The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-06-11
Promotions in the Army and Navy.

Promotions in the Army and Navy.
why was Grant elevated to the Presi-
dencyi Was it in any degree as a re-
ward for his great services? Or was it
because he was the most available candi-
date to beat the other party? Why were
Thomas and Meade sent down in sorrow
to their graves, with insult heaped upon
injustice? Why are the surviving sol
diers of the great generals of the repub-
lie the only persons to unite in paying
them appropriate honors? Is it true
that republics are ungrateful? or is it
only that the people in republic can
not be justly represented by their gov
ernment?
Why the great masses of the Union
soldiers are not neglected by the govern
ment is plain enough; they have votes
enough to command respect. Yet even
they are gradually losing their influence.
The mystery of this subject is only in
creased by the fact that the government
is not always so unjust to its servants.
What contrast is afforded by the treat
ment of the veterans of the navy! There
is not an officer in the navy to-day whose
rank is not as high as, or far higher than
that of any command he ever held in
battle, while in the army there are scores
of officers still serving far below the
grades in which they won important VIC
tories for their country. Since the war
there have been many times as many pro-
motions to the higher grades in the navy
as in the army, although the latter fought
many times more battles than the former;
and the number of high officers both on
the active list and retired is many times
greater in the navy than in the army.
What is the standard by which our coun-
try measures justice? Since the war a
score of officers of the navy who never
commanded more than single ship
have been promoted to the full rank of
ear-admiral on the active list, equal to
that of major-general in the army; while
score of veteran officers of the army
who held high commands on many
bloody fields are left to die, or retire as
colonels (equal to captain in the navy
in poverty, without even the small con-
ISOLATION Of s'prize-money," which was SO
profusely added to the high honors con-
ferred in the navy.
When, at some future period of our
history, the case is reversed by great
maritime war which will impose the
brunt of battle upon the navy, will the
scales of Justice also be reversed? +? Will
the majority of honors and all the
"prizes" then be given to the army, and
the navy, which has fought the battles,
be dismissed with cold Indifference !?
Who can tell but this may yet be the
fate of the gallant army?
From 1861 to the present time the
whole number of officers appointed
major general on the active list in the
army is only twelve, while in the same
time the number appointed rear admiral
on the active list in the navy is fifty-one.
During the same period nine officers OF
the army have been retired with the rank
of maior-general, while sixty-three Off
GERS of the navy have been retired with
the rank of rear-admiral. The army has
now on the active list three major
generals; the navy, eleven rear-admirals.
On the retired list the army now has fve
maior-generals; the navy. forty-three
rear-admirals. Since the end of the re-
bellion there have been three promo
tions 20 the rank of major-general
in the army; in the navy, forty
promotions to the rank of rsar-admiral.
Of the sixty three officers of the regular
army who held the command OF an army,
army corps, or division in the war, fifty
five are still serving in lower grades than
that of major general; while of the forty
five officers of the navy promoted since
the war to the rank of rear-admiral, at
least twenty never held during the war
higher command than that of captain.
The relative grades of commodore in the
navy and rigadier-general in the army
show the same astounding contrasts in
respect to numbers and relative rewards
for war service.
The apparent rule of justice seems ex-
actly reversed In the one case, officers
who held high commands and fought
many battles, were reduced to lower
rank, where they still remain. In the
other case, officers who held low COM
mands, and fought few or no, battles,
have been elevated to the highest rank.
Is this this the measure of Justice which
the people of the United States have or
dained Is this the gratitude of the Re-
public?-Haper Magasise fo,. Ju,ae.