44TH CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Ex. Doc. 1, BEGINNING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. The report of the SECRETARY OF WAR is in 4 vols. Vol. 1 contains: Report of the Secretary. Vol. 2 contains: General of the Army. Adjutant-General. Inspector-General. Judge-Advocate-General." Quartermaster-General.' Surgeon-General. Paymaster-General. Board of Visitors of United States Military Academy. Report of the Chief of Engineers, in two parts. Vol. 3 contains: Report of the Chief of Ordnance. Vol. 4 contains: Representative of the War Department, International Report of the Chief Signal-Officer. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. Mr. PRESIDENT: NOVEMBER 22, 1875. I am gratified to be able to state that since my last annual report a marked improvement has taken place in the morale of the service. The Army is now reduced to twenty-five thousand men. Recruiting was resumed in November, 1874, for the purpose of keeping up the standard number, and under a careful system in the selection of the men the class of recruits now received is of a superior quality. The number of desertions has been largely reduced, being about. two thousand one hundred less than during the previous year, while the number of re-enlistments has increased nearly threefold. The state of contentment thus shown is due, in a great measure, to the excellent system of pay established, which is now graduated by length of service, and affords the soldier an opportunity to deposit his savings with the Government and receive interest for the same until the end of his term. The Adjutant-General, under whose immediate charge the recruiting of the Army is placed, has raised to the highest standard of excellence the discipline at recruiting depots, and the recruits are now well instructed and drilled before being sent to join companies in the field. I renew the recommendation for the enlistment of music-boys over twelve years of age, in order to furnish field-music to companies, and hope that suitable legislation may be had during the next session of Congress to supply this want. Attention is invited to the accompanying report of the AdjutantGeneral upon the operations of the military prison, so far as they have progressed. The controlling reason for the establishment of a military prison has been that soldiers convicted of military offenses merely should be separated from the degrading influences to which they are subjected when confined with ordinary convicts. There have been 362 prisoners received during the year, and there are now 225 in the establishment. Those prisoners have been employed in various ways on the prison-building and about the post, thus saving the expense of employing labor. It is hoped that an appropriation will be made for starting workshops, for it is confidently believed that the prisoners may be made |