Recapitulation of troops by States.*

No. 7.-REPORT OF BRIG. GEN. C. C. AUGUR.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,

Plymouth, Mass., October 12, 1877.

SIR: I have the honor to forward report relating to operations, movements of troops, &c., in the Department of the Gulf during the past

year.

At the time of my last annual report the troops were scattered, generally in small detachments, through the States comprising the department, with the intent to protect life and property during the excitement preceding the general election. The rule observed in sending troops to excited and disturbed localities was, when called upon by the governor of the State or the United States marshal of the district, and when satisfied that the excitement and disturbance really existed, to send the troops, if possible, in the hope that their mere presence would calm the excitement and prevent it from enlarging into a general disturbance. Troops were asked for in some instances when, upon further investigation, it was found they were not needed; and in these cases they were not sent.

Acting upon this rule, it was found that upon the day of election the detachments of troops were at sixty-two points within the limits of the department, in many cases but five or six men at a place, and in some instances commanded by non-commissioned officers.

Election-day passed off in perfect quiet, and no occasion offered necessitating interference by the troops.

It is exceedingly gratifying to be able to report that during all this time when the enlisted men were comparatively free from the ordinary restraints of organized commands, not a single complaint was ever made of the misconduct of a single officer or soldier while performing these new and embarrassing duties; but, on the contrary, a number of letters were received at department headquarters expressing great satisfaction with the exemplary good conduct and courtesy exhibited by the troops in the vicinity of the writers.

Shortly after the election, and on the eve of the meeting of the returning-board of Louisiana, instructions were received from the President of the United States to protect the members of that board, if necessary, in the exercise of their legal duties, by the officers and soldiers of my command.

The excitement connected with the elections, and which up to this time had been scattered, as it were, throughout the department, was now concentrated in New Orleans, and grave apprehensions were entertained by the State authorities, and by the business community generally, that it would increase and culminate in riotous disturbances.

To enable me, under any circumstances that might arise, to carry into effect my orders regarding the returning-board, and, at the same time, to restore confidence to the community, orders were given to concentrate in New Orleans and at Jackson Barracks all the troops in the department, excepting small detachments to protect public property at the several posts, and leaving one company at each of the posts at Saint Martinsville, Monroe, Pineville, and Clinton, La., and at Little Rock, Ark.

This brought to the city the whole of the Sixteenth Infantry except one company, all of the Third Infantry except two companies, and all of the Thirteeeth Infantry except two companies.

The object of this concentration was effectually secured; confidence

was restored, the returning-board was not molested, and although during the intense excitements aroused by the vigorous assertion of the claims of the rival candidates for the position of governor of the State the peace of the city was frequently and seriously threatened, still there was no open conflict and no loss of life or property.

During the contentions in New Orleans, and when it was uncertain how far the excited passions of the people might carry them, the United States steamship Ossipee arrived in New Orleans, and its commander (Commander Breeze, United States Navy) called upon me with assurances that he was ready to co-operate and act with me in the event of its becoming necessary.

The Ossipee was subsequently relieved by the United States steamship Plymouth, commanded by Capt. Edward Barrett, United States Navy. Captain Barrett called upon me with the same assurances of readiness for co-operative action in the event of its necessity.

To both of these officers I am officially and personally indebted for many acts of courtesy and kindness. Besides the strong sympathetic support they afforded me during many anxious days, their presence and the moral effect of their splendid ships and crews contributed largely to the solution of the question of peace and order.

After the final settlement of the troubles in Louisiana, the troops in and about the city were distributed. The Sixteenth Infantry was relieved from the department, and in June sent to the Department of Missouri. The Third and Thirteenth Infantry were distributed to the posts in the department.

In May, I was called upon by the United States marshal for troops to assist his deputies in serving process of United States courts in parish of Calcasieu, Louisiana, where his deputies, as he stated, had been resisted and overpowered by a gang of desperadoes.

I declined to furnish troops unless instructed by superior authority. Subsequently, orders were received directing troops to be furnished for protection of Federal officers and property under their charge in that locality. Two companies were sent there, and it has proved a very laborious duty. The command has to be supplied via Galveston, Tex., which is an expensive and inconvenient route. The troops have suffered in their health, and it is hoped that the civil authorities will soon find it unnecessary longer to detain these troops.

During the "labor and railroad strikes" in the North, all the troops in the department, except the two companies at Calcasieu Parish and small detachments to protect public property at the posts, were ordered to the scenes of disorder and violence, from which duty they have not been returned.

The Third Infantry has since been ordered and has gone to the Department of Dakota.

The removal of the detachments of the Third Infantry from the posts formerly occupied by the regiment, in order that they might join in the movement to Dakota, rendered it necessary to call in one of the companies from Calcasieu to take charge of public property at other posts. The posts at Jackson and Holly Springs, Miss., and at Mobile and Huntsville, Ala., have been abandoned and the public property removed to New Orleans. It is not probable that these posts need ever again be occupied by troops, and it is therefore recommended that the public buildings be sold at public auction and the leases of the land be relinquished.

The government owns the posts and buildings at Little Rock, Ark.

Baton Rouge and Jackson Barracks, La., and Mount Vernon Barracks, Ala.

It is recommend that these posts be retained and kept in order; and they are likely to afford sufficient barrack-room for all the troops ordinarily needed in the department.

It is a noteworthy fact, and one to which I refer with great pleasure, that, during all the excitement and conflicts of passion in the department, and particularly in Louisiana, during the past year, not a single conflict of authority has occurred between the civil and the military; and I cannot close this report without again referring to the remarkably good conduct and evidences of discipline exhibited by the troops of the three regiments in the department during the past year of exceptional and embarrassing service.

Previous to and during the election the troops were scattered over the three States, in some cases with no officers; during the winter, with twenty-five companies assembled in a large and populous city when excitement was at its highest, and when the general feeling of the people was exceedingly sensitive to any show of Federal interference, not a single offense was ever charged against them in connection with the performance of their duties, and but a very few for any personal dis order.

They seemed to have been actuated by the very spirit which was prescribed for the guidance of the Roman soldiery in Judea, "Do violence to no man; accuse no man unjustly."

I refer again with pleasure to the continued efficiency of my personal staff and of the officers of the general staff serving with me.

Accompanying this report will be found record of movements of troops in the department during the past year and too voluminous to be embraced in the body of the report; also, copies of reports of the acting chief quartermaster, the acting chief commissary, and the acting medical director of the department.

I remain, sir, with respect, your obedient servant,

C. C. AUGUR,
Brigadier-General, Commanding Department.

The ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL,
Headquarters Military Division of the Atlantic,

New York, N. Y.

No. 8.-REPORT OF BVT. BRIG. GEN. THOMAS H. RUGER.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,

Atlanta, Ga., October 10, 1877.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the opera. tions of the troops within this department since annual report of last year.

Special reports have from time to time been made relative to action by the troops, to which reports attention in connection herewith is respectfully requested.

October 9th, 1876. Company H, Eighteenth Infantry, was ordered from Blackville, S. C., to encamp at Allendale, S. C.

The commanding-officer, Columbia, S. C., was ordered to send a company of the Eighteenth Infantry to encamp at Newberry, S. C.

12th. Companies D and G, Second Infantry, were ordered from Atlanta, Ga., to encamp at Edgefield, S. C.