Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-06-03


1: Tbs first see.io,i Of the lti nnthrr:z~s i
general commanding araiies 0r Il srparata ir
| my, 70 assign to duty ore ol the et:.; raj ~,
leers u"der his coniinahu, rs Chrl'rf S.ah
one Of the Rrgadier Generals na;lc: hin com
nland. Iii Inspector General: ana one 9th, !
'BriSatiGr ~ Chief &, iar;1rm.s.er nne eli cri
below the rank Of Bngadrr Us Chief C3n,n:s
tsarf, anu one as Chef OF Ordnance.
This r,%aT Of a'sitnnsa:is IN m;th,nt
reference tH, or cGa-uiiari"n i,iri:. the War
Department or tbA Executive. &itd i1:ght be-
eSe'rised 'lf"ntrave"''o,. Of BE views a;'i
Judgment dloth. Lsaricg our Of ew IL,
question whether it il; 10 :cimd:..r, vita tie
Nonsltuticn to rnnke ,lIo cvrlGGndcr Z ! an .r-
my Independent OF the commandments.
in the discharge OF Gny CT tie duties Ct his
ofire, and lcosing oIly &c tic ffFco. Of such a
system, it plainly creates in rh;s branch ct
the s5rVi5a as many independent EXECUTIVES
! rs there are generals c1G.latntfing almirH IL
the field, and tht.i destroy" t.Iat ut:ity Of do
sign and concert at nction ;ahica are iaGiapan.
sabls dement's Of .U.:esg III s..r. TIA gems
rails eoumonding armies would be by thil ace
! ton vested with The right T.! d=ra,,gs the or
gaDizntion Of their commands, as sct!ici by
the Commander in Chief, BY removing iro,n
their appropriate functonH the commanders ot
corps, divisions and brigadcs whom the Ex-
ecutivo had selected, and the Senate approved,
as specially titt to lead tbs iroups ia hIitlr.
That the general commanding tic army
has, under the terms Ct this =, r.iop, tie right
of assigning general cfi:erJ under his cont
mand to the Gn.ies Of the general kta with
out reference to the authority oil lbs Esceu-
ti7c, il plain frGm TIE other sc.,ti0s's which de
| a. tbnt H.. IN
| the advice Of th9 Scute HE -ihFs Of all gene.
ral Ctters other than those Who c0lnniGnd ar
mics.
Nor d1es this eection restrict the c;nnaa:.i-
Ing general in relation to the branch u srr.
vice or the grade G.! The officers whom hs il
permitted 10 assign tn e,'inmissai and orL-
nance du.iss Of the general .s.atf. |: is only
necessary that they Lc below the rank Of brige
der general. The commanding general would
have the power, therefore. to assign cartniu
conlnisshry 10 be chief uI uidnance. .r -
lieutenant Of infantry To lie chief rommlsSaly
without check CT control from the President
or Senate, ~ti.e the P:ci;ient would 10
witllcut power to appoint snbcrdinatea to h'
officers thus seleo'H Hd by the general cf su
army. without Submitting their uciaina;in =
for the approval of the Senate. Hrs Uniy,
/ q,
! by these proceedings. but the officers ass gutd
to duty by the Commanding generals, rot
|, being permanent members Of the general
staff, wenld be independent Of lis chief, ard
! iBnxtr:cahle cIrtus,On wauL! rcessariiy l.
suit.
| This section. so far from responding to the
little Of tho bi!l, by providing General Std Il,
| in reality breaks 10 that which now exists,
! hti VII } . r. iN,i
| irre3p0csiLlu to tie head Of the Department.,
! consistent and intelligent cg-operatIun in The
acti1n Of our forces, 20 essential t1 ailccca:..
lts effect is 70 create q st,a for ;sunerais, and
not General STAFF,
! II contest s:.Uu'd arise hat~een the Quai =
termaster Geuecals. the Z .mn;s7ary Dent
rals, or the Chiefs Of OrIt;aLrs Of q nsnsrals 4
and b, in any district If country, iGr surplcn
Ur means vG raus sp3gta!iuu, who - 10 deter
mine between thes" rya!p, each equal il nu
| thurity ard each dependent nn !, ieraratu
chici2 llnw are the chi..s Of those hu:cans
in Richmond to sppor;iou thesupplies in4toTr
according to tho wants Of ihe d: :herent arlaica.
