF
| Dragons enlisted the authorized strength
| being placed at 500 officers and $685. men;
| three years later, when a second regiment OF
dragons was provided. the strength be-
| came 847 officers and 1910 men. and two
years later still. in 1898. another (EghthD
regiment of infantry having been formed.
il was placed at 735 officers and II .s04 men.
The Mexican war was fought very largely
by volunteers, but the Regular army was in
creased until it consisted Of ,353 officers and
295l2 men, in three regiments Of Dragons.
regiment of mounted riiemen. four regi-
ments Of artillery. sixteen OF infantry and .
regiment of volunteers. This last body
was not the same as the State volunteer
organizations. Gen. Scott had succeeded
Macomb in 1s4l, and held Office until Nov.
9. 1851, when he retired.
After the Mexican war the piping times
Of peace returned and the army was cut
down by rwo-thrds, so that it consisted
Of sS2 officers and a,435 men. In 1855 it.
was increased TO Oi0 officers and 1928
men This was the strength Of the old
army
II was lust about doubled for the civil
war. reaching a total Of 1000 officers and
1924 men. divided among staff corps.
six cavalry, five artillery and nineteen in
fantry regiments The end of 'he war did
not cause reduction, however Instead,
the army was increased until in the stat
corps, ten regiments IT cavalry, FIVE of ar
tlery and fortytNe Of infantry i mad
3,O38 officers and 81. 81 men.
Three years later in 1879 twenty regiments
Of infantry were disbanded, and the author
lied strength was fixed al 2,277 officers and
rs ,O28 men and IN 1874 WITH tho same num-
Der Of regiments, only rs .Sc1 tn"c we're par
nnitted
Twenty-four wears passed without .
n, auua in tho army EtranDtI I'm March