The New York herald., 1874-10-03
Power Of the Commander-in-Chief and
Secretary Of War
The Trouble in Our Military
Establishment.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
How the Headquarters Came TO Ee Re-
moved to st. Louis.

IL has been already announced In the HERAL D
that the Headauarters o. the Army have, by re-
quest OF General sherman and with the approval
OF the President, been removed from Washington
70 St Louis. The causes that led to this transfer
have also been briefly alluded to; but in a matter
OF SO much importance II must be a subject OF deep
interest to the people at large TO learn more IN de-
tail the circumstances that have induced the Gen
eral-n-Chief to retire from a locality which cir
cumstances TO be stated made TO him most irk-
some. 1t may be briefly stated that the Secretary
OF War took almost the entire management or the
discipline and police OF the military establishment
into his own hands, with the approval OF the Pres
dent, without which 1t could not have been done,
the President being Commander-in-Chief OF the
Army and Navy, and invested by acts OF Congress
wftn discretionary power as TO the duties TO be
assigned TO the commanding General General
sherman having nothing TO do in Washington, felt
natural annoyance, and concluded to establish
his headquarters in ST. Louis The command OF
the army is now virtually IN the hands OF the Sec
retary OF War.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT
was established by act OF Congress- approved Au-
gust 7, 17S9 1t provided that there should be a
principal oicer therein, be called the Secretary
for the Department OF War, who should perform
and execute such duties as should be- rom time
60 time, enjoined on or intrusted to him BY the
President, agreeable TO the constitution relative
TO military commission or to the land or naval
forces ships warEe stores OF the United
states, or to such other matters respecting mill.
taly or naval AFFAIRS as the President should
assign SAID department The Navy Department
was created in 1898, and secretary provided Tor
in the same manner as for thai OF the military es-
adjustment II will be thus seen that the Presi-
dent has supreme authority in designating the
duties to be discharged by the head Of each de-
partment, and any diminution OF the authority
once established by regulations OF either could
have force by his official approval.
SCOTT IN HOT WATER.
few years after Scott became Commander
General OF the Army the war with Mexico broke
out and that faithful old soldier was ordered to
Vera Cruz, and from thence he led the American
army trlumphanrly to the capital OF the Republic.
Scott was not a favorite with many of the leading
democratic statesmen OF the South, ana moreover
he placed under arrest Generals Worth and PHI.
low and Colonel Duncan while in active service in
the leld he was recalled after capturing the
City OF Mexico, and General William o. Butler
was place In command OF the Army of Occupation.
A court OF inquiry, consisting Of Generals Tow
son, Beknap and Caleb Cushing, was ordered to
Investigate the matter. but it ended in nothing.
Meantime Scott's enemies were not idie, and the
victorious General himself exhibited any thing but
Polk and MI. Marcy-who was then Secretary OF
War-were more or less Influenced against Scott,
and on mis- return to the United states, for rea-
sons that have never been fully disclosed to the
public be was kept with his headquarters in New
York. II is stated in hls autobiography that 1t
was at his own instance, III compliment TO General
Taylor, then the nominee OF the Wing party for the
Presidency, that he assigned to the Eastern
Department and that tie western Department,
with headquarters at New Orleans, was given to
the other Major General, Taylor, as IN the time OF
the two Major Generals, Brown and Jackson, IN
1915. who continued down to 1921 commanding the
divisions OF the North and South respectively.
But the General orders august, 1sisl issued on
the occasion, by direction or President Polk.
through secretary Marcy, make nc allusion to the
wishes OF scott on the assignments OF himself and
Taylor to the Eastern and Western Departments.
they simply announce that the President has
deemed proper that the iermer should establish
hA headquarters at or in the vicinity OF New
YORK.
SCOTT DEPRIVED OF CoMMASD-IN-CHIEF.
The President further ordered tnat to the duties
devo!vng upon the commanders OF divisions by
the general regulations OF the army were added
the duties enJoned upon the Commanding General
OF the Army, so lar as the same were TO be found
applicable; and all other functions pertaining TO
ulations wuhln the like limits. were also to be
exercised By the two Major Generals within their
respective divisions. This order clearly stripped
scout OF the position he occupied be ore the war.
as IL mace Taylor entirely independent OF him and
MS equal In all respects. On the inauguration OF
General Taylor as PRESIDENT OF the United States
though again assuming the command OF the whole
army, Scott continued his headquarters az New
York, not being called 10 Washington, in conse-
quence, as stated IN his autobiography, OF the
personal hostility OF the chief magistrate; but on
the succession Of Fillmore, in 1850, the head
quarters OF the Generatln- Chief were removed to
the seat OF government and there continued until
the accession OF President Pierce wnen as the
General again says, they were once more removed
back to New YORK. Here they renamed down to
his retirement from active service in 1861, though
his last ten months on duty we're spent in Wash
ington consulting with the government as to the
most efrcacous means to avert, ia the arst place,
and aiterward to suppress the clyU war;
AUTHORITY OF COMMANDING GENERALS.
There can be no doubt that up to me time that
Scott fell into disrepute with Polks administra-
ton the Commanding General did actually control
the army. and tnat the Secretary OF war never
was authorized by the President or atie npted to
exercise the entire power or governing Il that has
been since generally assumed by that Cabinet
Minister. Even in May 1s49, year after scottis
return from Mexico, general order was Issued by
Tue President restoring MIN to the command OF
the army and the duties In all mat regarqs Its
alscipnne and military control, according to the
feRulanons prescribed for the guidance or ne
Geheral Commanding-in-ChieLn Regulations hN
peen framed IN ls47, as stated before, dsdnmT
these duties, which gave to that officer the mosA
ample powers IN the matter Of changing the sta.
ions OF regiments and companies, ordering courts.
martial, ordering officers 10 DUTY &c. without the
necessily OF consuming the secretary OF War. The
lact oI tue successful Efforts OF Scotts opponents
tendlng 70 lessen MS authority had not the effect
OF removing the Adutant General entirely IRON
under MS control, for General Roger Jones ire.
quently MADE reports to the Lieutenant General
as us chiei, respecting recruiting, discipline and
other subjects that came under the control of ms
pIlce
GRANT IN WASHINGTON.
Matters were in this condition when General
Grant returned TO Washington Ia 1866 lie ost nC
time in writing TO secretary stanton stating thai
While In the field his functions were never I'M
pared, put were Iacllltated IN all essential mat
Y