796 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



and the action of examining boards in relieving the 

 incompetent, are now greatly more efficient than at the 

 commencement of the war. The assertion is believed 

 to be fully justified, that, retarded as a whole, for 

 character, valor, efficiency, and patriotic devotion, our 

 army has not been equalled by any like number of 

 troops in the history of the war. 



In view of the large conscription recently ordered by 

 the enemy, and their subsequent call for volunteers, to 

 be followed, if ineffectual, by a still further draft, we 

 are admonished that no effort must be spared to add 

 largely to our effective force as promptly as possible. 

 The sources of supply are to be found by restoring to 

 the army all who are improperly absent, putting an 

 end to substitution, modifying the exemption law, re- 

 stricting details, and placing in the ranks such of the 

 able-bodied men now employed as wagoners, nurses, 

 cooks, and other employees as are doing service for 

 which the negroes may be found competent. 



The act of the 16th of April, 1862, provides " that 

 persons not liable for duty may be received as substi- 

 tutes for those who are, under such regulations as may 

 be prescribed by the Secretary of War." The policy 

 of granting this privilege has not been sustained by 

 experience. Not only has the numerical strength of 

 the army been seriously impaired by the frequent de- 

 sertions for which substitutes have become notorious, 

 but dissatisfaction has been excited among those who 

 have been unable or unwilling to avail themselves of 

 the opportunity thus afforded of avoiding the military 

 service of their country. 



I fully concur in the opinion expressed by the Sec- 

 retary, that there is no ground for the objection that a 

 new provision to include those who furnished substi- 

 tutes under the former call would be a breach of con- 

 tract To accept a substitute was to confer a privi- 

 lege, not to enter into a contract, and whenever the 

 substitute is rendered liable to conscription, it would 

 seem to follow that the principal, whose place he had 

 taken, should respond for him, as the Government 

 had received no consideration for his exemption. 

 Where, however, the new provision of law would fail 

 to embrace a substitute now in the ranks, there ap- 

 pears, if the principal should again be conscribed, to 

 be an equitable ground for compensation to the con- 

 script, who then would have added to the service a 

 soldier not otherwise liable to enrolment. 



On the subject of exemptions, it is believed that 

 abuses cannot be checked unless the system is placed 

 on a basis entirely different from that now provided 

 by law. The object of your legislation has been, not 

 to confer privileges on classes, out to exonerate from 

 military duty such number of persons skilled in the 

 various trades, professions, and mechanical pursuits, 

 as could render more valuable services to their coun- 

 try by laboring in their present occupation than by 

 going into the ranks of the army. The policy is un- 

 questionable, but the result would, it is thought, be 

 better obtained by enrolling all such persons, and al- 

 lowing details to be made of the number necessary to 

 meet the wants of the country. Considerable num- 

 bers are believed to be now exempted from the military 

 service who are not needful to the public in their civil 

 vocations. 



Certain duties are now performed throughout the 

 country by details from the army which could be as 

 well executed by persons above the present conscript 

 age. -An extension of the limit, so as to embrace per- 

 sons over forty-five years, and physically fit for ser- 

 vice, in guarding posts, railroads, and bridges, in 

 apprehending deserters, and, where practicable, as- 

 suming the place of younger men detailed for duty 

 with the njtre, ordnance, commissary and quarter- 

 masters' bureaus of the War Department, would, it is 

 hoped, add largely to the effective force in the field, 

 without an undue burden on the population. 



If to the above measures be added a law to enlarge 

 the policy of the act of the 21st April, 1862, so as to 

 enable the Department to replace not only enlisted 

 cooks, but wagoners and other employees in the army, 

 by negroes, it is hoped that the ranks of the army will 



be so strengthened for the ensuing campaign as to put 

 at defiance the utmost efforts of the enemy. 



In order to maintain, unimpaired, the existing or- 

 ganization of the army until the close of the war, your 

 legislation contemplated a frequent supply of recruits, 

 and it was expected that before the expiration of the 

 three years for which the men were enrolled, under 

 act of 16th April, 1862, the majority of men in each 

 company would consist of those who joined it at dif- 

 ferent dates subsequent to the original muster of the 

 company into service, and that the discharge of those 

 who had completed their term would at no time be 

 sufficient to leave the company with a less number than 

 is required to enable it to retain its organization. The 

 difficulty of obtaining recruits from certain localities, 

 and the large number of exemptions from military ser- 

 vice granted by different laws, have prevented suf- 

 ficient accessions in many of the companies to preserve 

 their organization after the discharge of the original 

 members. The advantage of retaining tried and well 

 approved officers, and of mingling recruits with experi- 

 enced soldiers, is so obvious, and the policy of such a 

 course is so clearly indicated, that it is not deemed ne- 

 cessary to point out the evil consequences which would 

 result from the destruction of the old organizations, or 

 to dwell upon the benefits to be secured from filling up 

 the veteran companies as long before the discharge of 

 the early members as may be possible. In the cases 

 where it may be found impracticable to maintain regi- 

 ments in sufficient strength to justify the retention of 

 the present organization, economy and efficiency would 

 be promoted by consolidation and reorganization. 

 This would involve the necessity of disbanding a part 

 of the officers, and making regulations for securing the 

 most judicious selection of those who are retained, 

 while least wounding the feelings of those who are 

 discharged. 



Experience has shown the necessity for further legis- 

 lation in relation to the horses of the cavalry. Many 

 men lose their horses by casualties of service, which 

 are not included in the provisions made to compen- 

 sate the owner for the loss, and it may thus not un- 

 frequently happen that the most efficient troopers, 

 without fault of their own indeed, it may be because 

 of their zeal and activity are lost to the cavalry 

 service. 



It would also seem proper that the Government 

 should have complete control over every horse mus- 

 tered into the service, with the limitation that the 

 owner should not be deprived of his horse except upon 

 due compensation being made therefor. Otherwise, 

 mounted men may not keep horses fit for the service ; 

 and the question whether they should serve mounted 

 or on foot would depend, not upon the qualifications 

 of the men, but upon the fact of their having horses. 



Some provision is deemed requisite to correct the 

 evils arising from the long-continued absence of com- 

 missioned officers. Where it is without sufficient cause, 

 it would seem but just that the commission should 

 be thereby vacated. 



Where it results from capture by the enemy, which, 

 under their barbarous refusal to exchange prisoners of 

 war, may be regarded as absence for an indefinite time, 

 there is a necessity to supply their places in their re- 

 spective commands. This might be done by temporary 

 appointments, to endure only until the return of the 

 officers regularly commissioned. Where it results from 

 permanent disability, incurred in the line of their duty, 

 it would be proper to retire them, and fill the vacan- 

 cies according to established mode. I would also sug- 

 gest the organization of an invalid corps, and that the 

 retired officers be transferred to it. Such a corps, it 

 is thought, could be made useful in various employ- 

 ments for which efficient officers and troops are now 

 detached. 



An organization of the general staff of the army 

 would be highly conducive to the efficiency of that 

 most important branch of the service, the plan 

 adopted for the military establishment furnishes a 

 model for the staff of the provisional army, if it be 

 deemed advisable to retain the distinction ; but I re- 



