The National tribune., 1890-01-09

SOMETHING ABOUT THE 10TH U, S. CAV,
When the 10th L. s. Cav was organized. I'M
der the act of July 25, 1866, in the Fall and
Winter of that year, il included only one West
Pointer in its list of officers who accepted their
appointments, and that was James w. Forsyth,
who bad been Gen. Sheridan's Chief of Staff and
who was appointed Senior Major, from Captain
/ in the 18th Inf, and who is now the Colonel OF
! the eth u. S. Cav. In this / am referring TO
the appointments made TO the original vacan-
! cies created by the addition of tho regiment TO
/ the force of the Regular Army.
One other West Pointer who had been a
! Brigadier General of volunteers and Brevet
Major General, had been offered the Lieutenant
Colonelcy when the lists. were made up in the
! War Department but he Indignantly refused
any appointment in ga niger regiment"
| Then the despised appointment was rendered
to Gen. Charles c. Walcott, of Columbus, o.,
one of our gallant civilian General officers who
promptly accepted, and his appointment, like
all the others To original vacancies IN the new
regiments. dated July 2S 1866
Ii so happened that Gen. Walcott had politi-
cal ambition that was stimulated about that
! time by his admiring friends, and after think
! ing the matter over, concluded that he would
pericr civil 10 further military life and sent in
! his resignation as Lieutenant Colonel, 10th IT,
$ Cav, aud it was duly accepted to take effect
Dec. l. 1866.
He had only held the position a few weeks
hardly more than n month"; but even il it had
been for only one day, that was sufficient TO fill
the original appointment and the vacancy
must be filed by lineal promotion.
lt so happened that the West Pointer who
had refused 10 serve in q" a niger regiment"
WAS a Major of Cavalry in the Regular Army,
and when various old cavalry officers, his
seniors in rank, had either been placed on the
Retired list or appointed TO higher grades in
the new regiments, he was left on the last day
OF November 1866, the Senior Major of Cavalry,
and was promoted in routine 20 the very posi-
ton he had snccringly refused not much more
than month before.
1t was q bitter pill for him. and worse one
for Mrs. Major" who was believed to have in
stIgated the rejection of the offer. But it was
a case of accepting the promotion or dropping
out Of the service. He accepted, and served in
the hated regiment over a dozen years before
he was promoted out Of it, and then he died
soon after
/ WAS reminded of this in noticing the recent
death of Capt. Philip L. Lee which promotes
First Lieut.. Mason VI. Maxon, who graduated
az West POiEt in 1869, TO be Captain, and this
Is the first time in the history OF the regiment
that IL has had Captain except from the vol
unteers or the ranks.
Capt. Lee was a Virginian, of the Fairfax
/ and Fauquicr branch OF that celebrated family,
and IN August, 1852, enlisted IN the I'd y. Y.
Cav, serving as private in Troop until April
Z, 1855, when he WAS appointed First Lieutcu-
ant IN the 10th n. Y. Cav, and was mustered
out with that regiment in the following Octo.
Der. On the organization OF the 10th L. 5
Cav. he was appointed 70 one of the original
vacancies as First Lieutenant, accepting it
June ,, lo67, when be had been confirmed By
the Senate, aud was promoted 10 Captain April
10, 1853. For several years past he has been a
great sufferer from rheumatic troubles the
effect OF long frontier service. aud lattefiy had
been at Hot Springs, Ark. for treatment At
the time OF his death. which took place Christ
mas Day at 81. Louis he was on his way East
the treatment at Hot Springs having failed TO
relieve his trouble. Had he lived he would
probably have been p -omOtcd 10 Major during
The present year, as he was very near the top of
the list Of Captains.
He FEEKfED BOOTH OVER THE POTOMAC.
Thomas Z. Brown. ST., has been an employe
Of the Washington Navy Yard for the past two
years, through the influence Of Hon Barnes
Compton, OF Maryland, who was a Member of
the JOth Congress from the Fifth Maryland
District Mr. Compton's seat ia the Jlst Con-
gress IS being contested by Sidney T. Mudd.
Mr.. Brown was dismissed from his position at
lhe Navy Yard upon the recommendation Of
Mr.. Mudd because he feTred j. Wilkes Booth
across the Potomac the night after no had
assassinated President Lincoln. The authori-
Hes OF the Yard, when they learned OF Browns
completely with the escape Of the rcd handed
murderer Of President Lincoln, did not think
he Was Competent man To Gil any Government
position, although nothing was charged against
him other than that he had helped Booth to
escape las pursurers Brown ark uowledges that
lie leTrIed Booth over the Potomac and also
states that he has no apologies to make for his
action, and that under like circumstances would
DO the same thing again. The Commandment of
the Washington Navy Yard deserves the thanks
Of the entire country for thus summarily sever
ing Browns connection with the Government
and the Navy Yard
MRS. GIN. THoMAss WILL
The will Of Mrs. Frances J.. Thomas. widow
OF the late Gen. George H. Thomas, was adj
United 10 probate and record on Friday last
Ii was made IN lss2, but a codicil was attached
which was made about year ago. Mrs. Thomas
bequeSts 70 the United States, 10 be deposited
and kept at the Military Academy at West
Point, the gold medal presented 10 Gen. Thomas
b. the State Of Tennessee.
To her nephew, Sanford c. Kellogg, il de-
vised. during his lifetime, the use Of the
swords, badges military books, and manu-.
scripts OF ali kinds. which were formerly the
property Of her husband; also is bound vol
umes Of letters sent and letters received which
cover the period from Oct i, 1863 to Dec 81,
1860. At the death Of Capt Kellogg all these
things are 10 be transferred 10 the United
-thbca government. Ihe residue oi the estate
Is given absolutely 10 the sister of the deceased
Mrs Julia A. Kellogg, to use and sell for her
Own benefit during her life and at her death
10 be equally divided between the children of
George W. and Henry l.. kellogg.
ADJorESMEST or THE MARINE CONFERENCE
The international Marine Conference which
has been IN session at Washington for the past
two months and a half, adjourned sine die Dec.
81. Admiral Franklin, who has presided over
the deliberations Of the Conference, was offered
d vote of thanks for his courteous, able aud
impartial conduct as presiding officer A vote
Of thanks WIS also rendered the attaches and
Secretary OF the Conference for their attention
10 duties.
While this Congress has undoubtedly accom-.
plished some excellent results still it will be
somewhat disappointing 70 a large part Of the
maritime world, aud especially 10 seamen
some Of the reforms aud improvements needed
IA ocean navigation are but little nearer real
izaiion now than when the Conference first
met. Notwithstanding this, some excellent
laws have been made Which, If adopted by the
maritime Powers, viii prove Of enormous adj
vantage 10 all, and thousands Of human lives
aud vessels now annually lost through un-
aYOldaDle marine casualties may be preserved
WoEK or the FEEsIoE OFFICE.
During the week ending Jan 4, 1890, ABB
claims were received, Of which s3s were oriei-
nal invalid, 597 widows, war Of 1912, 4
bounty land, - navy, old war, % on ac-
count 81 Mexican service, and 1903 applica-
tons for increase. The names and postofiice
addresses Of 4,lO3 officers aud comrades were
furnished for the use Of claimants. There
were 3o,ss3 pieces Of mail matter received
-, 500 letters and blanks sent out.
The UuF1igr aF aaE.g ,I.t -. r.