Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-07
Promotions and Appointments in the Fiji
teeuth5 Regiment.


Having heard many reports aud discussions
relative to promotions and appointments for
line officers in the fifteenth regiment, since the
hattie of Balls Bluff, we have taken some
mains to ascertain how far the reports and the
facts agree. Having found that they do not
agree, we deem it proper to state what we
have learned in regard to the matter.
The result of our inquiries is not at all in
accordance with the prevalent supposition that
most of the vacancies have been filled by the
appointment of persons not belonging to the
regiment. There have been only two recon-
mendations of outside persons to vacancies in
the company officers of the regiment, and only
one of these now holds a commission aud
these two were recommended when Col. Dew
ems supposed that all the non-commissioned
officers previously recommended were to re-
ceve commissions. By some miscarriage OF
his first communication, which we do not un
derstand, the two gentlemen last recommended
were first appointed, We give here list of
all the recommendations made by Col. Devens
since tue battle OF Balls Bluff
For Promotion TO the Office Of Captain First
lieutenants Wood and Derby, and second lieu
tenant Eager, of the regiment.
To be First Lieutenants Second lieutenants
Corbin, Ellingwood, and Derby, of the regi-
ment, and Thomas J. Spur, not of the regi
ment.
To be Second Lieutenants sergeant major
John S. Hall, quartermaster sergeant w. R.
Doane, Taft, Gale, and MARYLAND, of the regi-
ment, and Thomas Kinnicutt, not of the regi
ment.
The sudden and unexpected change Of pol
icy at the war department interfered with
some OF these recommendations by lessening
the number OF vacancies. According 10 an
order of Secretary Cameron, the prisoners of
war on returning were to be formed into skel.
eton regiments, and the vacancies made in
tiieir old regiments were to be filed by new
men. Secretary Stanton, with much higher
sense of propriety and justice, has cancelled
that order, and directed that the released pris-
oners shall return to the regiments where they
belong. One effect OF this change, however
is that qnartermaster sergeant Steele and ser
geants Spooner, Prince, and MARYLAND are de
prived OF the promotion that had been award
ed them but for this, of course, the colone
was in no respect responsible. One of the tw
gentlemen appointed from outside the reg
meat resigned when Mr.. Stanton's change c
policy brought this disappointment, and, a
we have stated, only one of them now hol IS
commission in the regiment.
The staff appointments are not in the lin
of promotion for company officers. They al
confidential positions, and the colonel has tt
exclusive right of selection. He tried to il
duce some of the lieutenants to accept Il
Office of quartermasIer, but they decline
Col. Devens says in private letter,-"the a
jutant and quartermaster have been replace
by me by adjutant George W. Baldwin an
quartermaster VIM. B. Storer, both so comp
tent that am only afraid that some gener
will take them away from me-" And we hef
already that one of them has been offered
position on the brigadier generals staff II
fifteenth has gone under Gen. Banks Oh a
other expedition, from which it will not !
turn, probably, without another battle.