able action of the Senate of the United
States, whose ratification it still awaits.

Since my last annual message, and in obedience to the acts of the
Congress of April 22 and 26, 1898, the remaining volunteer force
enlisted for the Spanish War, consisting of 34,834 regulars and 110,202
volunteers, with over 5,000 volunteer officers, has been discharged from
the military service. Of the volunteers, 667 officers and 14,831 men
were serving in the Philippines, and 1,650 of the regulars, who were
entitled to be mustered out after the ratification of the treaty of
peace. They voluntarily remained at the front until their places could
be filled by new troops. They were returned home in the order in which
they went to Manila, and are now all of them out of the service and in
the ranks of citizenship. I recommend that the Congress provide a
special medal of honor for the volunteers, regulars, sailors, and
marines on duty in the Philippines who voluntarily remained in the
service after their terms of enlistment had expired.

By the act of March 2, 1899, Congress gave authority to increase the
Regular Army to a maximum not exceeding 65,000 enlisted men, and to
enlist a force of 35,000 volunteers, to be recruited from the country at
large. By virtue of this authority the Regular Army has been increased
to the number of 61,999 enlisted men and 2,248 officers, and new
volunteer regiments have been organized aggregating 33,050 enlisted men
and 1,524 officers. Two of these volunteer regiments are made up of
colored men, with colored line officers. The new troops to take the
places of those returning from the Philippines have been transported
to Manila to the number of 581 officers and 26,322 enlisted men of
the Regular Army and 594 officers and 15,388 enlisted men of the new
volunteer force, while 504 officers and 14,119 men of the volunteer
force are on the ocean _en route_ to Manila.

The force now in Manila consists of 905 officers and 30,578 regulars,
and 594 officers and 15,388 of the volunteers, making an aggregate of
1,499 officers and 45,966 men. When the troops now under orders shall
reach Manila the force in the archipelago will comprise 2,051 officers
and 63,483 men. The muster out of the great volunteer army organized
for the Spanish War and the creation of a new army, the transportation
from Manila to San Francisco of those entitled to discharge and the
transportation of the new troops to take their places have been a