The Penn's Grove record., 1883-12-15
Our ommander-,n-Chief

The retirement of General Sherman
from the command of the Army of thu
United States makes some mention of hii
predecessors in that high office timely.
The first commandment ill., chief was Gen
eral Artemus Ward, who was seniol
officer of the Massachusetts, militia, COM
manded the troops assembled arounc
Boston, until Colonel George Washington,
Of Virginia, was appointed Commander.
IN Chief by the Continental Congress,
and drew his sword az such under an ole
elm at Cambridge, June Is. 1775. He
resigned the command at Newburg, N.
r., 81 years later.
He was succeeded by Major General
Henry Knox, the famous artIllerlst OF the
Revolution, who assumed command oil
the army December %, 1888.
When the United States was formed
out of the old Confederation. 1t started
with an Army" consisting of n bat
TALON OF artillery, and a regiment of in
fantry. Lieutenant-C Colonel Joshua Har-
mon, of the artillery, commanded fol
some indefinite time, and was succeeded
by Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Harmar, OF
the FIRST infantry. He took command OF
an expedition to chastise the Indians on
the Maumee, but was defeated, with 9
frightful massacre of most Of his men.
In 1891 Mnjor-General Arhur St
Clair, a veteran of the Revolution, was
appointed to the chief command, and sent
with a large fTce from Cincinnati,
against the Maumee Indians. He also
suffered surprise, defeat, aud massacre
of his force-the scene of the disaster
being in what Ii now Mercer County.
March 8. 1892. he was succeeded by
Major General Anthony Wayne, who gave
the indians OF the Maumee a bad thrash
ing two years later, at Fallen Timber
about is miles above Toledo. He died
two years afterward. AMI was succeeded
by Brigadler-G General James Wilkinson,
who went into the Revolution as Captain
IN a New Hampshire regiment, and was
Clothier- General of the Army at its close.
During the furry with France in 1908.
General Washington was appointed Com
mander- i'm Chief, but he resigned Deem
Der IA 1899, and General Wilkinson
again became senior officer. This gentle
man, making a failure of the early opera
tons against Canada, was superseded
January -, 1872, by Major-General
Henry Dearborn.
Ip 1913, he was superseded by the
little knot OF Democratic intriguers who
were m~ismanaging the war, but retained
the nominal command of the Army until
June 10, 1916, when he was succeeded by
MAJOR General Jacob Brown, who held
the command until he died, February
"a 1928.
He was succeeded by Msjor-Genera
Alexander Macomh, who held the Com
membership until his death In 1S4l.
Then Whitfield Scott who had entered
the Army iu 1908 as a Captain OF artil'
lery. and distinguished himself greatly IN
the War OF 1912 became Commander-ln-
Chief, with the rank Of Maj or<General.
After his brilliant success In Mexico he
was made a Lieutenant Generals rank
that had been created for Washington In
1898, to make hun superior to Major
General Wilkinson.
Scott being too old and Inirm In 1861
for the gigantic task imposed by the out
break Of the Rebellion, resigned his ofnce
November l. 1851, to Major-tieneral
George b. Mcclellan, who had beer
Captain in the old Regular Army, and had
entered the war as a Major-GeneIai 10
command of the OHIO troops
McClelian's incompetence having been
demonstrated, he was superseded as Com
msnder. in Chief March IL. 1852, and
July IL, 1852, Major-G General d.. W.
Halleck was appointed. tie was no q
success, either, and March II. 1854, was
superseded by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS U. ).
Grant, who was after wards created Gen.
erel.
March 4, 1869 he became President o.
the United States, aud was succeeded by
Lieu enant. General w 4. Sherman, who
nov retires ON account OF reaching the
age established bv law