New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-02
ARMY PROMOTIONS AND RETlREMENrs.
"f''' '31H frO iNJUSIICE TO UFFICfKS FKUM THE
VOLUNTEER ARMY-HOw THE SPIRIT OF THE
LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED GENERAL BURNsIDE's
SUDDEN CHANGE OF OPINION.

VOLUNTEER ARMY-How THE SPIRIT OF THI
LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED GENERAL BURNSIDE:
| SUDDEN CHANGE OF OPINION.
| lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNgl
| WASHINGTON, Feb. lit is reported in Washing
ton that General Alvord Paymaster-Ge General, will
soon be placed the retired list and that his re-
tirement will be followed by that of several other
heads of staff departments in the Army. There is
likely to be full discussion in Congress of
the whole subject OF Army promotions and retire
ments
In 1867 law was passed which gave TO officers
and soldiers who might thereafter be commits
stoned or enlisted in the Regular Army. credit for
the time they had served I'm the Volunteer force
during the late war. This provision conferred upon
them the same rights aud privileges as to actual
and relative rank. pay and allowances that they
| would have acquired had their previous service
been in the Regular instead of the Volunteer Army
| Ever since the law was enacted there have been
frequent complaints by officers who have entered
the Regular Army after service in the Volunteers
that their rights have been in some cases abridged
and in other cases denied or ignored altogether by
the military officials of the War Department.
| The cases of assistant surgeons appointed after
service as surgeons or assistant surgeons of Voun
| teers, affords a good illustration of the COM
| plants and their BY law approved July
2S 1885, and amended March 2, 1867, it was pro-
vided that all original vacancies in the grade of
assistant surgeon should be filed by appointments
from among those who had been surgeons
sistant surgeons in the volunteer service. II was
further provided that assistant surgeons should
receive 1.-THE rank. pay and emoluments of first
lieutenans of cavalry for tho first three years
| vice." and :" the rank pay and emOluments of cap
tans of cavalry after three years service" There
| were thirty-Six "orginal vacancies" created by
| this law. 1t is asserted that, owing to the un-
friendly feeling toward vOupeeT surgeons, only nine
| of the vacancies have been filed. For more than
ten years the assistant appointed from the
volunteer service were held to rank below regular
assistant surgeons although the former entitled
under the law TO the rank of captain aud the latter
to that of first lieutenant Ia the last Army Reg
lister 1s7s) however by direction of the Secretary
of War; the arraug cement which had prevailed was
modified. Captains were given precedence Of leu
tenants and the former arranged according TO
seniority, counting volunteer as well as regular
service.
On the 24tb ofJanuary 1879, the Secretary of War,
anxious to do justice and TO fix the status of the
assistant surgeons beyond dispute sent TO the Sen
ate for confirmation last of those officers in which
the actual and relative rank Of each specified
The nominations not acted on at that session.
and they again sent to the Senate the 21st
of March following. On the 10Th of May in an ex- |
the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted re-
port which concluded as follows: " Your commit |
tee recommend that these nominations be respect
fully returned to the President with the statement
that in the opinion of the Senate, such officers
exist by law as these named in the nominations"
Some of the circumstances connected with this |
action of Senator Burnside and the Military Com
mittee interesting. 1t IS said that In meeting
of the committee, which was held on the day |
Al. oI.o ii l.nf
Spring. General Burnside began to read report in |
favor of confirming these nominations. He had not
finished the reading before a note delivered to
Senator Cameron, another member of the commit |
tee After reading the note Mr.. Cameron passed il |
to Senator Logan and left the room. After reading
it General Logan passed it to Senator Plumb,
who, as soon he had read it placed |
it before General Burnside. Senators Lo-
gan and Plumb then sauntered out of the
room. As soon General Burnside had caught the
meaning Of the note he laid down the report which
be had been reading until another meeting of the
Committee Then he, too. left the room. The DEM
ocratic members of the committee wondering
what was the matter when breathIess messenger
came to summon them to the Senate Chamber, say
ing that q vote was being taken for President pro
tenn and that the Democrats were in danger Of being
outvoted as so many OF their members absent
The mysterious note had placed the Republican
members of the committee the alert and they
had tried to steal march on their Democratic col
leagues.
At subsequent meeting of the Military Commit
tee Senator Burnside presented the report from
which quotation has been made. This report was
Numerically opposite TO the he had partly read
on the same subject at tho previous meeting. 1t is
asserted that General Burnsides change of views on
this subject was due to influence brought to bear by
officers of high rank in the Regular Army. 1t is
further asserted that in all questions OF difference
between Regular Army officers and those who have
served in the Volunteers, General Burnside invari-
ably takes the side of the Regulars. In sup
port Of the latter assertion it is said that Cen
eral Burnside will at the present session of Con-
cress attempt to secure the repeal Of the second
section of the Act of 1867, which places Volunteer
officers and soldiers on the same footing for equal
service, with those of the Regular Army. This re-
peal il is asserted is urged by prominent Regular
Army officers in order that they may get rid Of a
number of embarrassing questions already raised by
cx-volnnteers as well to deprive the latter OF oil
rights and privileges consequent on their service rs
volunteers during the war.
Another grievance of which junior officers of tho
Arny both regulars and volunteers, but especially
the latter complain is this Until Inst year the re-
tired list of the Army could not be increased beyond
800. BY an act, approved June Is. 1878. the num-
Der extended to 400 This was done, it is said.
III order 30 permit of the retirement of consider
able number OF officers or high rank VINO had been
long in service, and who had become incapactaed '
by age and ntrnity for the further performance of
active duty. This having been accomplished there
would be a chance of promotion for young officers,
and the interests Of the service would at the Same
time be advanced. Now it is asserted by those who
are IN position to know that the spirit of the law
had been systematically violated for the purpose of
keeping on the active list large number Of old Off
GERS of high rank who ought to be retired The n
,apt persons say that this has been accomplished by
retiring In some without their desire con- n
,ent. a large number of comparatively young Off y
.ers below the rank of Major and that in this way
he list has already been filled up, with the excep-
nioa i