22 



ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



ratio of depletion, there would be left but 

 450,000 effective men at tbe close of the year. 

 To offset these losses there were 60,000 con- 

 scripts, and, as appears by the provost-marshal- 

 general's report, 83,242 recruits obtained, pre- 

 vious to November, by volunteering, of whom 

 all but about 15,000 were 3 years' men, a to- 

 tal of 133,242, which would bring the strength 

 of the army, in October, up to about 580,000 

 men. The estimates of the War Depertment 

 show that the paymaster- general of volun- 

 teers was called upon in November to pay 961 

 regiments of infantry, 159 of cavalry, 42 of ar- 

 tillery, 4 of engineers, and 174 artillery bat- 

 teries, making a total of about 1,150 full regi- 

 ments. The regular army to be added consists 

 of 6 regiments of cavalry, 5 of artillery, and 19 

 of infantry, making an aggregate of 1,200 regi- 

 ments. To this large number, the exigencies 

 that follow victory and occupation, the nature 

 and extent of the field of operations, and the 

 formidable size of the enemy's army, impera- 

 tively demanded that considerable reinforce- 

 ments should be added. 



Within a few days after the last call, volun- 

 teering commenced in all the States with an 

 activity which promises a substantial increase 

 to the national forces. In addition to the 

 bounties offered by Government, from its com- 

 mutation fund and from other sources, viz., 

 $302 to new recruits, and $402 to veteran vol- 

 unteers, there were bounties provided by State, 

 county, town, or other local authorities, nearly, 

 if not fully, equal in amount, making the whole 

 sum received by the recruit from $600 to $900. 

 Under this stimulus a sufficient number of re- 

 cruits had probably come in at the close of the 

 year to restore the army to the effective 

 strength possessed by it a twelvemonth pre- 

 vious. 



Previous campaigns having shown the folly 

 of recruiting the army by the addition of new 

 regiments and companies, which require many 

 months of experience in actual warfare to be- 

 come effective, the Government, early in the 

 year, began to devise means to retain in the 

 field the veteran troops whose terms were 

 about to expire, and to fill up the regiments in 

 active service to the maximum strength. Many 

 of the latter were reduced to mere skeleton 

 commands ; a brigade of four or five regiments 

 being frequently inferior in numerical strength 

 to a full regiment ; and, in the opinion of ex- 

 perienced officers, an army made up of numer- 

 ous small organizations of this nature was 

 wanting in mobility and in other elements of 

 power. Few of the regiments raised during 

 the first two years of the war had received any 

 considerable reinforcements, and though the 

 men had become good soldiers, the gradual re- 

 duction (amounting in some cases to almost 90 

 per cent.) in their numbers had greatly weaken- 

 ed that esprit du corps which it is one of the chief 

 objects of a general to promote. A regiment 

 reduced to 150 or 200 men, with no hope of 

 being reenforced, soon loses interest in its or- 



ganization, and its members, if not demoralized 

 or affected in their discipline, become at the 

 best only machines. Influenced, doubtless, by 

 these considerations, the Secretary of War an- 

 nounced, in his annual report, that " the prime 

 importance of filling up the old regiments, and 

 the superiority of such forces over new regi- 

 ments, were points upon which all military 

 experience and opinions agree," and, through- 

 out the year, the policy of the Government in 

 providing for an increase of the army, was in 

 conformity with these views. An important 

 exception was made in the case of negro regi- 

 ments, of which mention will be made here- 

 after. In some of the States also nine months' 

 men, and in New York two years' men, were 

 formed into new regiments, which were con- 

 sidered, and were in fact, equivalent to veteran 

 regiments. 



As a means of inducing veterans, both out 

 of and in the service, to reenlist, or to enter 

 old regiments other than their own, a liberal 

 system of bounties and furloughs was adopted, 

 the details of which are given in the follow- 

 ing order, issued by the War Department, on 

 June 28th. 



GENERAL ORDERS, No. 191. First : In order to in- 

 crease the armies now in the field, volunteer infantry, 

 cavalry, and artillery may be enlisted at any time 

 within ninety days from this date, in the respective 

 States, under the regulations hereinafter mentioned. 

 The volunteers so enlisted, and such of the three years' 

 troops now in the field as may reenlist, in accordance 

 with this order, will constitute a force to be designa- 

 ted " Veteran Volunteers." 



The regulations for enlisting the force are as fol- 

 lows; 



Second : The period of service for tbe enlistments 

 and reenlistments above mentioned shall be for three 

 years or during the war. 



Third : All able-bodied men between the ages of 

 18 and 45 years, who have heretofore been enlisted 

 and have served for not less than nine months, and 

 can pass the examination required by the mustering 

 regulations of the United States, may be enlisted un- 

 der this order as veteran volunteers in accordance with 

 the provisions hereinafter set forth. 



fourth : Every volunteer enlisted and mustered 

 into the service as a veteran under this order, shall be 

 entitled to receive from the United States one month's 

 pay in advance, and a bounty and premium of $402. 



Fifth : If the Government shall not require these 

 troops for the full period of three years, and they shall 

 be mustered honorably out of the service before the 

 expiration of their term of enlistment, they shall re- 

 ceive, upon being mustered out, the whole aniount of 

 bounty remaining unpaid, and the same as if the full 

 term had been servea. ' The legal heirs of volunteers 

 who die in service shall be entitled to receive the whole 

 bounty remaining unpaid at the time of the soldier's 

 death. 



Sixth : Veteran volunteers enlisted under this order 

 will be permitted at their option to enter old regiments 

 now in the field, but their service will continue for the 

 full term of their own enlistment, notwithstanding the 

 expiration of the term for which the regiment was 

 originally enlisted. New organizations win be officer- 

 ed only by persons who have been in service, and have 

 shown tfiemselves properly qualified for command. 

 As a badge of honorable distinction, service chevrons 

 will be furnished by the War Department, to be worn 

 by the veteran volunteers. 



Seventh : Officers of regiments, whose terms have ex- 

 pired, will be authorized, on proper application and 



