Cameron's report.
The report of Simon Cameron, Lincoln's Secretary of War, has been received. We append a summary of its leading points, for the information of the public:Of the regiments accepted, all are infantry and riflemen with the exception of two battalions of artillery and four regiments of cavalry. A number of regiments mustered as infantry have, however, attached to them one or more artillery companies, and there are also some regiments partly made up of companies of cavalry. Of the 208 regiments accepted for three years, there are now 153 inactive service, and the remaining 55 are mostly ready, and all of them will be in the field within the next 20 days.
| Regulars and volunteers for three months and for the war | 225,000 |
| Add to this any-five regiments of volunteers for the war, accepted and not yet in service | 50,000 |
| Add new regiments of regular army. | 25,000 |
| 75,000 | |
| Total force now at command of Government | 310,000 |
| Deduct the three months volunteers | 80,000 |
| Force for service after the withdrawal of the three months men | 230,000 |
It will thus be perceived that after the discharge of the three month's troops, there will be still an available force of volunteers amounting to 188,000, which, added to the regular army, will constitute a total force of 230,000 officers and men. It will be for Congress to determine whether this army shall, at this time, be increased by the addition of a still larger volunteer force.
The regular army has also been increased. This increase consists of one regiment of cavalry, of twelve companies, numbering, in the maximum aggregate, 1,189 officers and men ; one regiment of artillery of twelve batteries, of six pieces each, numbering, in the maximum aggregate, 1,909 officers and men; nine regiments of infantry, each regiment containing three battalions of eight companies each numbering, in the maximum aggregate 2,452 officers and men, making a maximum increase of infantry of 22,068 officers and men.
In the enlistment of men to fill the additional regiments of the regular Army, it is recommended that the term of enlistment be made three years, to correspond with the call of May 4 for volunteers; and that to all who shall receive an honorable discharge at the close of their term of service, a bounty of $100 shall be given.
The mounted troops of the old army consist of live regiments, with a maximum aggregate of 4,400 men. Not more than one-fourth of these troops are available for service at the seat of war. At least two regiments of artillery are unavailable, being stationed on the western coast and in the Florida forts.
The appointment of civilians to important positions in the army having occasioned some remark of dissatisfaction, the Secretary remarks that of the civilians appointed as regimental commanders, all except one are either graduates of West Point, or have before served with destination in the field; and of the lieutenant colonels, majors, captains and first lieutenants, a large proportion have been taken from the regular army and the volunteers now in service, while the second lieutenants have been mainly created by the promotion of meritorious sergeants from the regular service.
The reports of the chiefs of the different bureaus of this department present the estimates of the probable amount of appropriations required, in addition to those already made for the year ending June 30, 1861, for the force now in the field, or which has been accepted and will be in service within the next twenty days, show an aggregate sum of $185,296,397.
The Secretary recommends an appropriation to be made by Congress, to be applied, when the public exigencies demand, to the reconstruction and equipment of railroads, and for the expense of maintenance and operating them, and also for the construction, as the army advances, of additional telegraph lines and their appurtenances, and also a special appropriation for the reconstruction of the Long Bridge across the Potomac, which is now a military necessity.
The rest of the Secretary's report consists of a statement of the number and condition of the arms in the possession of the Government, and the means employed for obtaining a further supply, the document concluding with a recommendation of the appointment of an Assistant Secretary of War, (provided for by one of Mr. Wilson's bills,) and a general increase of the clerical force of the department.
