Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-03
Incompetent uiIitarr ccmmanders.

incompetent Military Commanders.
One of the mistakes of the present war-and
it is one that has embarrassed the military opera
tons thus far materially-is the appointment OF
men TO high military positions without regard 10
their fitness for the place Men of no qualifca-
tons whatever 70 command men, and with
out the slightest military education. have
been placed at the head of regiments, bTigades
and divisions The disasters which have Oc-
CURED is the best commentary on the folly of
manufacturing soldiers out Of mere civilians 20
be employed in active service against a wiley foe.
The sarcasm attributed to BEAuREeARD meets the
case in point 1t is said he instructed his soldiers
not to fire upon the epaulette men, but the pri-
Yates, as he considered the latter far more dan
gerous than the former. The Boston Posi- thus
criticises the appointment of Governor ANDREW,
of Massachusetts, and what is said of the mis-
takes of the Executive of that State is applicable
in many other cases. The Post says:
The men who compose the rank and file of the
Massachusetts, volunteers are. in physical strength
and moral stamina. all that could be expected or
desired-but neither they, nor any other men, if
inefcienily oficered, will ever form any army fit
to be entrusted with the safety of the Government
in this hour of its peril. The four regiments al
ready in the field were dispatched, necessarily,
with so much haste that there was no time TO sift
out incompetent officers, who were elected for
holiday parades, and not with view to actual
service. The selection of Gen. Butler was the
best that could have been made-and If. as il is
10 be hoped, he will learn prudence and modera-
ton from his past experience he will fully justify
his selection by his acts When Gen Butler was
II n Il. a
vacancy, error was committed which was as
patent then TO every man who had ever known or
seen Gen. p, as it Is now. IL could not have
been an error Of judgment, because no discreet
mans judgment ever sanctioned the selection, or
could have done so under any imaginable halluci-
nation. He is, doubtless, good man-but God
never made him to command men.
When we saw the first regiment marching 10
the on Saturday, il was with mingled feel
ings of pride in the thousand gallant men who
formed its ranks, and regret that they were going
10 a severe trial of their courage and endurance
under, we feared Incompetent and inexperienced
officers Every one who has taken pains to in
form himself of the condition of the regiment
since it went into camp, knows that il is destitute
of discipline and little better than an armed mob
On Saturday it is said portion Of IL rescued a
prisoner from the guard tent, in the presence and
with the extorted consent, Ofits Colonel. Colonel
COwdin is a good ctizen-exemplary in all the
relations of hfe-but sadly out of place il is be-
lieved, in his present position. His Lieutenant
Colonel (Wells,) once a lawyer, now a police
judge, appeared TO have no claims to his place
which were visible to the naked eye, save that he
Lalcyer ''eiHbabLe man" and formerly
commanded an engine company somewhere amid
the hills of Berkshire. The Major is another
IaIcyer-(a profession which seems to have come
into remarkable prominence with the Executive.
and from which his appontees are almost invaria-
r.
able to ascertain, few qualifications for his place.
except that he is the son of his father, and that
father a larger. Ifany man who is competent to
judge OF the amount Of responsibility which must
devolve upon these officers, in the care, training
and efficiency of so large body of men, will say,
upon the most favorable view of the case, that
they are equal to il, or should be entrusted with
it, he will, we think, hazard opinion which the
result will not Justify. To no man Is the ineiii-
cheney of these officers and the consequent demor-
azation of the regiment better known than to
Gov. Andrew-aDd how he can reconcile il 10 his
conscience to send thousand Massachusetts, sol
ders under such auspices, TO the stern realities of
real war, passes our comprehension. Better the
regiment should be isbanded-better even that
men of less social position, and outside Of the le
gai profession, should be promoted 10 these high
places, with only common and military
knowledge to back them, than that those who are
willing TO incur the great dangers of in de-
fense Of our common liberties should have
those dangers quadrupled by a neglect of
the plainest dictates Of reason. Appoint
ments of simiLr character have been made
in some of the other regiments, but we have
desire to enumerate them, OF to enlarge the NOR
tifying record. We should, however. like to be
Informed why the experienced Col Decker. Of
the l0th regiment-as thorough a soldier as
twenty years of service in time of peace could
make. man of unexceptionable character-was
deposed to make room for Capt. Briggs
of very limited experience aud moderate abili-
ties and only superior TO Col Decker in his social
position, in being the son of an Ex-Governor and
iairyer, 1t is not pleasant duty to speak of
these things with the plainness that the circum-
stances seem to demand, but something surely
should be done to check this fragrant disregard Of
the adaptation of means to ends. The war in
which the country is engaged is 10 be no holiday
pastime, either IN its progress or results and the
sooner all learn TO look the matter fully in the
face and realize that what we have TO do can only
be effected by putting the right men in the right
place. the better it will be for all concerned.
No army can be efficient or reliable unless the
officers havethe confidence of the men-and moth
ing short of real ability will long command that
confidence. IL Gen. Scott and his successors in
command must wait to educate such officers as
some of those Massachusetts, has sent him-and
he is too wise a commander TO trust them until
they are educated-Jeff. Davis will have longer
lease of official life than his merits deserve-and
we shall have in prospect, war so prolonged that
it will he doubtful if the oldest iHhabaaRf at its
close will have any personal recollection of its
beginning. Next to undertaking our enemy, over
rating ourselves is likely to be fatal TO our imme
date success-and to steer clear of both Scylia
and Charybdis, il is essential that we have more
substance, even if it involves smaller amount
of gaseous show.