General officer. F.-Department of West Point, commanded by Maj. Gen. J. M. Schofield, headquarters West Point, N. Y., 1878. PRESENT AND ABSENT. H.-REPORT OF THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, I have the honor to submit the usual annual returns of the Army, as follows: A.-Table showing the organization of the Regular Army. Army. Statements of the "position and distribution of troops," as follows: C.-Military Division of the Missouri, comprehending the Departments of Missouri, Dakota, Texas, and the Platte. D.-Military Division of the Atlantic, comprehending the Departments of the East and the South. E.-Military Division of the Pacific, comprehending the Departments of California, the Columbia, and Arizona. F.-Department of West Point. G.-Statement showing the number of desertions from the United States Army during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. H.-Statement showing the number of minors discharged from January 1, 1876, to October 1, 1878, inclusive. I.-Statement showing casualties, enlistments, and re-enlistments in United States Army during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. K.-List of patients admitted to the Government Hospital for the Insane, by order of the Secretary of War, from October 1, 1877, to October 1, 1878. G.-Statement showing number of desertions from the United States Army during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. Engineer Battalion Ordnance Corps 7 Tenth Infantry 21 First Cavalry 74 Eleventh Infantry 11 Second Cavalry. Twelfth Infantry 15 Third Cavalry 90 Fourth Cavalry 87 Thirteenth Infantry. Fourteenth Infantry 7 12 Fifth Cavalry 98 Fifteenth Infantry. 14 Sixth Cavalry 91 Sixteenth Infantry. 24 Seventh Cavalry. 136 Seventeenth Infantry 26 Eighth Cavalry. 77 Eighteenth Infantry 17 Ninth Cavalry 9 Nineteenth Infantry 48 Tenth Cavalry 37 Twentieth Infantry. 28 First Artillery Second Artillery Third Artillery 19 Twenty-third Infantry Fourth Artillery 18 Twenty-fourth Infantry. Fifth Artillery. 38 Twenty-fifth Infantry. 00 First Infantry 13 General service Second Infantry Third Infantry Fourth Infantry Fifth Infantry. 27 General N. C. S., U. S. Army Sixth Infantry. 39 Military departments Seventh Infantry 45 Total....... 3 1,678 received. NOTE.-Rolls of four companies of First Cavalry for May and June, 1878, not yet Aggregate number of desertions from United States Army, fiscal year ending H.-Statement showing the number of minors discharged from the Army from January 1, 1876, to October 1, 1878, inclusive. I.-Statement showing casualties, enlistments, and re-enlistments in the United States Army during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. The following rolls and returns have not yet been received: Musterrolls of four companies of cavalry for May and June, 1878; recruiting returns of First Cavalry for May and June, and Third Cavalry for June, 1878. K.-List of patients admitted to the Government Hospital for the Insane, by order of the Secretary of War, from October 1, 1877, to October 1, I also submit the following report of the recruiting service: The general recruiting depot was moved in June and July of this year from Governor's Island, New York, to David's Island, opposite New Rochelle. The movement was necessary to give to the general commanding the Division of the Atlantic the quarters at a military post required for himself and staff, in accordance with the sixth section act approved June 18, 1878. The change will eventually prove to be eminently to the advantage of the recruiting service, and has been desired by the Adjutant-General ever since the close of the war. David's Island belongs to the United States. It is a healthy locality and possesses every natural advantage which could be reasonably sought. It is not a regular military post, and many complications are avoided by having the depot at a place not naturally and properly a part of the department command; at the same time the well-established military principle is recognized, that in an emergency justifying the assumption of such responsibility a commander may immediately avail himself of all the military resources of the government within his reach. In the absence of buildings on the island, and in view of the immediate necessity for the transfer of the depot, the officers and men were put in tents, and steps were at once taken to erect the best temporary buildings possible for their accommodation. For this purpose, an allotment was made from the regular appropriation for barracks and quarters, and a remarkably reasonable contract was made, which enabled the government to construct buildings of wood adequate to the present need. The recruiting depot at Columbus, Ohio, has proved to be admirably adapted to the purpose, and realizes the favorable expectations formed in regard to it. The cavalry depot at Saint Louis Barracks, formerly Saint Louis Arsenal, was found not to answer the requirements of that service. It is surrounded by a system of railroads and factories, and the grounds are too circumscribed for drill purposes. The depot has, accordingly, been transferred to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, an old military post, with suitable fine buildings, a large reservation, and other conveniences. Should the condition of the Army ever permit recruits to be long enough kept at depots to drill and instruct them before sending them to companies, the present depots will afford unsurpassed facilities for that purpose, and the discipline of the Army will be proportionately improved. Recruiting on the Pacific coast is conducted as heretofore under the direction of the commanding general Military Division of the Pacific, but is inadequate to supply the demands for recruits for organizations serving in his division. December 11, 1877, the commanding general Department of Texas was authorized to open a rendezvous in San Antonio, Tex., to enlist recruits for regiments serving in his department, to be conducted under the direction of this office, which is still in operation. But few recruits are secured at that rendezvous. At the date of the last annual report no recruiting rendezvous were in operation, owing to the failure of Congress to make appropriation for the recruiting service. November 27, 1877, recruiting for all arms of the service was resumed, and since that date rendezvous have been in operation at the following places, viz: Boston, New York, Harrisburg, Baltimore, Washington, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Saint Louis, San Francisco, and San Antonio. The system inaugurated by General Orders No. 126, of November 20, 1874, from this office, as explained in the last annual report, has proved of immense value in securing proper material for the Army, and has succeeded even beyond the most sanguine expectation then indulged in, as is clearly demonstrated by a comparison of the annexed exhibit marked "G" with exhibit marked "C," attached to the last annual report, there being a decrease in the number of desertions of $38. The great care with which the inspection of recruits is made, and the practice of discharging at the depot men who develop disease or vicious character, instead of sending them to regiments, continues to result in keeping up a high standard in the ranks of enlisted men throughout the Army. From all quarters favorable reports to this end are constantly received. |