i 



EEPOET OF CAPT GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN. 279 



the quartermaster sergeant and the 2(1 corporal ; the saddler and the dismounted men to remain 

 with the train. 



It will be observed that the strength of the company is the same as now authorized ; it 

 requires another lieutenant, in place of the brevet 2d lieutenant, and the addition of 2 sergeants, 

 1 veterinary, 4 corporals, and 1 saddler, while the number of privates is diminished by 8. 



Kegiments composed of 6 companies would be preferable to the present organization ; by the 

 addition of 2 companies to the 40 now in service, 7 effective regiments would be formed. 



If this cannot be done, it would be well to decrease the number of companies in a regiinent 

 to 8, and form a 5th regiment of the 8 superfluous companies. 



If neither of these plans can be adopted, it is believed that the modification proposed in the 

 organization of the company will of itself produce very beneficial results. 



To the staff of each regiment there should be added a chief veterinary, with the rank of 

 sergeant major, or even as a commissioned ofiicer, and a chief saddler ; to the standard company 

 there should be allowed an additional sergeant as standard bearer, and a corporal as assistant, 

 or these two non-commissioned ofiicers might be attached to the staff. 



If a band is considered necessary, the men ought to be considered as belonging to the staff, 

 in addition to the usual strength of the regiment, and not to be subtracted from the strength of 

 the companies ; it should be supported by the government, and not by the officers and regi- 

 mental fund. 



It would be advisable that the hospital attendants be placed on the same footing ; and that a 

 proper number of teamsters be authorized for the staff and each company, to be enlisted or hired 

 as such, and not detailed from the companies ; those for the companies should be under the 

 sole control of the captains. 



The junior field officers should have a direct, specific, and well defined authority over a 

 certain number of companies, the colonel taking the general direction ; in a new organization 

 it would be well to have 1 field officer for every 2 companies. 



It ought to be laid down that detachments shall always be composed of men of the same com- 

 pany, and never of details from different companies ; in the same company, platoons, or sections 

 with their own officers and non-commissioned officers should, as far as practicable, be detached 

 as units. 



If legislation is called for, and obtained in effecting a re-organization of our cavalry, I think 

 that it would be advisable to call the unit a squadron instead of company, in order to dis- 

 tinguish it from the infantry unit in reports, returns, &c., without the necessity of circumlocu- 

 tion. It is also of importance to obtain authority to enlist supernumerary recruits, who might 

 be kept at the cavalry school, or the European system of depot squadrons miglit be adopted ; 

 in time of war this system will be found to be absolutely necessary to maintain the cavalry 

 regiments in a state of efficiency, and the requisite laws should be obtained in time of peace 

 that there may be no delay in taking the i^roper measures at the right time. 



A proper organization would authorize a moderate number of supernumerary officers of all 

 grades, for detail upon detached duty, so that the full number required by the tactics might 

 always be present with the regiments and companies. 



The efficiency of the arm would be increased were there a general of cavalry, whose dutv it 

 would be to inspect the troops of the arm, watch over their interests, and secure uniformity in 

 the service. This officer ought to have a number of aides de camp, all cavalry officers, who 

 could make, under his orders, more frequent inspections than any one man could accomi^lish. 

 The most proper station for this officer would probably be Jefferson barracks, if that were 



