We see from the second table that by maintaining a nonexpansive Army of less than 4,000 combatants, for fourteen years the expenditures from 1821 to 1836 were $63,000,000.

The third table shows that as a consequence of this economy, the expenditures for the next seven years were $69,000,000.

To fully appreciate the cost of unwise legislation it must be remembered--

First. That as the President could not add an enlisted man to the Army, he was forced to call upon the governors for militia, and that the number who rushed to arms in 1835 approached 25,000.

Second. That Congress in 1836, contrary to the reiterated recommendations of the Secretary of War and the military commanders, expressed its preference for raw levies, not only by refusing to increase the enlisted men in the skeleton companies of the Regular Army, but more markedly still, by authorizing the President to accept the services of 10,000 volunteers, enlisted not for the war but for the period of six or twelve months.

Third. That it was not till 1838, or until after the militia enthusiasm had subsided and the law authorizing the employment of volunteers had expired, that Congress could be induced to increase the Army to 12,539 men.

With these peculiarities of legislation before us, if we recur to the table, it will appear that the expenditures for the first three years of the war were $38,327,300.21, while for the last four years they were $31,424,311.29, which was equivalent to a saving of nearly $5,000,000

a year.

The following statement called for by Congress, March 22, 1838, and submitted to it May 8, nearly two months before the increase of the Army, exhibits the comparative cost of a company of regulars, of volunteers, and of militia:

In this table are included expenses for traveling to and from rendezvous, hire of horses, indemnity for same, as also clothing, etc. The amount of money disbursed through the Pay Department to

troops in Florida from the commencement of hostilities to the 1st of October, 1840, was as follows:

Regular Army:

Officers, embracing their pay, rations, forage, and clothing for servants.

Men, embracing pay and clothing

Militia:

Total...

Officers..
Men

Total...

$692, 076. 20 1, 135, 459. 09

1,827, 535. 29

743, 360. 88 2, 332, 663. 41

@3, 076, 024. 29

In comparing the amount actually paid to the two classes of troops, and which combined was less than one-twelfth of the total war expenditures, it should be observed that the regular troops, who were continuously in service for the whole five years, received one-third less than the raw troops, whose average service did not exceed three months.

REDUCTION OF THE ARMY.

On the 23d day of August, 1842, nine days after the official announcement of the cessation of hostilities, an act of Congress reduced the Army from 12,539 officers and men to 8,613.

This result in the line, was wisely effected without disbanding any regiments, by simply converting the second regiment of dragoons into a regiment of riflemen and by reducing the rank and file of each company in the different arms of service as follows: dragoons, from 71 to 61; artillery, from 71 to 54; infantry, from 90 to 52.

The reduction in each company was in private soldiers alone, except in the artillery, where the artificers were reduced from 3 to 2.

The third section of the law abolished the office of CommissaryGeneral of Purchases; his duties were devolved on the Quartermaster's Department.

The fourth section reduced the Inspectors-General from 2 to 1, the paymasters from 18 to 15, surgeons from 22 to 20, and assistantsurgeons from 60 to 50.

No other changes were made in the line or staff, as organized by the law of 1838.

a Figures furnished by the Paymaster-General. 15836-04——————13

3

3

1

1

6

6

7

7

1

1

9

9

28

28

37

37

LINE.

Regiments. Companies. Officers. Men.

Aggregate.

1

4

8

1

14

The second regiment of dragoons was not to be dismounted and converted into riflemen, till after the 4th of March, 1843.

The wisdom of not disbanding this regiment soon became apparent, and the law of April 4, 1844, remounted it with its former designation. The population of the United States at the date of the above army reduction exceeded 17,000,000.

LESSONS OF THE WAR.

The lessons taught by this war are:

First. That its expense was tripled, if not quadrupled, by that feature of the law of 1821 which gave the President, in times of emergency, no discretion to increase the enlisted men of the Army.

Second. That, as in every previous war, after successfully employing for short periods of service militia and volunteers, and exhausting their enthusiasm, Congress found it more humane and economical to continue hostilities with regular troops, enlisted for the period of five

years.

Third. That for want of a well-defined peace organization, a nation. of 17,000,000 of people contended for seven years with 1,200 warriors and finally closed the struggle without accomplishing the forcible emigration of the Indians, which was the original and sole cause of the war.

Without dwelling on the needless sacrifice of life, these hard lessons would have been cheaply learned, could Congress, at the end of the conflict, have appreciated the value of expansive organization. By withholding from the President authority to add a few enlisted men to the Army, it committed the same great error as in 1821. We shall see that this error more than doubled the cost and length of another war, which despite the mistakes of military legislation, was soon to add to the luster of our arms.

a The 28 officers detailed on the staff being included in their regiments, do not appear in the aggregate, 8,613.

CHAPTER XV.

THE MILITARY POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES DURING THE MEXICAN WAR. α*

Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, Buena Vista, the siege and capture of Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, and El Molino del Rey contributed an unbroken chain of victories preceding the entrance of our troops into the capital of Mexico.

