The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-03
REORGANIZATION
OF THE ARMY TOBE
MADEFEBRUARY Is
Three Infantry Divisions
and One Cavalry Made
in Recent Order
ORDER is ISSUED BY
DIRECTION OF MIR. TAFT
Army Division To Be Maintained in
New York, Chicago, Frisco and
San Antonio-Three Districts
For the Coast Artillery

Washington, February 2.-Provislon for
the tactical organization OF the United
States army into three infantry divisions
and one cavalry division. is made in an
order issued by direction of President Taft
and made public tonight by Secretary Of
War Stimson. This plan of reorganiga-
ton. which becomes effective February
Is. includes the entire mobile army with
in the continental limits of the United
States, was first drafted by the war col
lege division of the general staff and was
determined upon with some notifications
at the close Of a conference of general
officers at the war department last month
Hitherto there has been no tactical or
ganzaton higher than regiment. There
have been no brigades or divisions exist
ing in time of peace. Upon the outbreak
of war, when an army was needed, it was
necessary to create such an army under
all the stress and hurry and excitement
OF such an occasion. In order TO carry
out the necessary Administrative work
connected with the military establish
ment of the United States the country has
been divided by the new order into four
geographical departments-an eastern,
central, western and southern depart
ment, with headquarters respectively at
Governors Island, Chicago, San Francis
co and San Antonio.
One army division will be situated in
each of these departments. the cavalry
division being IN the southern department
with an infantry division in each of the
remaining departments. The eastern and
western departments are virtually the
same territorially as the present eastern
arA western divisions, while the south
Ell epa tment is carved from the present
ce fI division.
assignments Announced
p aection of President Taft. the fol-
ien assignments to command of de-
~ 3, divisions, brigades and dis
ft4 announced.
,ssef1i deparfmeht, MAJ J;sn.
sae=ae 4. Barry: the central department,
aa3 =. William II. Carter; the south
ste elrtment, Brig. Gen. Tasker III.
present commanding department.
af tils asD; the western department.
a4j !. Arthur Murray; the Philippine
asaAa ent, Mai. Gen. j. Franklin Bell,
in utihs district of Luzon, Brig Gen.
eiaee r. Edwards: district of Min
1aHqa Brig. Gen. John j. Pershing; the
IL e san department, Brig. Gen. Freder-
lex la.ston.
ie iirst division. Mai Gen. Thomas III.
sarry. including the first brigade; Brig.
Gen. Marion T.. Maus, and the second
brigade Brig Gen. Robert X Evans
The second division, Mai. Gen. William
II. Carter, including the fourth brigade,
Brig. Gen. Ramsay d. Potts; the fifth
brigade. Brig. Gen. Frederick A. Smith,
and the sixth brigade, Brig. Gen. Ralph
w. Hoyt.
The third division. Mai. Gen. Arthur
Murray, including the seventh brigade
tsenior colonel presently the eighth. bri-
gade, Brig. Gen. Walters Scuyler.
The cavalry division. Brig Gen. Tasker
II. Bliss, including the first cavalry bri-
gade, Col. Frank West the second cav
airy brigade, Brig Gen f. u. Steever; the
third cavalry brigade. Col. Charles A. r.
Hatfield. thirteenth cavalry.
The territorial organization heretofore
existing is discontinued and for military
purposes the territory OF the United
States is organized into four geographi-
cal departments, Hawaii and the Philip
pines constituting two more.
Coast Artillery Districts
In addition TO the four new divisions
which are established in continental
United States there also will he estab-
lished three districts for the coast art;I-
lery troops one on the north Atlantic
to comprise the coast artillery snb-dis.
tricts north of Delaware. inclusive. with
headquarters at Fort Totten, n. Y; an.
other on the south Atlantic to comprise
the sub-dfstricts between Baltimore and
Galveston, inclusive, with headauarters
at Charleston. s. c., and one on the Pa
cific, to embrace the sub-districts on that
coast. with headquarters at Fort Miey
California
A separate office with the rank, II pos
sible, of general officer, will be placed
in charge of each of the coast artillery
districts and ne will be responsible fol
the training. discipline and instruction ci
the troops under his command. The new
order also creates brigade of infantry
at Hawaii, which will be commanded hy
Brig Gen. Montgomery NJ Macomb.
Thus in the future each OF the three IN
fantry divisions win consist of two OF
three brigades with proper proportion
OF divisional artillery, cavalry, engineer
and other auxiliary troops. In addition
to the two cavalry brigades in the cavalry
division there is third detached cavalry
brigade At the head of each division
and as far as possible at the head Of each
bii6ddrs Will lfF PidNtt a 6Sbtidf oHl'tA
with his regular staff.
f'At the outbreak of any war. or upon
any emergency requiring the use of a
brigade or division of regular troops, !.
will only be necessary to issue single
order addressed to the commander of the
division or brigade in question directing
him to mobilize his forces at the desired
point.
The new plan will not involve the imme-
date movement of a large number OF
troops, The department now is studyins
the problems and orders for such trans
fers as are necessary will be issued later.
The assignment of staff officers to the
several commands organized under the
new plan will be announced in the fu-
ture.
Secretary stimson believes that the plan
of reorganization is as thoroughly in ac-
cord with the views of the army as 1t Is
possible for any such plan to be.
RYAN OUT ON BAIL;
@-<S H<N - -