without authority ~ eAaa, from then, rrn3rts
and returns lf it be saI Tint these Cthaeis
woull bcc);ae temporarily Responsible 10 the
heads OF departments, how is this responsible
ity to 10 enIOrco3, if TIC orders Gi the general
and those of the chief Of the department should
contlct2 II ordnarcs dap1tH are IrUvdod az
different ponta, f,r different com 'naal5 hGw'
is the officer in charge Of the7n d'prts n act,
if or lerei by tho Chisr II 0rlu9n:e Of q ge. :
eral in tic .isii to make Gltar< dlsH"sAi ri
the st0rea ir:ai that ordered h2 ti;. hr&! ii iht
d.rar;mcnt in 1ticaf1nd;
| II such bill should hscnH. - law ~ yun
| would the War Department SEEK n eInat rigid
Obedience 10 lar orders from The irresponsb q
slaif created under its provi:io25 In vGii would
it seek for the information necessary for Its gu'.-
ance or attempt to change tho relative strength
Of armies 10 lneot The Vary iug movements Of iu.
enemy Ths STAFF officers couli b, ;aHGa :ha
ready and safe means OF th~Hrling the GUvGrn>
InenI in its oIders for the removal cf troops ':on
one command to reinforce Threatened post ons
10 another AMI could easily be rendered sursaf-
yi-nt 10 the natural 6nt dan2er"Is propensity Ct
most commanders to retaiu Nil the troops ri!l.r
their cwn control, for the sste'y of their own
commands, without reieronce 10 more u,g"n:
needs ut other points.
It. is scarcely necessary to -nfl 10 Ihass 60:
alterations more than bare ausIon to thA te:!
dency of such bocies Of Officers %i'"n d,pe hieut
for their own promotion OIL the iu;or nf thcr tpt
ciul chiefs 10 roso,t 10 agencies less cnmnl-n'a-
BILE than tie zraious discharge Of their leei!in,"2
duties for The attainment ct their dosiras
Il II. Another very Objectionable feature oi
the bill proposed is it. effect on tho 6fi;era 81
the general staff other than those ~io may o.
selected cs tho fa7ori.e2 Of tts commanding
generals.
Numbers cf Jealous, meri.cfi3us asd va!u'
able officers have made the duties Of tho gers
ralssaiF objscts Of special sluly, ba7o ca
braccd the staff as hcarch Ct the pro,cas,"i
in which, under existing laws, they arc en'''
tied to promotion for nlcri. and l5ng eer"ic"
Lust ns the line o& Iers tavo o rish:1j- l'rc'',
ton in their branch. .r-.
This bill depriVes the ttaN otiGari o. l!''"
the grei.t incentive 10 tho Esi:lou+ dIs,:har:-" !"
duty. 1t detars them trom prjmniinn In Ia
higher grades uf their own hr:rclI of strSiHs
and bestows these prizes Of honorable ant;
lion on tho cfiisers of tue line, 1ha Will tia.
monorpl;zo tho promotions to TIE hiE;!ai
gSaiss, 10th in tn. line and stall e. the =.!;r
exclusion Of tae Gficera Of the lnt,Gf. f~;T -!
be willing to remain in the n:.H undo; III =
circumstances. Those who conscut II cn
; ,inue will be those least ambitious or l'on,C
tion, and the whole s.a service will sa :.
! paired n'tone AMI ethc;enc7 ''.'s.
III. Tho sssigllient OF gcil~ra ottic.rstt sAI
dutieB ss provided in the bill. would leave hlsi.'
hrigades aud some divisions, sn!, psrhap3, 39nie
ctlrs without their appropriate commanders. a"'
no pr,vsion Is made 10 supply the ysean' CT ti.u
! created Are their commanda 10 be cnntilcts'
d Haean. sod tlieir s,iecessors spo:nn;si Ii 81
what is 10 become & those H.eis ned 10 stsh iut
G shoui, the commanding G,nsa revoke Tia ~:
s:gnment! Ii III. c1n;rayy, many hfga'les ~!
4, bs commanded by tho officer nsx! in rank 70 !'
assigned brigadior, however Incompetent sar
officer MAY be- 81 command n brigade, an1 81
: liae would occur IA to divisions and corps, i,
I contraysntioa! VI tho policy well considered hi
established that general oticers Are appointed b
!, selection 70: merit sIi not pronlted ny senior
It ty II Tue Commanding General is ordered I
g another command, is hn to take Tia sIEtT will
him, or is he to lelve itf,r sar,I:, will! his aus
cessorl In either case. il the w!,I!, seura staf
+ Of each army TO he changed the s~ptire rf IT.
i nou commander q 1hi, nu Al h, tho effect of III,