The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-14
GEN. oR1nRsoN,s SUCCESSOR.
Some Considerations Affecting the Candi-
dates FOR the Coveted Star.

Some Considerations Affecting the Candi-
dates FOR the Coveted Star.
WAsH1NoToN.Ju ly lathe President selected
an excellent officer, with a fine record. In nom
mating Col. Alex. Mod. McCook, Sixth lnfan-
try, to ill tho vacancy caused by Brig.-Gen.
Grierson's retirement; but he had to pass over
many other good officers to reach him. That
however, was no novelty for him. or the seven
general officers. In staff and line whom he
has already had to nominate within a period
of little more than thirteen months, four,
Mnjor-Gen. Miles, Adjt-Gen. Kelton. Brig
Gen. Grierson, and Commlssary General Du
Barry, stood next In the limo OF promotion :
but the other threo. Paymaster- General Smith.
General Bachelor. and now
Brig General McCook, were juniors In rank.
There was very little expectation, however.
that either OF the two senior Colonies OF the
line would be appointed to succeed Gen. Grier-
son. and when once the seniority rule was
abandoned selection, naturally had a. freer
fanny. the rankin oillcer,, and Col George I.
Andrews. Twenty-ffth Infantry, who stands
next began their services II the
good records; and Col. Smith has sc served we'd
W,bas. PRESENT grade
has served over nineteen years in his
present command. But the total service
eseh 6o sprn Eye ss sho
Col McCook has served thirty-eight years IN
the army Itself, and. counting in his cadetship
ot west Point forty-three years for he. like
years to h TSu 0 the Military tH N.Y.
greatly surpassed Col. Smith and Col. An:
drews; and the fact that the former received
his his y n the gEu@ lar in 1sf and
get his until 1880 was no doubt considered to
show chiefly that the two former had had o
relatively greater share already OF preferment
VIII regard t to hey third officer in relative
rank. the case Is quite different. Col. August
V. Kautz. Eighth Infantry. was considered by
some observers to be the strongest candidate on
the list. His service goes back to 1876. In Mexi-
can war times. when he served q year as pri-
years ntermisson he entered the Military
fsGH sss in MdSdf ho
Third Infantry and kautz the Fourth. Taking
TIER total service It is found to be exactly
Ohio neDtry aeans He MecooEs en- e1Pe
year at West Point. Their Captaincies in
ant three years before Nj Cook. and had held
GRADE IN S B1sh oces
conspicuous records during. the civil war, each
receiying I've hreyets In the regular, army:
Kautz a sixth as Major General of volunteers.
The latter was brevetted for services at Mon
and in the Richmond campaign, and MoCooE
at Bull Run, Nashville. Shiloh; and Perryville;
In short both had rpG Spms and coed
FGr the, siz, officers between the two Just
A. q. bracket, Third Cavalry, Col ii. a. Nor.
sTh cSsaryy and Ho ye 81 oils Gsr
tieth Infantry. probably little expectation Of
enlargement at this time was entertained
until 1897 and 1899 respectively, or two years
and four years later than Col. McCook. SO that
0f
like Col. Esutz, begins his record with year
Il the Mexican PoTeb In
but his appointment to the regular army as a
Captain OF cavalry dates only from, 1855, SO
OF Col McCook and Col. Kautz- Col Morrow.
who; Ike Col. BrMsckett, retires In 1899 also
Columbia and Maryland Infantry; but he was
out Of the military profession from that time
Colonel OF the Twenty fourth Michigan. col.
carr has very onK it record dating from MS
still ali things considered, his Claims won aH
not he superior to those OF his senior. Col.
Kautz. who also retires more than two years
not retiring for age until 1902
It will be seen. therefore that taken alto;
gether. Col. McCook's chances on his record
were good from the start independently OF his
strong personal influence and his fame as one
OF a large family Of Union soldiers. Again. the
fact that he was for moro than five years on
Gen. Sherman's staff, from 1875 to $50, that he
was an instructor Of tactics at West Point when
years past he has heen in command OF the In
fantry and Cavalry school at Fort Leaven-
Ing in the army during the last thirty years
AS to the Colonels passed over, the promotion
ofnone Is made hopeless by the present selee.
Gibbon viii be WITHDRAWN from the active list
on the goth Of April next. or before the retire.
ment OF any OF them for age Is due.