The national Republican., 1861-06-13
From the New YORK Evening Post, June 10.
ARMY APPOINTMENTS,

.
The telegraph informs US every day that the
Honorable Mr.. This, or the well.known Mr..
That has been appointed to distinguished
! and responsible post in the army. 1t seems to
I US that this practice Of taking untried men
from civil life, and comforting upon them high
military commands over the heads of excellent
and accomplished officers, has gone quite far
enough. 1t is almost unknown to the service
Of any other nation, and cannot, in our case,
be defended upon grounds Of public necessity
or expediency. Watfare is becoming with
every year more completely science. We
have amongst US a body Of officers who have
made the science of war the special study Of
their lives, and who are admitted to be, as a
class, at least as able, as brave, and as thor
oughly acquainted with their profession, as
those of any other service.
| | The West Point Military Academy was es.
tablished and has been fostered BY the national
Government for this very purpose Of preparing,
in the best manner and by the most thorough
training, q corps of officers accomplished in
the art Of war, and who shall stand ready to
lead our armies against every enemy who may
asssil the Union. - '.' -""
The Government ought, on every principle
of sound policy, as we'll as Of justice to faith.
full servants, to select from amongst these tried
and experienced officers those who are to re.
ceive important military commands. This is
the policy pursued by the rebels. They have,
| in every instance, appointed to lead their arm.
les, their ablest and most thoroughly.trained
soldiers. Beauregard, Lee, the two Johnsons,
Twiggs, Magruder, and others, they have called
to cons picuous and leading positions. And this,
of itself, goes very far to justify the tribute
foreign authorities have paid to the superior
sagacity and executive ability Of the rebels.
Our army is full Of talent; but our best men
are those who are still, or were till lately, scat.
tered on the outposts and frontier stations, and
not those who have danced attendance upon the
authorities at Washington. 1t is the young
officers who have served under Fontleroy in New
Mexico, under Harvey in the Far West, under
Twiggs in Texas under A. s. johnson on the
Pacific coast, who are best adapted by their
experience to be leaders in our present cam.
paign. 1t is the activity, dash, wary watchful.
ness and promptness which they have learned
in their campaigns against the Indians which
7 our forces most stand in need Of now. 1t is
from these. the tried soldiers of our army, that
the Government should make promotions. They
have by long and faithful but obscure service
earned the right to the opportunity which now
presents itself of gaining that honorable dis
tinction, the hope Of which is one Of the promi
f every advantage Of theoretical and practical
knowledge and, even leaving out of mind the
justice the nation owes to them, it is very GER
tain that regiment Of raw troops led by an
. experienced and tried officer cannot but march
, into battle with ten times the confidence of one
, commanded by an officer who may be as brave
:. as lion, but who knows necessarily no more
about actual warfare than his men.
!. The public thinks it strange to see our hest
Y officers, such men as Captain Doubleday, Cap
, tain Shepherd, and others, holding subordinate
IL Al IL.
knowledge, and their experience of many years
is almost entirely lost to the nation and to the
!, army while untried men, doubtless brave, bu
t with necessarily the slightest knowledge of mil
!. itary affairs, are called to command regiments
brigades, and even departments. Persistence
in such course is running criminal risk, ant
u for the attainment Of no object but the graft
fcation Of private ambition.
4 We are glad to see, by the promotions o
ColoneKeyes and Captain Shepherd, announced
= since this article was written, that the Govern
ment is awakening to the Importance Of pla
+ cling tried and experienced men in responsible
r places, where their talents may be of use Il
q the nation.
e In copying the foregoing article, or in an.
a comment thereon, we do not censure the man
n agement of our War Department But we d
desire to say that those who walk most success
fully through it, and even unknown before, com
l. out invested with high command, are not thos
y with whom our soldiers are safest
rs Not that we would urge that an education q
n West Point is Indispensable to make goo
n, general. On the other hand, with degree {
y truth it may be said that generals, like poet
are born, not made. No military school ca
e. give genius to youth who happens to be Dor
s- without it. And although that industry an
perseverance which enables young man
he pass successfully through the classes at tn
n Academy may 60 far to supply the place {
N brilliant native powers, they cannot entirel