REPORTS TO THE MAJOR-GENERAL COMMANDING THE ARMY. REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, September 28, 1894. SIR: Pursuant to your instructions, I have the honor to submit the annual returns of the Army: A.-Showing the actual strength of the Army June 30, 1894. B.-Showing position and distribution of the troops, by departments, taken from the latest returns on file in the Adjutant-General's Office. C.-Geographical departments and posts, with distribution of troops, post-offices, telegraph stations, and nearest railroad stations and boat landings. D.-Statement showing gain and loss in the enlisted strength of the Army during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1894. The number of enlisted men in service June 30, 1894, receiving increased pay under the act of Congress of August 4, 1854, was as follows: Five years' continuous service ($2 per month). Total...... 3,664 1,993 1,065 673 236 4 2 1 7, 638 The number of those who will become entitled to increased pay under the act of Congress of May 15, 1872, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, is: And the number of enlisted men whose terms will expire during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, is 3,230. Regimental commanders report that 80 per cent of the number of men who will be discharged in the coming six months have declared their intention to reenlist. THE LINE OF THE ARMY. With a legal force of 25,000 men, the actual average fighting strength of the Army during the past five years has been 20,488. Deducting the sick, the total effective force available for service at any time during that period has been about 5,000 less than the nominal enlisted strength of the Army. These 5,000 are made up of the engineer and ordnance detachments, post quartermaster-sergeants, post commissarysergeants, ordnance-sergeants, hospital stewards, the detachments at West Point, the Military Prison guard, etc., most necessary to avoid drawing men from the line of battle to perform their duties, but not strictly a combative force. Paucity in the number of our soldiers has necessitated great outlays in transportation to concentrate from remote places sufficient troops to act in an emergency at a single point. Moved hither and yon, this small body has been distinguished for the amount and character of its good work. In recent events in the performance of its duty to restore order and preserve the peace, subjected by lawless people to insulting words and deeds well calculated to invite bloodshed, it has displayed a behavior possible only to highly disciplined men under cool and judicious commanders. It is earnestly recommended that the enlisted strength of the Army be increased to 30,000 men, so as to give a maximum of 25,000 as the regimental fighting force. This maximum is only about two-thirds of the minimum organization prescribed by the Revised Statutes for cavalry, artillery, and infantry regiments, yet it will enable the Government to reorganize its artillery into seven regiments for coast defense and field artillery, and its infantry into three battalion regiments, without interfering with the strength of the cavalry. THE INDIAN SOLDIER. No means was neglected to insure the success, if it were possible, of the plan set forth in General Orders, No. 28, Headquarters of the Army, March 9, 1891, for the recruitment of eight troops of cavalry and nineteen companies of Indian infantry. Recruiting officers were selected from among those officers of the Army having large and varied knowledge of the Indian character and habits. The tribal rights of the enlisted Indians were zealously guarded, and, by permission of the Interior Department, cooks, tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, etc., were sought among the members of the Indian schools at Carlisle, Hampton, and elsewhere. The result obtained after prolonged trial has not been encouraging. The number of Indians in the line of the Army was 417, June 30, 1891; 780, June 30, 1892; 771, June 30, 1893; and June 30, 1894, was but 547, only six troops of cavalry and four companies of infantry remaining in existence at that date. Lack of knowledge of the English language, restlessness and discontent under absolutely new conditions of life and habits, marriage, demoralization when stationed near Indian reservations, are among the causes which have interfered to prevent the Indian from becoming a valuable American soldier. As the object for which these enlistments were authorized has been fully accomplished, I am of opinion that further attempts to incorporate Indians as a part of the Army will neither benefit them nor the service. DESERTIONS. The total number of desertions during the past fiscal year is 1,073, a decrease of 609 in the number reported from the preceding year. While the desertions from the several recruiting depots and rendezvous reached 14 per cent of the average strength of those stations, the average rate throughout the Army is less than 4.5 per cent. It is hoped that recent legislative action governing enlistments will further lower the record of desertions. The majority of desertions appear to have occurred among men of less than one year's service. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1892, the ratio of men deserting during the first year of their service was 73.10 per cent of the whole number of desertions; in the following year it was 71.14; and in the year ended June 30, 1894, it was 68.12. For the first two years of service it was 87.65 in 1892, 90.97 in 1893, and 89.28 in 1894. The following amounts have been collected from enlisted men for clothing overdrawn, and this very largely in the first year of service: While, undoubtedly, disenchantment, homesickness, entanglement, and causes peculiar to individual cases have led many men to abandon the military service at an early period of their engagement, it is believed that these stoppages and the detention of $4 of the monthly pay of young soldiers during the first year of enlistment have incited to the desertion which has occurred in the early part of their terms of service. This detention of $4 per month from the pay of the young soldier is likely, when he finds himself short of pocket money, to lead him into the temptation of realizing cash by sale, at ruinous discount, of clothing drawn or overdrawn upon his allowance. That the stoppage of these large sums for clothing from the pay of enlisted men does not result from an insufficient allowance is clearly shown by the record that during the same period, as heretofore cited, the Government has paid to soldiers for clothing undrawn: The fact that recruits will hereafter be promptly forwarded to their regiments, and that the least possible amount of clothing will be issued to them till they shall have come under the care of their own captains