The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-12
THE ARMY.

THE SUBJECT AND THE MANNER or ITS En-
FoRcEMENT-How THE ARIsTocRATIc WEST
POINT FEELING MILIrArEs AGAINST MODEST
MERIT
WASHINGTON, May IL, 1876
During the last fifteen years the HERALD has repeat
cdly called attention to the subject OF promotion from
the ranks and has published statistics showing that
the regulations relative thereto have not been
fully carried The matter has at length gained the
attention OF Congress- and has been iocibly ana prac
tcaiy presented TO the war authorities, hrst by that
provision in the army bill now before the Senate
which closes all Of approach to commissions
In the line except through West Point and the recruit
iug rendezvous; and second, by resolution calling
upon the Secretary OF War Ito inform tho House
whether the Of August f. 1854, since Incorporated
in the Revised Statutes tsecton l2l4 has, according 70
the true and meaning of said act been carried
into effect and IL so, TO state to what extent
that provision has operated to the promotion OF non
commissioned officers and what, II any has been the
effect upon the service OF such promotion"
The resolution has not yet been responded to, but
the records OF Tho Adjutant Generals Office show that
while go enlisted men have been commissioned since
1854 the law has been literally complied with IN nine
teen instances onlyviz, ono in 1867, three In 1859,
ono in 1850 one 1862 and thirteen in 1868, literal
compliance requiring noncommlssioncd officers who
have been examined ana found qualified TO be attached
TO regiments rs brevct second lieutcnants, whether
there any vacancies not In order that the mat
ter may be fully understood, an epitcmc of the
LAWS, ORDERS AND REGULATIONS
governing promotions from tho ranks is subjoined:-
The OF 1854 authorized the President to confer the
brevet OF second lieutenant upon such meritorious
nor-commissioncd officers might, under regulations
TO be established be brought before an army board
composed OF officers OF rank, especially convened
that purpose and be found qualified for the duties
of commissioned officers, and to attach them to regi-
mcnts supernumerary officers, provided that not
than one supcrnumerary should DO attached
to any company at the same time. Tho
regulations established accordance with this law
published in general orders No. IT. Of 1854 which
prescribed that company commanders should report to
their colonies the of non.commissoncd officers
deserving promotion the colonies forward lists of
those recommended in time 10 reach Washington n
May OF each year. Candidates were to be not under
twenty twentycight years Of ago, and were
required pass satisfactory examination in reading
writing arithmetic history particularly that Of their
own country) geography, the constitution Of the
United and the organization OF the
under it and the general principles which regulate
international intercourse As an nduccment to young
men of education join the army il was ordered that
graduates OF colleges should receive FIVE marks Tor
their diplomas The law Of 1854 was embodied in
JEFF DAVIS REGULATIONS
of 1857 land continued in Simon Cameron's edition OF
1861 and the revised edition Of 1863 follows
Meritorous noncommis ned officers examined by an
army board and found qualified duties commits
stoned officers will be attached TO regiments
When eleven new regiments were added to the army
in 1861 the order promulgatng the details Of their
ganzaton contained the following liberal PROMISES
Twothrds of the company oucers Of the infantry and
as VIM =. IN the ~
third when regiment shall have its in complement
taken from among sergeauts the
s s O. s eopmp. 0s #
and infantry regiments, onehaf Of all vacancies which
promotion otherwise. will be appointed ldcd above
from tho ranks
The law as it stands in tho Revised Statutes is as
follows:-
established by the Secretary Of War, be
for Tie duties Of com officers the line OF the
and shall be eoic for as second lieu
qualified II there be vacancy in such any
sherein may attached TO by President as super
&C By ,eye @ % as to
officer shall be attached TO any company at
the Same time.
now THE LAWS, 4c., HAVE BEEN OBSERVED
reference to The flcs of the HERALD. the general
orders publishing appointments and promotions and
the official army registers for the last twenty years
shows the limited extent which the laws and rcgua
tons have operated
In 1854 there 952 officers In tho army, of whom
twenty mad been promoted from the ranks three for
in the Florida war and seventeen for
In Mexico OF those twenty veterans still in
tho army, two on the active lst-Maior James
Bclgcr quartcrmastcr lappointed in 1885, and Major
James VI. Robertson, Second artillery; and five the
retired list-Coone Samuel H. Starr. Lieutenant Col
onel Lew G. Bootes, and Majors Thomss Hendricks son
appoin,ed in 1881 David "A. Hastings and William b.
he XII I'd
battle, died Of wounds received in action seven
died natural Deaths and one was dropped from the rolls
From January l. 1855 to January l. 1861 there were
224 vacancies in cavalry artillery and infantry, bu.
only promotions from the ranks, viz 1--WE |
in 1855 lone Of whom murdered by a soldier a lew
DAYS hrs promoton three 1851, three 1859
one IN lsov ana none 10 iSS1 h SnT aooo me small
commissioned officers during these years 10 not sur
prsing any familiar with old army matters, /
as there was
Az rxDIsGuIsEp HOSTILITY
on the part OF officers to tho promotion of enlisted /
men. The regulations OF the War Department. already
quoted lett the entirely In the hands OF captains
and colonies. A deserving sergeant had first be l
nom mated by his captain-no easy matter 10 begin I
with-then he had TO obtain the recommendation OF hts
colonel who probably had never seen him, and beyond
having signed his warrant as noncommissoncd OH
had knowledge OF his existence. Finally, he
had TO take his chances OF being ordered before and
passed by probably nimical board composed OF
four officers OF rank" That there was lack OF
suitable material IN the ranks Of the army is
by the fact that between 1855 and 1851
non commissioned officers were publicly commended in
general orders services in operations against
Indians but not commissioned until the cxgcnces
OF the forced the authorities TO promote them
after had dccimated the West Point graduates
and civilian appolntccs. There also respectable
number of noicommissioncd officers recruiting
service drill instructors fully competent COM
mand companies, who were tardlly rewarded with
second lcutenanis' commissions after having drilled
ana OF the civilians appointed 1851
TOTAL NUMBER
OF nlistcd men promoted from January, 1861 TO De-
cembcr 1868 was arc Of whom - assignc the
new cavalry regiment hc sixth, l6 TO the artillery
reg thc Filth. 200 to the nine new infantry rcg
mcnis aud 2s2 To old regiments OF all arms
In S02 feature, credited 10 secretary Stanton
introduced into the system OF promotions from the
privaes many OF whom had rendered no military
vlcc enlisted men. From 1862 TO the present time
corporas, my nine privatcs and recruit
have been commissioned while the claims OF hundreds
OF deserving sorgeants have been ignored. The last
batch o promotions and appointments published In tho
HERALD vi the Sth ult. contains the names OF two
prvates OF the gcneral scrvce private of the Sig