The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-12-15


The retirement Of General Sherman
from the command Of the Army of the
United States makes some mention of his
predecessors In that high office timely.
The fsst commanderin-chef was Gen
eral Artemus Ward, who was senior
officer OF the Massachusetts, militia, com
handed the troops assembled around
Boston, until Colonel George Washington,
OF Virginia, was appointed Commander.
in.Chief by the Continental Congress,
and drew his sword as such under an old
elm at Cambridge, June 10. l776. He
resigned the command at Newburg, N.
Y, 81 years later.
He was succeeded by Major General
Henry Knox, the famous artillerlst Of the
Revolution, who assumed command OF
the army December 2S, 1888:
When the United States WINS formed
out OF the old Confederation, 1t started
with an "Army" consisting of one bat
TALON of artillery, and regiment of in
fantry. Lleutenant-Colonel Joshua Har-
mon, of the artillery, commanded for
some indefinite time, and was succeeded
by Lieutenant. Colonel Josiah Harmsr, OF
the First Infantry. He took command of
an expedition 10 chastise the Indians on
the Maumee. but was defeated, with a
frIghiful massacre of most of his men.
In 1871 MMor-General Arthur ST.
Clair, a veteran of the Revolution, was
appointed to the chief command, and sent
with large force from CINCINNATI,
against the Maumee Indians. He also
suffered surprise, defeat, and mass acre
of his force-the scene of the disaster
being In what Is now Mercer County.
March 8. 1899. he was succeeded by
Major General Anthony Wayne, who gave
the Indians OF the Maumee bad thrash
ing two years later, at Fallen Timber
about l6 miles above Toledo. He died
two wears atterward, AMI was succeeded
by Brigadier- James Wilkinson,
who went into the Revolution as Captain
In New Hampshire regiment, and was
Clothier- General of the Army at its close.
During the furry with France In 1903,
General Washington was appointed Com
mander-in-Chief, but he resigned Deem
Der ID, 1893, and General Wilkinson
again became senior officer. This gentle
man, making failure OF the early opera
lions against Canada, was superseded
January IL, 1912, by Major-General
Henry Dearborn.
In 1878, he was superseded by the
little knot OF Democratic intriguers who
were mismanaging the war, but retained
the nominal command OF the Army until
June 10, 1915, when he was succeeded by
Major General Jacob Brown, who held
the command until he died, February
"A, 1928.
He was succeeded by Major -Geueral
Alexander Macomb, who held the Com
membership until his death In 184l.
Then Winfield Scott who had entered
the Army in 1908 as Captain OF artll-
lery, and distinguished himself greatly in
the War Of 1912, became COMMANDMENT
Chief, with the rank of Msior-General.
After his brilliant success IN Mexico he
was made Lieutenant General-a rank
that had been created for Washington in
1913, to make him superior to Major.
General Wilkinson.
Scott being too old and lnhrm in 1851
for the gigantic task imposed by the out
break Of the Rebellion, resigned his Office
November /, 1851, to Major-fienera
George b. Mcclellan, who had been
Captain in the cd Regular Army, and hac
entered the war as a Major-GeneIal IL
command Of the OHIO troops.
McClellan's incompetence having beer
demonstrated, he was superseded as Com.
mander-in Chief March IL, 1862, alC
July IL, 1862, Major. General H. W.
Halleck vas appointed. tie was not
success, either, and March II, 1854, wa
superseded by Lieutenant General U: s
Grant, who was afterwards created Gen
eral.
March 4, 1869, he became President o
the United States, and was succeeded By
Lieutenant General W 4. Sherman, wht
now retires on account OF reaching tn
age established by law.