National Republican., 1882-02-15
ARMY REORGANIZATION.
The Injustice worhcd by the Present
systcm. aud Changes Necessary.

To the Editor Of riW RErUBICAN;
have the honor to specially invite your atten-
tion TO House bill No li7j, introduced at the pres
ent session Of Congress by the Hon, Mr. Errett, of
Pennsylvania, in which It is proposed to change
the organization Of the infantry regiments Of the
United states army making It the same as that Of
the cavalry and artillery regiments My object in
making this communication is not In particular,
TO urge the general advisabillty OF such change,
for the advantages to be had arc as plainly appa.
rent ne they ortho organizations proposed TO bo
copied, and because they, understand, have been
ably presented by Others. My wish is to place
prominently before You still another and equally
great reason why the proposed change should be
made; II is, that in making the organizations the
same promotions will be equalized, for under our
present organization a great and growing inJus.
tice Is being experienced by the officers of the
infantry arm of the service. I refer to our slow
promotion as compared with that Of those who be-
long TO the cavalry arm. A glance at the follow
ing statement Of facts will prove beyond all ques-
tion the claimed condition. The Army Register for
1881 and orders show that the senior captain of
cavalry bears date of July 2s, 1866 while the
twenty -hith captain Of infantry bears date of
April 20. 1864. These officers are taken 60 more
PARTICULARLY POINT THE CLAIM or INJURY.
Thenow twenty third major Of cavalry was, previ
Gus TO his promotion from captain tAprl, lS1V),
Junior to the infantry captain cited. aud, there
fore. he and the other seven captains of cavalry,
also junorwho have bcen promoted TO n majority
since April 1879, have passed over his head. A
further examination of the Amy Register aud re-
cent orders shows that the senior captain OF cav
airy is Junior 10 the scvonty.third captain of in
fantry Thrly.tlre months have passed since
April ~, 1879 during which time ms have stated
eight captains Of cavalry have been promoted.
Considering this rate Of promotion as possible TO
infantry captains, which II has not been, eight
years and seven months will leave the now twenty
ifth captain OF Infantry still u captain, at the
head Of the list of that grade, provided the
ganizatiOn remains as IL Is, while twenty -four
more captains Of cavalry. now Junior 10 him, will
have become majors of cavalry, Il being rumem.
bered that all of them are also junior 10 the now
seventy-third captain of infantry. This exhibit
extends even TO second lioutenants Of cavalry and
infantry, as Is instanoed IN the case of q second
lieutenant of infantry, graduate of the Military
Academy, class OF 1874 who was promoted first
lieutenant June Is, 1891, and who had been
PASSED OVER BY TWENTY SECOND LTEUTENANTs OF
CAVALRY,
all of whom where junior TO him, they also being
graduates OF the Military Academy OF the same or
later classes. II the change be made according TO
the provisions Of the bill, the then senior captain
oil cavalry viii be Que year and six months junior
10 the then senior captain of infantry 1t must
not be considered that any part of this com
municauon is n fault. finding with the degree of
promotion, as It has been made in the cavalry
ior claim that the promotion cited Is rather un-
der lhat which should be natural where very
nearly all officers above the rank of second lieu
tenant are OF an about equal length of service and
same age, ~ being n well-acCeptcd fact that the
great incentive in all professions is through the
hope for advancement, this hope leading all to
cling To the loved profession through many rcbuifs
still hoping, despite the knowledge chat Hope de-
ierred mnketh the heart sick" We'll knowing
your disposition TO invnTahly consider the true in
terests OF the service, which can only be those of
the country in which its members are placed, CON
strains me TO ask II place in your paper for this
exposition OF to many painful condition, and
TO solicit your advocacy of the measure proposed
by the Hon. Mrs. Errett If my argument has con-
WINGED you Of the propriety of its purpose.
ONE OF THE INJURED.