New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-29
REMOVING THE ARMY HEADQUARTERS

| GEN. SHERMAN STATES SOME OF THE CAUSES of HE
DISSATISFACTION WITH THE EXISTING SYSTEM
THE POWERS OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF
TIE ARMY sHORN BY JEFFERSON DAVIS AND
FLoYD-GEN. GRANT REFERS TO EMBARRASSING
| FEATURES IN THE PRESENT POSITION OF TIE
| COMMANDING GENERAL.
| WASHINGTON, June 27.-The following official let
ters for tho first time made public, give some insight
into the causes which have led to the proposed re-
mova of army headquarters to St. Louis 1t will be
seen that the controversy is of long standing The
letter of Gen. Sherman has not been answered by the
Secretary of War.
| GEN. SHERMAN RECITE5 THE. GRIEVANCES OF
| Ills POSITION
HEADQUARTERS ARMY THE UNITED STATES,
WAsHISGTos, d. c., Aug. II, 1870.
Gen. W. W. BELKNAP, Secretary Of Var.
GENERAL: 1 most respectfully and urgently invite
your attention. at leisure, to matter OF deep interest
to future commanding generals OF the army more than
| to myseli-of the imperative necessity Of fixing and
clearly defining the limits Of the powers and duties OF
the General Of the Army OF whomsoeyer may succeed
to the place OF Commander-inChiei The case Is well
by Grant in his letter Of JAM 49, 1866 to the
Secretary OF War r. Santon), hereto appended and
though find official answer recorded, remember
that Gen. Grant told me that the Secretary OF war
had promptly assured him, in conversation,
that he fully approved Of his views ns
expressed In this letter. At that time the subject was
much discussed and after Congress enacted the
bill revivng the grade OF General which bill was APP
proved July u.s. 1906, and provided that the General
when commissioned may be authorized under the d.
recton and during the pleasure OF the President to COM
mand the Armies Of the United Statcs and few days
after viz. July 2s 1885, the law was enacted which de-
| fined the military peace establishment The cnactns
clause reads "Tnat the military peace establishment
OF the United shall hereafter consist OF five reg
ments Of artillery, ten regiments Of cavalry As res
~ infa fle prnfa
OF the United States Military Academy, and such other
shall be provided for by this act 20 be known
as the Army OF the United States"
The act then reces in great detail all the parts OF tho
army making distinction between the line and staff
but clearly makes each and every part element Of
the whole.
Section 81 provides for n Board to revise the army
regulations and report and declares that the regulations
then in force-namey, those in 1SG3-shoud remain
until Congress shall said report " and Section
49, and last, enacs and provides that all laws and
parts Of laws inconsistent with the provisions OF this
act be- and the same hereby repealed"
Under the provisions Of this law mypredecessor Gen.
Grant, did hesitate TO command and make orders 10
all parts Of the army, the Military Academy and STAN
and It was under his advice that the new regulations
we're compiled 1868 that drew the line more clearly
between the high and responsible duties OF the Secretary
OF War and the General commanding the army. He as
sured Inc many time before was called here to sue
coed him, he wanted to perfect the Distinction
and IL was by his express orders that on assuming the
command OF the army specifically placed the heads OF
the staff corps in Washington in the exact relation
to the army which they would bear to an army in the
field.
lam aware that subsequently in his order OF March 20
he modified his orders Of March but only as to
the heads of Bureaus in Washington who have he told
me- certain functions OF office imposed on them by
special laws OF Congress- which laws OF course over
ride all orders and regulations; but did not under
| fur frOn
at whose this order was made that 1t was do
signed I'm any way To modify, alter, aud change his pur
pose that the department and division commanders as
well as the of the Army, should exercise the
same command OF the staff as they do OF the line OF the
army
need not remind the Secretary that orders and re-
norris are made to and from the Military Academy
which the General does not see, though the Mill
tary Academy is specifically named as part OF that
army which he is require to command. Leaves OF alb
sence arc granted the stations OF oncers are changed
and other orders made directly to the army,
not through the General but direct through other OIL
| GERS or the Adjutant-Genera
go long as this is the case surely do not command
the army OF the United States and am not responsible
for IT, am aware that the confusion resulting from
the fact the 3Ith section OF the act OF Jay 49, 1866
clothes tue army regulations OF 1868 with the sanction
of law but the repeats all laws and parts
OF laws with the provisions OF this act. The
regulations OF 1868 are compilation OF orders made
prior to the war, when such men as Davis and Floyd
took pleasure stripping Gen Scott OF even the sem
| blance of power, and purposely reduced him to
cipher IN the government OF the army. Not one word
can be found those eulaons speaking OF the duties
| OF the Leutenant-G cneral commanding the army or
defining single act OF authority that rghtfully do
| yolyed on him. Not siage mention is made OF the
rights and duties OF lern-chief Of the army
He IS ignored and purposely too part OF the pro-
cramme resulting the Rebellion that the army with
| ont q legitimate head should pass into the anarchy
which these men were shaping for the whole country
| I invite your attention to the army regulations OF
| ,s.7 when our best soldiers lived among whom
your father and paragraphs IS and 49, page
and they are important that we quote them entire:
| a. The military establishment is placed under the
orders of the Major snera Commanding in Chief In al
that regards Its discipline aud military control Its
praiiys Drpsrtment Of the Stan and to the Treasury
Department under the direction Of the Secretary Of
1 a. Tie General OF the army will watch over the
economy the service in all that relates to the e1pen'
dnre VI money, supply OF arms. ordnance aud ordnance
moree clothing. equipments. camp equpage. medical
and hospital sOres, barracks quarters transportation
Military Academy, and subsistence, In short every
Thing Whioh into the OF the military
establishment whether personal or national NE S
based proper data and made for the objects conte
plated Law and necessary to the support ana u,eia
important duties he VIII call to his counsel ana assist
ance staff and those officers proper In bis opinion
which may require attention. lhe rules and regulations
established for the government Of the army ana tue
guides TO the Commanding General In the performance
| of his duties.
Wbv WAS this or why was all mention OF any field
duty for the head Of the left out OF the Army Reg
ulationsi Simply because Jefferson Davis had pur-
nose and absorbed TO himself Secretary OF War, as
Gen Grant well says, all the powers OF CoinmahdeF'n
Chief Floyd succeeded him. and the last regulations
| nuLa