Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-11-16
THE RETIRED LIST.
Now Rule In tho Cases OF Generals piccs-
anton, Smith aud AveriIi,

Now Rule In tho Cases OF Generals piccs
anton, Smith aud AvcriIi,
Tho increase, OF late years, in tho ap
preparations required for the army re
tired list has led TO n more careful scru
tiny of its uses. One of these uses
that of furnishing rank and pay for OK
officers whom for one reason or anoth
or Congress desires TO restore Jus
after the war some officers of the rcgu
lar army voluntarily withdrew to civi
life whose moritorious careers wout
have justified their remaining in the
service. They, perhaps, became rest
less when the excitement of long
war had been succeeded by the inactiv.
ity of peace that promised to last for
many years; or, In some cases, dissatis-
faction or wartime controversies with
officers who had come into high com
mands or influence may have caused their
designations, or the contrast in being
reduced from the command OF divis-
ion or n corps in the volunteers TO that
OF company or battalion in the rogu-
lars may not have been agreeable. For
any one OF these or dozen other rea-
sons designations were offered, when
in subsequent years the desire to get
back to the army, either for tho honor
or pay became very strong.
Yet TO restore such officers to active
command would be an injustice TO those
already in the army, since all below
them would be thrown back to that eX-
tent in the path of promotion. In some
cases, also, the restored officers have
been well along toward the age at which
withdrawal from active commands is
compulsory. Accordingly it became
the custom to so legislate that such Off
GERS could be appointed and then inn
mediately retired, it being provided that
the retired list should be increased to
that extent. Then the question arose
as TO what rank should be given to Off
GERS thus restored. Bills introduced
for this purpose showed great variety
OF views on this subject, and began to
assume the form of favor or caprice.
During the present session, however,
the Military Committee OF the Senate
has adopted the rule of not recommend
ing for any restored officer higher
rank than the one he held in the rcgu-
lar army ut the time of leaving it.
Sometimes this rule seems TO work
rather hardly, and to confer rank low
er than many Congressman would like
to give. But it has the great advantage
of uniformity, and OF putting an end to
solicitation for higher rank. Under
this rule General Averill was restored
to the army with tho rank of Captain
on the retired list, when the original
proposition was to give. him that of Col
onel. The House bill, also appointing
and retiring General A. j. Smith with
the rank OF Brigadier-General, has Just
been amended in the Senate so as to give
him the rank of Colonel, since he was
Colonel of the Seventh Cavalry when
he resigned. Now it would seem that
the rule may also work with the House
bill appointing and restoring General
Pleasanton, which has at various stages
given him various ranks, but is likely to
settle on that of Major, in the conference
committee which now has charge of it,
since it was while holding that rank
that he resigned about twenty years
ago. - IFaShiRgtOn Letter.