Alexandria Gazette

The Spy in Washington.

ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES.

The Report of the Acting Secretary of War, has the vice of all Mr. Butler's writings--prolixity. Its exhibit of the condition and efficiency of our military forces is little calculated to impress other nations, or our own, with any great respect for our military power-so far as the regular army represents that power.

The legal aggregate of the whole army, including all arms and grades, is 7,955. The whole available force for service in the field was, at the latest dates, 4,252. Even this force too, small as it is, it is found impossible, at the present rate of pay, to keep up by recruiting, as the terms of those enlisted expire.

For reasons connected with the inquiries now going on before the Military Court, at Frederick, the notice of the operations in Florida is meagre and deficient in facts-though it is said of Gov. Call, that he had been required to surrender his command to Gen. Jesup, and render to the President, who was dissatisfied with his failure on the Withlacoochee, some explanation thereof. We shall be curious to see Gov. Call's answer to this summons, and to ascertain his exact relation to the army, its discipline, and recognized tribunals.

Gen. Gaines, it is announced, is also "relieved;" and Brig. Gen. Arbuckle is ordered to his command-which-that part of it at least at Nacogdoches-he is ordered to withdraw forthwith, unless information he may be in possession of when he receives his orders, should render such a step inexpedient. The station of Nacogdoches has, it seems, been found very unhealthy.

Of Gen. Wool, who was sent into Tennessee to look after the Cherokees, it is said, "much praise is due to him for the promptitude and zeal with which he has devoted himself to the execution of his duties." As he is the only General Officer singled out for praise, it might be inferred that none of the others deserved any, and yet, to say nothing of those (Generals whose cases may come before the Court of Inquiry, there is General Arbuckle, who, we venture to say, was as prompt and zealous as General Wool, though of his merits the Report speaks not.

Our various Indian difficulties, during the past year, have, it seems, been the occasion of calling into the field twenty four thousand five hundred volunteers and militia! a number which, added to that of the regulars, marines, and sailors employed, would make an aggregate, exceeding by one half, probably, all the warriors of all the tribes with whom difficulties were anticipated.

It seems, by the report, that owing to the late period of the session at which the appropriation bills passed, the deficient number of engineer officers to superintend the works, and "the difficulty of procuring labourers, but a small portion of the appropriations made for the engineer and topographical service had yet been expended."

It is proposed to increase the rank and file of the army to 12,030 men; but how this is to be done, while, as in the case of the navy, all other services pay higher than the government, seems difficult to understand.

"The suppression of Indian hostilities." -and those of the Seminoles seem to us as far as ever from being suppressed- has already cost five millions of dollars and one million more at least-to say nothing of after-claims interminable- will be requisite: but the annual additional expense of raising the regular force to the number above proposed, would only be $350,000-a sum which does not exceed the interest on what has been even now expended in the discreditable struggles in Florida-N. Y. American.

We find in the report of the ad interim Secretary of War, Mr. Butler, only a remote and unsatisfactory allusion to the numerous resignations in the Army during the past year. The topic demands close and earnest investigation, for it pressingly touches the whole order of the service and some of the most important interests of the country. Some answer should be demanded to the question why the United States have been deprived of the skill and experience of numerous valuable and efficient officers, at a period when all the activity and energy of the Army are urgently needed. If the impressions which prevail are false, let them be corrected; above all let the public be enlightened. Our information in regard to the resignation of Gen. Clinch and its motives, (the only one about which we are informed in the report.) differs from that furnished by the Secretary. By way of comment on the subject we subjoin the following extract from a contemporary Journal,-Nat. Gaz.

"Death of Officers in The Army. We learn that inquiry has been made of the Superintendent of West Point, whether the first twenty cadets in the senior class are fitted to take command in Florida, and an answer has been returned that they are. It is feared they will be immediately ordered to that quarter, and thus lose six months of the most valuable part of their education."

The 2d regiment of Dragoons, consisting of four or five companies, and two companies of Artillery, recently organized at New York and Fort Monroe, and which were ordered by the Secretary of War to be held in readiness for service in Florida, are now ordered, we hear, to join the army in that quarter, under Maj Gen. Jesup,-Globe.