REPORT

OF THE

SECRETARY OF WAR:

BEING PART OF

THE MESSAGE AND DOCUMENTS

COMMUNICATED TO THE

TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS

AT THE

BEGINNING OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS.

IN FOUR VOLUMES.

VOLUME I.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

REPORT

OF

THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

Mr. PRESIDENT:

I have the honor to submit, as required by law, the annual report of the operations of the War Department.

It is gratifying to be able to state that the Army has maintained throughout the year its high standard of discipline and efficiency. Looking to the future, and the possible necessity of rapidly transforming a large number of citizens into effective soldiers, it is a matter of vital importance that the regular Army, in organization and personnel, should represent as nearly as may be a perfect model.

INFANTRY REORGANIZATION.

Since the present organization of our infantry was adopted, many changes have taken place in the art of war, resulting, among other things, in a material modification of the form of infantry regiments. Our stationary condition in this respect has left us with an obsolete organization, the defects of which, however, have been so exhaustively discussed in former reports from this Department that they are only referred to in the present instance as a means of urgently renewing the recommendations of nearly all my predecessors in behalf of three-battalion infantry regiments. A carefully framed bill, embodying the essential features of the desired reorganization, without any additional expense, has passed the Senate, and is now pending in the House of Representatives. The enactment of this bill into a law would be of great advantage to the Army and to the nation.

ARTILLERY REORGANIZATION.

As a further means of perfecting the Army, the reorganization of the artillery arm has been recommended and urgently pressed upon Congress. Necessary provisions to this end are embodied in the bill