Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-08-29
CONFLICTING AUTHORITY.
A Letter by Ex-Secrata'y Lincoln
to Sheridan,
DRAWING THE LINE ON THE GENERAL
And Giving List Of Instances Wherein
He Had Exceeded His
Authority
ENDICoTT SAID TO HAVE WRITTEN.


city that conflict of authority had arisen
between Secretary Endieott and Lieutenant
General Sheridan, also that a similar con-
fict had occurred between ex-Secretary
Lincoln and the Lieutenant General Of the
Army. 1t is also stated the ex-Secretary
wrote letter to General Sheridan defining
the autl Gritty of both. All these assertions
are d. MED by army officers, That ex-
Secretary Lincoln did communicate with
General Sheridan upon the subject is shown
by the following letter dated January llth
last, which will be published tomorrow by
the Army and Navy Journal:
General, about month ago l had occa-
sion to ask your consideration Of the ques-
tion as to whether issuing an order to the
Quartermaster General, you had not over
looked the same consideration as to the
proper channel Of command for overlooking
of which, by him, in case Of an officer of
mis- department, detailed on the staff of
Major General Hancock, you had sharply
criticised the Qusrtermsster General. |
said then, "I see no reason to dissent from
remarks made by you. direction that there
are not two channels Of command to q staff
officer serving with troops, one
through the line Of general affairs
and The other through the chief of their staff
j, partmeDt. | wish 10 invite your consld-
eIation as to whether in making the order
of October 29 'S4, TO the Qusrtermsster
General instead OF recommending 10 the
Secretary Of War action By him you have
not Yourself over ooked. The sppli
cation OF your remark to the case OF the
On artermaster General who has not been
q, could not be detached from the staff OF
the Secretary of War and authorized TO obey
orders of any officer OF the army whomsoev-
er without abandonment by The Secretary
of War Of duties specifically imposed upon
him By law. He and sub.
ordinate officers OF his department
not detailed to settle under commanding
officers are necessarily under the sole direc-
ton of the Secretary ofWar. Recently the
Commis,sry General OF subsistence having
in Communication TO me taken exception to
receivir gorders from the Lieutenant Gen.
eral, you remarked thereupon as follows:
81 have no further remark to make on the
dsrespectful attitude assumed by the COM
missary general of subsistence, 1t does not
admit OF argument. In regard to the rela-
ton he bears to the commandery general OF
the army than that he is part Of the army
of the United States aud that the President
placed me in command Of the army BY
order dated War Department, Washington,
October 18th, 1888. deem it my duty
to point out TO you that in
my opinion your claim to
command every officer in the army. as the
army is described in section l,0i9, Revised
Statutes, under the terms Of assignment to
duty, under which you now are acting, is
not tenable, and if it were tenable it would
be an imperative duty on the part OF the
Secretary OF War TO recommend TO the
President such change in the terms OF your
assignment 10 duty as would prevent the
possibility Of such claim. The claim made
IS, 80 far as am advised, without precedent
i1 our history. do not find in the statutes
any definition of the duties Of Lieutenant
General or, indeed, any general officer other
han the chiefs Of bureaus, who have by
law the rank of general officers. There is,
of course, a perfectly established under.
standing as 10 the duties which may appro
pristely be assigned TO them and the pres
ent organization OF military commands is
such that the arrangement is appropriate
al der which all b,igadier generals (not
cfi.fs cf bureaus) are under the commAni
,f mhjor GENERALS, snd all major generals
J, cer rbe command Of lieutenant generals,
now the highest officer in the service.
The Secretary quoes at length from ore.
80 rdeIis and general order" showing thai
h.ef. Of stats corps depart ineats aad bu-
r.aus were considered as wirhirAVn ir0n
the orders Of general commander ot the
Imy He considers tSRt thu Secretary OF
War Bs ov igU charged with the civil nat
ters OF which the principal relate 10 river
and hsrbor works, also with many matters
growing out of the late rebellion The gen.
eral fiscal administration relating to the
army through the bureaus Of the War De.
partment and chiefs Of those bureaus and
their subordinates must necessarily be under
the exclusive orders Of the Secretary
of War. He encloses a memorandum
list of orders which be considers
as having been regularly issued
by the commanding general and concludes:
Il have no wish to sggrsndize my own ex-
elusive functions or diminish your command.
Ny personal friendship as well as my high
re sptct Of you as an officer would alike pre-
vent such action, but it 10 duty cannot
a mid IN nreserve intact the exclusive au-
tbority required BY Law regulations and
custem to be exercised by the Secretary of
War and take such measures as will without
fail accomplish thai end. trust this letter
will be the only measure required for the
purpose
Within the past few days copies Of the
above communication have been sent TO the
Lieutenant General Of the army and Ger.
erals commanding various divisions,