The Washington times., 1915-03-07
Provided for Special
Force In 1898.

when war with France threatened in
1TpS Congress chose the other course
and authorized a provisional force to be
enlisted for three years and organized
and differed by the President But the
next year it went back to militia again
and provided for 1900 three months
men. who We're not to serve out Of the
States in which they lived. This pro-
vision lapsed when the emergency
ended.
This tendency toward using the militia
continued during all the years Of agita-
ton that preceded the outbreak of the
war of 1872, and dominated the legisla-
ton in preparation for that struggle.
The regular army had been reduced to
little more than nothing. In 1865. when
the troubles with England were already
sufficiently acute to furnish serious
warming of the outcome. the regular
army numbered only 2.5I6 men and Of
ficers. reduction from 4,o'l in 1901.
In 1905 Congress added aight regi-
1uents to the regular army. five of in
fantry and one each Of light artillery,
riflemen, and dragons. That was the
establishment when the country came
face to face with war.
Then Congress did Just what it al
ways has done under such circumstances
turned hastily and in semi-panic to
military legislation and hurried bills
through one after the other in a perfect
hodge podge, poorly devised and i'll con-
sidered, and with little or no reference
to any general scheme or plan of de-
tense.
The regiments authorized In 1908 had
not been raised by the close of 1911. and
to has enlistment Congress voted a
bounty of Sl6. with 100 acres of land and
three months extra pay, to all who
We're honorably discharged after five
years service.
Then came the act providing for thir-
r..arr,n man t- ,,f fnrl s,f
infantry. two of artillery, and one OF
. dragons There was no common plan
of organization. Some regiments con-
sisted OF ten, companies, others Of eight
cen. Some companies We're of sixty
four men, others of siXty-eight. and
some of loo.
One artillery regiment was composed
Of twenty companies in five battaiiohS,
two others of the same number OF COM
panies IN two battaliOnS. One regiment
of Dragons consisted of eight troops,
another of twelve troops in two battal-
ions.
Moreover. there was no systematic
staff organization whatever. The sup
ply departments, without which there
might just as we'll be no line. simply did
not exist by authority of law unti the
latter part of March. lSl2, less than
three months before the declaration OF
war
Then an act was passed regularly cs.
tablishing the .auartermaster and ""m
duties and abolshing the military
agents who had brought the supply o
the army into chaos. The ordnance de
partment was not established until th'
middle of May, q month before Inc out
break of war. Yet it is the ordnance
department that supplies an army will
arms and ammunition.
The aggregate OF the regular arm,
thus authorized was a little over 35O 90
men But that was the force on paper
not the force in the field. Despite tn
bounty and all other inducements en-
listments We're SO slow that when th
war opened the total strength of tn
regular army was only G,1i4
To command this army and eNe"ut
the plans for the capture of Canada
winch filed the minds of the leaders q
the war party, the country was force
IN rely upon Il group of veterans of tn
war for Independence, who have bee
described as old vain, respectable
and inCapahl".'
Winfield Scott. who won distinction i
the war Of 1872. aud who knew th"s" OF
6cers well said that som" or them Wer
tuined bv iuf"mpe"sn"v ard others wer
tsunk In slOth" " There were no men q
military training and education avail
able for high command. The Militar
Academy at West Point had been es
AablIshed only half a dozen years an