and lieutenants, will tend, it is believed, to reduce the heavy charges on account of clothing heretofore issued to them at depot and, later, upon joining their regiments. In my report to the honorable Secretary of War I shall recommend that the law requiring the detention of $4 per month from the pay of the soldier during the first year of his enlistment be repealed. THE MILITARY PRISON. The annual report of the commandant of the military prison and the reports of the other officers on duty,' submitted herewith, show in detail the management of the affairs of that institution during the past year and indicate that the duties of these officers have been performed in a satisfactory manner. The number of prisoners in confinement June 30, 1893, was 458; the number received during the year, 476, and the number discharged, etc., 417, leaving 517 in confinement on June 30, 1894, an increase of 59. The greatest number in confinement at any one time during the year was 626 on March 31, 1894. The regular appropriation for the year ended June 30, 1894, was $76,240, and the deficiency act appropriated $7,234, making in all $83,474, of which $79,489.78 was expended. This amount includes the expenditure of $1,150 for donations of $5 each to 230 prisoners released from confinement at Alcatraz Island, California, and other military posts, leaving the actual expenditures made at the prison $78,339.78, an increase of $7,240.82 over the expenditure for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1893. This is accounted for by the increased number of prisoners confined during the past year, the average number per month having been 553 against 408 for the preceding year. The prison furnished 189 suits of civilian clothing for prisoners released from confinement at divers military posts. The prison fund, made up from various earnings from the labor of the prisoners and the sale of miscellaneous material, amounted to $1,239.54, and this was turned into the United States Treasury on June 30, 1894. The system of cellular confinement, authorized by the Secretary of War, is now complete, with 488 ordinary cells, 1 cell for each prisoner, except the sick, and 18 stone and 10 iron punishment cells. The yield of the prison farm, of which 177 acres were cultivated, provided an ample supply of all kinds of vegetables. Some of the principal products were 4,850 bushels of potatoes, 65,000 heads of cabbage, 3,700 bushels of corn, besides large quantities of onions, tomatoes, beans, etc. The various industries were carried on in a satisfactory manner, but the limited amount of labor required for the Quartermaster's Department taxed the commandant to find proper employment for the prisoners. He therefore commenced an extensive system of sewerage for the prison and put up a brick plant, which he reports will prove useful to the Government and give necessary employment. The report indicates an existing necessity for supplying increased means for useful industrial training. The principal articles manufactured for the Quartermaster's Department during the year were 300 pairs of boots, 22,773 pairs of shoes, 33 sets of harness, and 26,000 corn brooms; wash boilers, stovepipe, and various articles of tin and iron ware for kitchen purposes. There were 1,813 cords of wood and 55,000 feet of lumber cut by the prisoners. The total number of days of skilled labor performed by them was 53,034, and the number of days of unskilled labor 118,188. Of these, 26,712 days of skilled and 37,044 days of unskilled labor were performed for the Quartermaster's Department, amounting in value to $26,321.40. I Omitted The report of the prison surgeon shows an unusual amount of sickness and a larger death rate than heretofore-seven prisoners and one member of the guard having died during the year. Some of the cases are ascribed to the water supply from the Missouri River and defective sewerage. Efforts to secure a good supply of pure water by boring wells and to establish improved sewerage have been inaugurated and are in progress. Every attention has been given to the moral and religious welfare of the prisoners and to the night school. This school has been very successful, with an attendance of 250 scholars five nights of each week. MILITARY CONVICTS. Section 1361 of the Revised Statutes provides that convicts confined in the military prisons shall be liable to trial and punishmentunder the rules and articles of war-for offenses committed by them during the term of their imprisonment. The rigid methods of prison discipline, to which alone such offenders are amenable, can not well be so effectually applied as at such places. Convicts retained at military posts to serve their sentence, or pending their removal to the military prison, take advantage of their immunity from trial to corrupt and demoralize garrison prisoners with whom they are necessarily brought into daily contact. To remedy this at present unavoidable but deplorable evil, I have the honor to recommend that the provisions of the above-quoted sec tion of the Revised Statutes be extended to include all military convicts, both at the posts where they are temporarily held and while en route changing station. POST LYCEUMS. The reports from department commanders indicate very clearly an honest and conscientious attempt on the part of all officers concerned to carry out the spirit of General Orders, No. 80, of 1891, establishing post lyceums. There appears substantial agreement of department, regimental, and post commanders in the belief that much benefit is derived from this yearly course of instruction. The unanimity of certain recommendations made by these officers indicates the necessity for a revision of the original order. The following suggestions in accordance with the recommendations mentioned are submitted: First. That the classes be composed of officers of like grade only. That when this is found impracticable, from a limited number at a station, captains be excused from recitations, while essays be compulsory upon all officers below the grade of major. Second. That the latitude heretofore allowed in the selection of subjects for the essays be so curtailed as to concentrate the discussions upon matters of military and professional interest. It is recommended that department commanders prepare, at the proper time, theoretical problems in minor tactics and strategy, questions involving the application of the principles of military and international law and other matters of like nature, and select campaigns from American wars for consideration and discussion during the lyceum season, at every post within their commands, and that, at the close of the lyceum period, the best and second best essay and discussion on all or any of the subjects enumerated above be forwarded for examination and publication by the War Department. |