Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-03-22
Reorganization Of our Army Commando.

lic liOOuh COult VIII ut NdNuVN aNuls
Reorganization Of our Army Commands,
The following important order has been pub
isted;
WAR DEPARTMENT, ApJT.GEN's OFFICE, I
WASHINGTON, March H. 1864
GENERAL Orders No. 2S.-The President Of
the U1Iled States orders as follows;
FIRST M,jor Gen. lialleck Is at his ogn re-
quest relieved from duty as General in-Chef Of
the army, and Lieut. Gen. L. 5. Grant is assigned
TO the command Of the armies Of the UaIlod
Sstes. The headquarters Of the army will he in
Washington, and also with Lieut., Gen. Grant in
the field.
Second Major Cen Haeck is assigned to
duty in Washington as Chief cf Staff Of The
Army under the direction Of the Secretary Of
War and the Lieut. General Commanding. He
orders will be obeytd and respected accordf ely.
| Third Major Ger W. l. Sherman is assigned
to the command Of the military division Of the
Mississippi, composed OF tie department OF the
| Ohio, tie Cumberland, the Tennessee, aud the
Arkansas.
! Fourth Major Gen. J. b. Mcpherson is as
signed to the command Of the Department and
Army Of the Tennessee.
FVth: 10 relieving MAJOR Gen. Haleck from
duty as Genersn.Chef the President desires to
express his appreciation and thanks Tor the Jealous
manner 10 which the ar uous and responsible
| du.les uf that position have been performed.
by order OF the Secretary of War.
L. ID. TOWNSEND, Asst. Adjt Gelera.
We hope the loreg ing order viii mark an
epoch in tn, conduct Of the war. Hitherto for
4 long tme,-indeed almost from the commence
ment OF the war-we believe here have been too
m'ny Generalsin-Chief That is undoubtedly a
wise provision in the Constitution which pro-
vides that The President shall be COMMANDMENTS
Chief Of the Army and Navy Of the United
States, but it might prove most unfortunate
provision il a civilian in the Executive Office
should attempt to control or direo! the movements
OF either the Army or the Navy, in their actual
operations in general or in detail. Military cam
paigns should be given IN charge to military men,
and civilian should never expect or attempt to
carry an incompetent General through campoign,
by adding the inexperienced and unmilitary csun-
'sl' Of the one to The laundering and incompetent
generalshp Of the other and whel the blind
attempt to lead the blind in this way, We have
high authority for believing thai they will iogelh-
er como to the ground. We have not escaped
serious disasters from this caase already, when
President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton, instead
Of removing incompetent or unhithful generals at
once, and putting other and better chisitains
in their places, have kept them along evidently
in the vain expectation that their own sXertions
and plans would supplement- and help carry for
ward 10 success those of dishonest, Inefficient,
timid, or Ignorant officers in the field. Mcclellan
should have been removed year before be was
but, while President Lincoln chose not 10 do that,
he made another scarcely less grave mistake in
interfering With his plans. II Mcclellan was in
the slightest degree fl fer his command, and for
the military operations which he was expected to
perform, he must have known infinitely more re-
,psctiug the time, manner, and essentials OF sue
cess than could President Lincoln or any unmili-
tary man, and he ought either to have been re-.
moved, or lot alone. And what is an obvious
truth in the case Of Mcclellan is alike true of
every oher officer in the field if he is fit for
hi, office, no presidential meddng with his plans
will have any effect except 10 briog them to con.
fusion and il he is not ft for bis Office, the only
wise thing for the President to do is to remove
him at once.
With Grant al the head of the armies of the
United States We hope all this will be brayely
changed. Grant b. Voc bis rank, having proved
himself the greatest general Of the war; and his
appointment as 1t. General isa tribute to his
merit, and not the result Of the recommendation
Of Cen Scott or any other man. We now re-
specially urge that he be let alone in his plans,
whether 10 Virginia, or elsewhere. Let President
Lincoln give every officer or civilian whe ap
proaches the White House, asking him to over.
rule any order or plan of Gen. Grant, to under.
stand tina! no appeal lies from Grant to him
When he !, ready to revoke Grants commission
let him do so and take the responsibility but
until then the oihce Of Commauder.in.chef which
has Just been gracefully rendered TO- aud modest.
y accepted by Gen Grant, We trust he will be
allowed to hold, not il common with President
Lincoln, but entirely to himself, and independent
except subject TO REMOVAL any other per.
son.