The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-11
General Buffers Rem0val-Eailure OF
Our Civilian Generals.


The Presidents military order No. l, for 1865,
transferring General Benjamin +. Butler from
command Of the Department Of Virginia and
North Carolina to the city of LOWELL Massa-
chusetts, will generally be regarded as good
beginning Of the 'new SERIES" What this order
means has probably been explained in the
solution of that famous order of November,
1862, transferring General Mcclellan from the
Army Of the Potomac to the interesting little
city of Trenton, New Jersey. In brief, we guess
that this "Order No. 1, new series, 1865" ends
the military career of General Butler.
1t appears that heavy budget of complaints
and grievances of various kinds had been ac-
fdsco being added to them broke him down.
Our first impressions Of that extraordinary affair
are thus established as substantially correct;
for the Presidents action in the premises is
doubtless the result Of a careful scrutiny Of all
the facts and evidences in the case. Thus, then,
another Of our civilian generals goes by the
board. The magnitude of the armies, move
ments and complications Of this war have been
altogether too much for them. Gen. Butler in
the field from Big Bethel down to Fort Fisher,
has been singularly unfortunate as . military
leader; but great have been his services to the
government and the country, at Baltimore, at
Fortress Monroe, and in New Orleans, in the
capacity Of military dictator, in declaring, de-
fining and enforcing the DEGREES deemed
essential TO re-establish the reign Of loyalty,
law and order. The remarkable energy, in
dustry, legal shrewdness, readiness and de-
cision Of character exhibited by Gen. Butler in
regulating the turbulent secesh elements of the
city Of New Orleans, especially, will give him
Appointment recognition by the future historians
Of this stupendoB and monstrous war.
We are, however, dealing with General
Butler as q military failure. He is but one of
considerable list Of civilians who have failed
in this great war as generals. General Banks,
another Of this school, Of superior administrative
abilities, has had more and larger military
successes than Butler; but has suffered, on the
other hand, more serious reverses, East and
West General Schenck, General Shields, Gene
raj Crittenden and General McClernand may
be mentioned as other examples Of the same
class, to say nothing Of the heroic but unfortu-
nate General Baker, and the utterly incompe-
tent General Tom Ford. Very few, indeed, Of
our civilian generals in tbs war have been
able TO hold their ground; but among these
few are such sterling soldiers as General Logan
and General Geary. General Sickles has also
done well; and General Meagher, with his fight
ing Irish brigade. But the severe scientific re-
quirements Of this war have been fully realized
only in our generals trained 10 the business
through regular military education.
In the Mexican war our volunteer generals
were almost invariably successful. They went
in for military glory and political advancement
and they came out among the great military
lights Of the world. Even poor Pierce, whose
most conspicuous Mexican achievement ives