Letter from the secretary of the treasury, transmitting his annual re- port, prepared in obedience to the act supplementary to the act, en- titled "An act to establish the treasury department" Letter from the acting secretary of the treasury, transmitting a state- ment of the exports of the United States, during the year ending the HISTORICAL REGISTER. REVIEW OF THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE UN ED STATES. [Continued from vol. 1. p. 45.] CHAPTER V. OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. (In Continuation.) § 1. Command of the army. § 2. Military peace establishment. $3, Additional force of 10,000 men. § 4. War establishment. §5. The regiment of light artillery. § 6. The regiment of dragoons. 7. The artillery corps. §8. The regiments of infantry. § 9. The rifle regiments. § 10. The general officers. § 11. The quarter master general's department. $12. The topographical department. § 13. The adjutant general's and the inspector general's department. 14. The ordnance department. § 15. The purchasing department. 16. The paymaster's department. § 17. The hospital department. 18. The judge advocates and the chaplains. § 19. The engineer corps. § 20. Rank of regiments. § 21. Rank of officers. § 22. Rules of promotion. 23. Army pay, &c. § 24. The militia. § 25. Volunteers. § 26. Invalid pensioners. § 1. THE army of the United States is placed, by the con stitution, under the command of the president, who is likewise vested by the same instrument with the power of nominating, and by and with the consent of the senate of appointing, all its officers. 2. By the act of the 16th of March, 1802, the military peace establishment of the United States was ordered to consist of one regiment of artillerists and two regiments of infantry. 3. On the 12th of April, 1808, an additional force of 10,000 men was ordered to be raised, consisting of five regiments of infantry, one regiment of riflemen, one regiment of light artillery, and one regiment of light dragoons. On the 24th of December, 1811, congress ordered the above military establishment to be immediately completed, and, in of der to facilitate its completion, the bounty was raised from eight to sixteen dollars to each recruit; and on discharge, each man was to be allowed three months pay, and a hundred and sixty acres of land; in case of death in the service, the pay and land to revert to his heirs and representatives. 4. An additional force of 25,000 men was shortly after ordered to be immediately raised, and the president was authorized, in case of an actual or threatened invasion by the Indians, to raise six companies of range either by the acceptance of volunteers or by enlistment for year. Each company was to consist of one captain, one first and one second lieutenant, one ensign, four serjeants, four corporals, and sixty privates. These rangers were to be mounted or serve on foot as the service might require, and were to be armed, equipped, and organized in such manner as the president might think proper to direct. The president was likewise authorized to accept the services of any volunteer corps that should offer, not exceeding 50,000 men. This great increase of force was preparatory to the declaration of war. In the first session following that event, experience having shown the difficulty of filling the ranks, further inducements were held out, by offering to each recruit, in addition to the existing bounty, an advance of $24 on account of his pay. During the same session, an additional force of 20,000 men was authorized to be raised for one year, the recruits to receive a bounty of $16 each in money, but no land. These inducements, however, proving still insufficient to fill the military establishment, congress, in January, 1814, passed an act offering to each person who should enlist for five years, or during the war, at his election, a bounty of $124, twenty-four of which to be paid on his discharge; at the same time the reenlistment of men whose term of service was about to expire was authorized on the same terms. In the course of the same session a number of acts were passed for the increase and better organization of the military establishment. The total authorized force at present consists of 1 regiment of light artillery 10 963 981 5940 50324 4240 1241 1070 64,759 men. • For the organization, &c, of the sea fencibles, see vol. 1, p. 155. § 5. The regiment of light artillery consists of ten troops of 95 men each, including officers, which, including the 13 regimental officers, make an aggregate of 963. 6. The regiment of dragoons consists of eight troops of 121 each, which, including the regimental officers, make an aggregate of 981 men. 7. The artillery corps consists of 12 battalions, of 495 each. 8. Each regiment of infantry consists of 10 companies, of 106 men, making, with the IT imental officers, a total of 1094 to each regiment. § 9. Each rifle regiment also contains 10 companies, of 106 men each. Two regiments form a brigade, commanded by a brigadier general, to whom is attached an aid-de-camp and a brigade major. Two brigades form a division, commanded by a major general, with two aids-de-camp; and, when he commands an army, one adjutant general, one inspector general, one quarter master general, two assistant adjutant generals, two assistant inspector generals, one deputy quarter master general and four assistants, one topographical engineer and one assistant; beside a chief of each department, as many assistants may be allowed as there are brigades in each separate army. In the above statement the general staff and the engineer corps are not included. The general staff consists of 10. I. The general officers. brigadier-generals. Eight major-generals, and 16 § 11. II. The quarter master general's department. The principal quarter master general and his clerks, 8 quarter master generals, 8 deputy and 32 assistant deputy quarter master generals, the principal and 16 other waggon masters, the principal forage master and 16 assistants, 4 conductors of artillery, the principal barrack-master and 60 deputies, the superintendant of artificers and 4 assistants, 2 master masons and 24 labourers, 2 master carpenters with 20 house and 5 ship carpenters, 2 master blacksmiths and 20 workmen, 2 master boat-builders and 16 workmen, 2 master armorers and 16 workmen, 2 master saddlers and 12 workmen, and 2 master harness-makers and 12 workmen. It is the duty of this department to provide 1. For the quartering and transporting of troops. 2. For transporting all military stores, camp equipage, and artillery. 3. For opening and repairing roads, and constructing and re pairing bridges, which may be necessary to the movement of the army, or of any detachment thereof. 4. To receive from the departments of purchase and of ordnańce, all clothing, camp equipage, arms, ammunition, and ordnance; to transport the same to the place of destination, and there to make distribution thereof, agreeably to the direction given to the articles by the commissary general of purchases, and to the orders of the general commanding the district to which they are destined. 5. To provide all forage and fuel for the use of the troops, and have the same transported and issued. 6. To provide good and sufficient store houses, for provisions deposited under contract between individuals and the government, and to appoint store keepers for the custody of the said provisions, or other articles, the property of the public, which may be placed there; and to find means of transporting the same, when so required by the engagements of the govern ment. 7. To make half yearly returns, to the secretary of war, of all horses and draft oxen, or horses and oxen on hire, in public service, showing their number, employment, and condition; and a similar return of all other articles, the property of the public, of which the department may be possessed. 8. To make and transmit to the secretary of war, monthly summary statements of the accounts of the department, and quarterly accounts thereof, agreeably to forms prescribed by the treasury department. 9. To make out and transmit to the war department, on or before the first day of December in each year, annual estimates of the forage, fuel, straw for bedding, articles of stationary, dragoon and artillery horses, oxen, waggons, and carts for transportation of baggage, &c. and of all other articles the furnishing of which appertains to the department. § 12. III. The topographical department. Eight topographical engineers, and 8 assistant topographical engineers. The duty of this department is to make such surveys, and exhibit such delineation of these, as the commanding general shall direct; to make plans of all military positions (which the army may occupy) and of their respective vicinities, indicating the various roads, rivers, creeks, ravines, hills, woods, and villages, to be found therein; to accompany all reconnoitring parties sent out to obtain intelligence of the movements of the enemy, or of his positions, &c.; to make sketches of their route, accompanied by written notices of every thing worthy of observation thereon; to keep a journal of every day's movement, when the army is in |
