ber 6, 1850, and would no doubt have become a law, if a direct vote on its merits could have been taken in the House of Representatives. It may be added that the measure would not have cost the Treasury a dollar extra, and hence we may hope it will be taken up anew by the present Congress. By the act of September 28, 1850, "making appropriations for the support of the army, for," &c., Congress gave two dollars a day extra pay to all commissioned officers, and double pay to all enlisted men whilst serving in Oregon and California, up to the 1st of March, 1852, when the extra compensation will cease unless renewed by Congress, and this I hope may be done for the period of two or three years, and the same extras, and for the same reasons, extended to the officers and men serving in New Mexico. The constitution declares that "a well regulated militia [is] necessary to the security of a free State," and gives power to Congress "to provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the militia."

Highly important as the subject must be considered, it would hardly find a place in a report of so limited a range as this, were it not that it must always be in the future, (as it has been in the past) the fortune of our regular troops, in time of war, to find themselves in the open field and behind fortifications, in attack as well as in defence, side by side, with large masses of our militia or volunteers. If these-no matter what their valor or patriotism should, from a deficient organization, arms, instruction or discipline, be compelled to give way before an enemy, disaster on the spot and disgrace to the country would be almost inevitable. Hence, and from a long professional experience, I beg to submit the remarks which follow.

A uniform organization of the militia is established by the act of May 8, 1792, (since but slightly modified) and $200,000 have annually been appropriated towards "arming the whole body of the militia of the United States" since the act of April 23, 1808, making a total of $8,600,000.

So much in respect to organizing and arming. For disciplining, Congress has passed the act of May 12, 1820, "to establish a uniform mode of discipline and field exercise for the militia of the United States," the first section of which directs "that the system of discipline and field exercise which is and shall be ordered to be observed by the regular army of the United States, in the different corps of infantry, artillery [cavalry,] and riflemen, shall be observed by the militia in the exercise and discipline of the said corps respectively, throughout the United States."

Such systems of "discipline and field exercise," or instruction, for every branch of "the regular army," have recently been published, prescribed, and gratuitously distributed to our regular officers, viz: 1st, Cavalry Tactics (including dragoons and mounted riflemen,) in three pocket volumes; 2d, Instruction for Field Artillery, horse and foot, in one volume; and 3d, Infantry Tactics, for infantry of the line, light infantry, voltigeurs, and foot riflemen, in three pocket volumes. And being prescribed for the regular army, the same systems are by the act of 1820 equally prescribed for our militia officers. Hence, as in the case of arms and equipments, it would seem that they ought gratuitously to be "transmitted to the several States composing this Union and Territories thereof, to each State and Territory respectively in proportion to the number of effective militia,” &c., &c., which is the precise language of the act in respect to the distribution of arms and equipments, and might be applied to the distribution of the books also.

It is estimated that an appropriation of $40,000 per annum, for five suc

cessive years in every half century, would spread the means of military discipline or tactical instruction (brought up to the science and experience of the age,) throughout the militia of the Union; and the books above enumerated furnish, by the texts, plates, explanations and remarks, the means of self-instruction for both officers and men.

I have the honor to remain, sir, with high respect, your most obedient servant, WINFIELD SCOTT.

Hon. C. M. CONRAD,

Secretary of War.

[GENERAL ORDERS, No. 1.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Washington, January 8, 1851.

1. To promote the health of the troops, and to reduce the expense of subsisting the army, the commanding officer of every permanent post and station where the public lands are sufficient, or private lands can be leased on reasonable terms, will annually cultivate a kitchen garden with the soldiers under his command, to enable him to supply the hospital and men with necessary vegetables throughout the year.

2. A system of more extended cultivation will also be commenced as soon as possible at such posts as may be designated by department commanders, under instructions from general head-quarters, in military departments Nos. 6, 7, 8, (Texas,) 9, (New Mexico,) 10, (California,) and 11, (Oregon.) This field cultivation will be carried on under the direction of commanding officers of posts by the troops, and at stations within the Indian country by hired Indians to be paid out of the proceeds of the farms. The field or farm culture will embrace, as far as practicable, grains for bread and forage, and long forage.

3. Supplies for component parts of the ration, and of forage, not exceeding the quantity required for the garrison, will be delivered to and receipted for by the assistant commissaries and assistant quartermasters of posts, and be paid for by them at the following rates: at the posts in departments Nos. 6, 9, and 11, according to the market price in St. Louis, and at the posts in departments 7, 8, and 10, according to the market price in New Orleans.

4. From the proceeds of the sales above directed, will be deducted the expenditures on account of seeds, farming implements, rent of land, and hire of Indian labor, and the surplus will be equally distributed, quarterly, by the assistant commissary of subsistence, under the direction of the commanding officer, among the enlisted men of the several garrisons, on separate receipt rolls prepared for this purpose.

5. The assistant commissaries of subsistence will make all necessary expenditures for the farm cultivation, on the warrants of the commanding officers of their posts, and will render a quarterly return of all receipts and expenditures on such accounts to the adjutant general, through the commanding officer of the post, according to the printed blanks which will be furnished for that purpose.

6. The commanders of departments will immediately, on the receipt of this order, report what portion of land in the vicinity of the posts within their departments is adapted to cultivation, and also what changes may be

made in the present position of the troops which, without impairing the defence of the frontiers, will afford more suitable locations with a view to field cultivation.

7. As soon as farm cultivation has been ordered at particular posts, the commanders thereof will adopt all necessary measures to carry it on successfully, and immediately thereafter report the measures adopted. They will report the state and prospect of their crops in the month of July of each year; and on the first day of October of each year, the quantity of each article cultivated and actually gathered in.

8. Whenever an officer is transferred or relieved from the command of a post where a garden or farm is cultivated, the vegetables, grain, and long forage on hand will be receipted for by his successors. He will make a

statement of their condition, amount, &c., one copy of which will be forwarded to the commissary general of subsistence, and a duplicate entered in the post order-book for the inspection of the proper authority.

9. For any improper management, or loss not strictly unavoidable, the commanding officers will be held responsible.

By order of the Secretary of War:

R. JONES,
Adjutant General.

A.

Organization of the Army of the United Staes, 1851.