Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-28
A MERITED PROMOTION.
Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel james
Forney to Step Up Higher in the Marine
Corps-He is the Son of the Late John

Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel James
Forney to Step Up Higher in the Marine
Corps-He is the Son of the Late John
W. Forney.
In letter to relative in this city, one of
the junior officers in the United States
Marine Corps states that one of Pennsyl-
vania's sons quite likely is destined to re-
ceive a well-merited promotion. During
the coming month the retirement OF Colon ell
Charles G. McCauley, Colonel Commandant
of the United States Marine Corps, takes
place. and it becomes the duty of the Presi-
dent to appoint his successor from the field
officers of the line of that corps.
The Pennsylvania referred to as in the
line of promotion is Major and Brevet Lieu
tenant Colonel James Forney, who, by the
probable retirement of Lieutenant Colon ell
Houston, will be the third ranking field
officer of the Marine Corps. Colonel Forney
is the son of the late John w. Forney, of
the Philadelphia Press, Secretary to the
United States Senate and Clerk OF the House
of Representatives, etc.
He is now in his 47th year, and although
comparatively young at the time of the Re-
bellion he took an active part from the very
beginning, and in this connection it NAV be
interesting to note some or the engagements
in which he won advancement by virtue of
hard fighting. While doing duty in the
West Gulf Squadron he participated in the
capture of Forts jackson and st. Philip
and the city of New Orleans. The official
reports of that time state that Lieutenant
James Fornev, commanding marines. had
two guns assigned him, and with his men
fought most gallantly." Acting under Or
ders from Admiral Farragut he went ashore
and hoisted the flag ON the Custom House
of the city, the first flag hoisted there, and
returned with the Confederate flag from the
Custom House, which he delivered to Cap
tain Craven, commanding the Brooklyn.
For the capture of New Orleans he was
brevetteda Captain and while with the
West Gulf Squadron he was in many of the
battles in that vicinity and at Brazos de
Santiago cut out and captured four vessels
laden with valuable drugs, from under the
rebel batteries. When Jubal Early was
threatening Washington in July '64. Cap
tain Forney appeared at Havre de Grace,
Nd, with splendid battalion OF marines
and ny demonstrating on the rebel rear and
fanks forced Early to fall back. This
brought him brevet of Lieutenant Colonel
and he was afterward brevetted Major "for
gallant and meritorious services in the
action with the savages at Formosa, June
Is '67." Afterwards he was engaged in
active service in the colored riots at Phila-
delphia, October II, 70 and in assisting the
Revenue Officers to break up the whiskey
distilleries in the same city.
In June, 1872, he organized, drilled and
equipped in two weeks time an organization
known as the "Grant Men Club" over 4, 900
strong, who took an active part in the cam
paign that nominated Grant for President.
He has since been conspicuous in various
duties and won warm commendation for con-
duct while commanding troops in the labor
riots OF II, and has been assigned to sea and