Successes so brilliant would apparently denote the perfection of military policy, but, paradoxical as it may seem, official documents establish the fact that they were achieved under the very same system of laws and executive orders which in the preceding foreign war had led to a series of disasters culminating in the capture and destruction of our capital.

The explanation of this paradox is to be found partly in the difference of character of our adversaries, but more especially in the quality of the Regular Army with which we began the two wars. For the Mexican war, as for the war of 1812, the Government had ample time to prepare. The admission of Texas into the Union on the 1st of March, 1845, which was ratified by that State on the ensuing 4th of July, was followed in August by the advance of our Army to Corpus Christi.

On the 6th of August the Adjutant-General, by direction of the Secretary of War, wrote to the commander, General Taylor:

Although a state of war with Mexico or an invasion of Texas by her forces may not take place, it is nevertheless deemed proper and necessary that your force should be fully equal to meet with the certainty of success any crisis which may arise in Texas, and which would require you, by force of arms, to carry out the instructions of the Government.b

He was directed to learn from the authorities of Texas what additional force could, in case of need, be placed at his disposal, and given authority to call them into service, coupled, however, with the economical restriction:

Such auxiliary volunteer force from Texas, when events, not now revealed, may justify their employment, will be organized and mustered under your orders, and be received into the service of the United States when actually required in the field to repel invasion, c actual or menaced, and not before.

a Note indorsed upon this chapter in the handwriting of General Sherman was as follows: "I read this before sending to Garfield. I think it very good and suggest no amendment.-W. T. S." And again, in General Garfield's handwriting: "This is very good.-J. A. Garfield."-EDITORS.

6 House Ex. Doc. No. 60, Thirtieth Congress, first session, p. 83.

c House Ex. Doc. No. 60, Thirtieth Congress, first session, pp. 83, 84.

The same paragraph of this order informed the commander that

It should be understood that as yet no provision exists by law for the payment of such forces, but appropriations for that purpose will doubtless be made by Congress.

* * *

The amount and description of the force to be mustered into the service of the United States is left to your determination, and, of course, to be regulated by circumstances, a

August 23, 1845, the Secretary of War wrote:

The information hitherto received as to the intentions of Mexico and the measures she may adopt, does not enable the Administration here to give you more explicit instructions in regard to your movements than those which have been already forwarded to you. There is reason to believe that Mexico is making efforts to assemble a large army on the frontier of Texas for the purpose of entering the Territory and holding forcible possession of it. Of their movements you are doubtless advised, and we trust have taken, or early will take, prompt and efficient steps to meet and repel any such hostile incursion. Should Mexico assemble a large body of troops on the Rio Grande and cross it with a considerable force, such a movement must be regarded as an invasion of the United States and the commencement of hostilities. You will, of course, use all the authority which has been or may be given you to meet such a state of things. Texas must be protected from hostile invasion, and for that purpose you will of course employ to the utmost extent all the means you possess or can command.

* *

*

Should Mexico declare war, or commence hostilities by crossing the Rio Grande with a considerable force, you are instructed to lose no time in giving information to the authorities of each or any of the above-mentioned States as to the number of volunteers you may want from them respectively. Should you require troops from any of these States, it would be important to have them with the least possible delay. It is not doubted that at least two regiments from New Orleans and one from Mobile could be obtained and expeditiously brought into the field. You will cause it to be known at these places what number and description of troops you desire to receive from them in the contemplated emergency. The authorities of these States will be apprised that you are authorized to receive volunteers from them, and you may calculate that they will promptly join you when it is made known that their services are required. c

To "meet with the certainty of success" any crisis that might arise in Texas, the commander was given on paper an aggregate of 4,000 men of the Regular Army, with power to call from States, near and remote, such force of volunteers as in his discretion he might judge expedient.

Three days later, August 26, the Secretary of War informed the Governors of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana by letter that General Taylor had been appointed to command the "army of occupation' and requested him to furnish such a force of militia as General Taylor might designate. August 28 similar letters were sent to the Governors of Kentucky and Tennessee. August 30 the Secretary of War wrote General Taylor:

The instructions heretofore issued enjoin upon you to defend Texas from invasion and Indian hostilities, and should Mexico invade it, you will employ all your forces to repulse the invaders, and drive all Mexican troops beyond the Rio Grande. Should you judge the forces under your command inadequate, you will not fail to draw sufficient auxiliary aid from Texas, and, if there be need, from the States, pursuant to your previous instructions. It is not to be doubted that, on your notification, volunteer troops to the number you may require will rally with alacrity to your standard. You have been advised that the assembling of a large Mexican army on the borders of Texas, and crossing the Rio Grande with a considerable force, will be regarded by

a House Ex. Doc. No. 60, Thirtieth Congress, first session, p. 84.

In addition to Texas these States were Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. See letter Hon. William L. Marcy, Secretary of War, to General Taylor, August 23, 1845.-EDITORS.

House Ex. Doc. No. 60, Thirtieth Congress, first session, pp. 84, 85.