The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-07
GENERAL SHERMAN'5 GREW
ANCE.
WHY BE MOVES TO ST. LOUIS

tIdi 10 VIC OtCItLdE1
HEADQ'Rs ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON, ID. c., August IL, 1870.
Ge,,er5I ". ". Belkadp, SecreLoryof War:
GENERAL; most respectfully and urgent
" invite your attention, at leisure, to mat
ter of deep interest to future commanding
generals of the army more than myself-oi
the imperative necessity of fixing and clear
ly defining the limits of the powers and du-
ties OF the general of the army, or whomso-
ever may succeed to the duties OF
coumanGer-in chief. The case is well
stated by General Grant in his letter
of war, Mr.. Stanton,) hereto APP
pended: and though l find no official an
swer recorded, L remember that General
Grant told me that the secretary of war had
promptly assured him, in conversation, that
he fully approved of his views as expressed
ia this letter. At that time the subject was
| much discussed, and soon after congress
enacted the bill reviving the grade Of general.
| which bill was approved July %, 1866, and
| provided that the general, when commits
| stoned, "may be authorized, under the di
rection aud during the pleasure Of the presi-
| dent, to command the armies of the United
States" and a few days after, viz: July 2S,
/ 1866, the law was enacted which defined the
military peace establishment. The enaeting
clause reads: THAT the military peace es-
tablishment of the United States shall here
after consist of five regiments OF artillery,
| ten regiments of cavalry forty Live regiments
of infantry the professors and corps of cadets
of the United States Military Academy and
such other forces as shall be provided for
| by this act, to be known as the ARMY of the
| United States" The act then recites in great
detail all the parts of the army, making no
distinction between the line and staff, but
clearly n7akes each and every part an ele-
ment OF the whole. Section 81 provides for
ordt IN a QTsd
report, and declares that the regulations then
| in force-namely, those in 1S63-should re-
main until congress "shall act on said re-
port" aud section IS, and last, enacts and
provides ''that all laws and parts of laws in
consistent with the provisions of this act be,
and the same are hereby, repealed" Under
the provisions of this law my predecessor,
General Grant, did not hesitate to command
and make orders to all parts of the army.
the military academy and staff; and it was
UNDER HIS ADVICE
that the new regulations were compiled In
1865, that drew the line more clearly be-
tween the high and responsible duties of the
secretary of war and the general command
ing the army. He assured me many a time
before L was called here to succeed him that
be wanted me to perfect the distinction, and
it vas by his express orders that on assum-
ing the command of the army / specifically
pliced the heads of the staff corps here in
Washington in the exact relation TO thel
army which they would bear to an army in
| the field. 1 am aware that subsequently. in
hi. order OF March 26, he modified mis- former
orders of March 5, but only as to the heads
of bureaus in Washington, who have he
| tod me, certain functions of office
imposed on them by special laws
of congress, which laws, vi course,
l ov,rride all orders and regulations !;
hui did not understand, either from him in
peson or from General Rawlins, at whose
instance this order was made, that 1t was de.
) sigaed in any way to modify, alter, and
change his purpose that the department and
division commanders, as well as the general
: of the army, should exercise the same
! Command of the staff as they do OF
!. the line OF the army / need not re-
mind the secretary that orders and
3 reports are made to and from the Mill
: tary Academy which the general does
not even see, though the Military Academy
is specifically named as part OF that army
which he is required to command. Leaves
of absence are granted, the stations OF OH
GERS are changed, and other orders are now
!. made directly to the army, not through
r the general but direct through other
officers or the adiut1nt general RAJ,
. command the army of the United States
o and am not responsible for 1t. L am aware
that the confusion resulting from the facl
q that the 37th section of the act OF July -
4 1866, clothes the army regulations OF 1856
with the sanction of law, but the next sec
ton repeats all laws and parts Of laws In
consistent with the provisions of this act
: Che regulations of 1853 are but compila
tioN of orders made prior to the war, wher
It such hen as DAVIS and Floyd took pleasure
t in stripping General Scott of even thu
emblance0 of power, and purposely reduced
e to a mere CIPHER in the government OF Ih
e army. Not one word can be found In tnos
: regulations speaking of the
DUTIES OF THE LIEUTENANT GENERAL
: commanding the army, OF defining singh
: act of authority that devolved on him. No
d a single mention is made of the rights ant
o duties of a commaRder-in-chief of the army
He is ignored, and purposely too, as par
/ of the program resulting in the rebellion
e thSt the army without a legitimate heat
/ should pass into the anarchy which thes
s men were shaping for The whole country
J invite your attention to the army regula
. tions of lS47, when our best soldiers IlVed
}, among whom was your own father; and SCI
S paragraphs As and 40, page 8, and thsy are s,
important that we quote them entire: "4o
r The military establishment is placed unde
h the orders of the major general commanding
in-chief in all that regards Is dlscl-
9 pline and military control; its penal ar
@ rangements properly belong to the admins
r, trative department of the staff and 70 The
s treasury department. under the direction Of
/. the secretary OF war. 40. The general
e the army will watch over the Economy O
o the service in all that relates to theexpendl
ture of money, supply of arms. ordinance
- and ordinance stores, clothing, equipments
camp equipage, medical and hospital stores
barracks, quarters, transportation, Military
l. Academy, pay and subsisteIce-in short
If everything which enters inp the expenses
# of the military establishment, whether per
If sonal or national. He will llso see that the
n estimates for the military service are based
# on proper data, and mide for the objects
}, contemplated by law, sne necessary to The
support and useful employment or the
10 in, rortant duties haS will call to his
? counsel and assistsn@ the staff. and those
,s oficers nroper I'D his opinion to be en-