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Documents > Act of Congress, March 2nd, 1821

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS. Sess.II. CH.13. 1821.

CHAP. XIII.-An Act to reduce and fix the military peace establishment of the United states.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress Assembled, That, from and after the first day of June next, the military peace establishment of the United States shall be composed of four regiments of artillery, and seven regiments of infantry, with such officers of engineers, of ordnance, and of the staff, as are hereinafter provided for.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That each regiment of artillery shall consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, one major, one sergeant major, one quartermaster sergeant, and nine companies, one of which shall be designated and equipped as light artillery; and that there shall be attached to each regiment of artillery one supernumerary captain to perform ordnance duty; and that each company shall consist of one captain, two first lieutenants, two second lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals, three artificers, two musicians, and forty-two privates. That each regiment of infantry shall consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, one major, one sergeant major, one quartermaster sergeant, two principle musicians, and ten companies; each of which shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, three sergeants, four corporals, two musicians, and forty-two privates; and that to each regiment of artillery and infantry there shall be one adjutant, who shall be taken from the subalterns of the line.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the corps of engineers, (bombardiers excepted,) and the topographical engineers, and their assistants, shall be retained in service as at present organized.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the ordnance department shall be merged in the artillery; and that the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to select, from the regiments of artillery, such officers as may be necessary to perform ordnance duties, who, while so detached, shall recieve the pay emoluments now recieved by ordnance officers, and shall be subject only to the orders of the War Department; and that the number of enlisted men in the ordnance department be reduced to fifty-six.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That there shall be one major general, with two aids-de-camp, two brigadier generals, each with one aid-de-camp; and the the aids-de-camp be taken from the subalterns of the line, and, in addition to their other duties, shall perform the duties of assistant adjutant general.

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That there shall be one adjutant general, and two inspectors general, with the rank, pay, and emolument, of colonels of cavalry.

Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That there shall be one quartermaster general; that there shall be two quartermasters, with the rank, pay, and emoluments, of majors of cavalry; and ten assistant quartermasters, who shall, in addition to their pay in the line, recieve a sum not less than ten dollars, nor more than twenty dollars, per month, to be regulated by the Secretary of War.

Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That there shall be one commissary general of subsistance; and that there shall be as many assistant commissaries as the service may require, not exceeding fifty, who shall be taken from the subalterns of the line, recieve a sum not less than ten, nor more than twenty, dollars per month; and the the assistant quartermasters, and assistant commissaries of subsistance, shall be subject to duties in both departments under the orders of the Secretary of War.

Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That there shall be one paymaster general, with the present compensation, and fourteen paymasters, with the pay and emoluments of regimental paymasters; and that there shall be one commissary of purchases, and two military storekeepers, to be attached to the purchasing department.

Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That the medical department shall consist of one surgeon general, eight surgeons, with the compensation of regimental surgeons, and forty-five assistant surgeons, with the compensation of post surgeons.

Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the officers, non-commissioned officers, artificers, musicians, and privates, retained by this act, except those specially provided for, shall have the same rank, pay, and emoluments, as are provided, in like cases, by existing laws; and that the force authorized and continued in service under this act, shall be subject to the rules and articles of war.

Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States cause to be arranged the officers, non-commissioned officers, artificers, musicians, and privates, of the several corps now in the service of the United states, in such as manner as to form and complete, out of the same, the force authorized by this act, and cause the supernumerary officers, non-commissioned officers, artificers, musicians, and privates, to be discharged from the service of the United States.

Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That ther shall be allowed and paid to each commissioned officer who shall be discharged from the service of the United States in pursuance of this act, three months's pay, in addition to the pay and emoluments to which he may be entitled by law at the time of his discharge.

Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That the system of "General regulations for the army," compiled by Major General Scott, shall be, and the same is hereby, approved and adopted for the government of the army of the United States, and of the militia, when in service of the United States. (a)

APPROVED, March 2, 1821.