The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-29
!. 8. LARRABBE,
Receiving officer
The maine mIII,Ia.


We thought we detected In the evidence In
the Lynch inquiry signs that the officers of
the Maine militia had been somewhat lax
and needed toning up. And now comes the
report Of Adjutant General S. J. Gallagher,
not only confirming these suspicious, but
showing, IL Its statements are not exagQers
bed, that very much worse stats of affairs
exists than the evidence In the Lynch in
quiry indicated. According to General Gal
lagher neither of the Maine regiments has a
ut commander. The Colonel Of the first reg
iment. according to this authority, has
neither interest nor pride enough in his
command to give 1t any considerable atten-
tion, and as consequence his regiment is
In a "perilous or deathlike condition"
As to the Second Regiment. while the
Colonel has given more time and stten-
ton to his command than the Colonel Of
the First, General Gallagher fnas vast
room for Improvement, both In drill and dis
cipllne, she latter being very much lacking,
from the colonel down." The comman.
der OF the battery comes in also fol lib
eral dose Of criticism, it being very pla My
intimated that in the ex- Adlutsnt Generals
opinion he is neither military man nor
an efficient and gentlemanly ufficer. The
brigade commander is not directly criticised.
but 1t Is easy t. read between the
lines that in the opinion OF the ok Adj
jutaHt General he Is wsntiuz ia prompt
moss ana decision Tbs brigade i'd
spector is charged with making ">talea,vtts
that are not correct aud crisicl,ing hi, su
perior officers rhs oommi-sary general i.
damned with the faint praise OF .,manapiug
fairly well, especially for = new and some
what inexperienced officer" With the
surgeon general and the Inspector of rifle
practice General Gallagher finds no fault
and Inspector General Beal sscaoss also.
perhaps because he was relieved of
his duties before the last muster, and so
did not pass In review before the critical
Ad1utant General. This is all very bad and
Ii 1t be an accurate statement of the charae-
Ter and condition of the officers of the Maine
militia. 1t shows that there ought to be
pretty nearly clean sweep.
But 1t is not likely that all the statements
and criticisms Of Gen. Gallagher will pass
unchallenged. 1t will be remembered that
last winter Gen. Gallagher was a candidate
for reelection. and that he was defeated.
instrumental In defeating him were the
officers OF the Maine Militia, who were al.
most to man opposed to his reelection.
Gen. Gallagher's report, though bearing the
date of DEC. 81. 1888, was not placed
In the printers hands until
March and 1t Is therefore fair
10 presume that considerable portion Of It
was prepared after his defeat Whether
there is more gall in his report than there
would have been. had he been elected. We
do not say, but IL is safe to presume that
Gen. Gallagher is not entirely devoid of hui
man nature. 1t does not follow, however,
even assuming that Gen. Gallagher's report
Is more critical than 1t would have been under
other circumstances, that It il less truth |
iui' III may De that 1t is more truthful, that |
IL says some things which would have been |
suppressed or toned down had Gen Gala
gher's relations with the militia officers been /
less strained. 1t would appear, however
as II Gen. Gallagher had been himself lack. |
Ing In promptness. His report is dated Der
81, 1888, but 1t was more than tvo
months after that before it was pre- |
pared, and more than six before It got |
INTO the hands Of the public. Hi, report too |
is in spots undignifed, and there are indica.
tons of bitter, personal feeling that should |
not appear in the report of an official. Thus
In speaking Of the colonel of the First Reg
ment he says, after referring to SOME |
trouble he had had with him, "Could have |
lad my way, 1t would have ended quick and |
Ong ago unless proper attention was given
% his command and orders. il not, enclose |
he following: The good OF the service re-
IuIres your resignation" What Gen. Gal