The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-20
THE NEXT BRIG GENERAL
The Leadiug Candidates for the Vacancy
Soon to he Created In This Grade.


The Lending Candidates for the Vacancy
Soon TO he Created In This Grade.
wAsHINoroS Aug. 1a.-hlthouEh several
months must elatse before the retirement OF
Gen. 4. V. kau,z will require the appointment
OF his euccess or. tho friends OF the asrirants
for that position hnvo Leon for some time nj
work In urging their claims.
Under the law any ne OF the forty res.mental
commanders might DO taEcn. or. In fact resor,
might be had to the grades below. But. OF
course. the ample surily OF competent Col
onels OF the line makes tho choice OF one OF
them certain. and indeed OF some ono in tho
upper half In 'ineal rank. Put beyond that
narrowing the list it Is not quito safe to go.
since President Harrison lns repeatedly taken
advantage OF the freedom II choice co riorred
on him by statute to mss over the claims OF
seniority. IL is t'no that In arpointing Gen.
Niles to I'LL tho vncancy crentcd by the death OF
Major Gen. Crook. Col. Krlton to ! o AdIutInt-
General in place Of Gen. Drum. Col Grietson
to 10 Drgadicr-G General on the promotion OF
Gen. Miles. Col. Du Bnrry 10 be Commits
sionnry-General on the retirement OF Gen.
Macfeely. Chief Medical Pur,eyor Baxter to be
Surgeon General in place OF Gen Moore. aud
Col Suther and to be Sur econ General on tho
death OF Gen. Baxter. he nominated those who
were next in the line OF promotion. Hut Pay
nInster-Gcncrnl Smith. who succeeded Con.
Rochester. was not only Junior. but taken
from the second grade GLOW. that OF tho
Deputy Paymasters-Gcnoral.w with tho rank OF
Lieutenant Colonel; Ounrtermaster-Gon
Bntchclder. who succeeded Gen. Holabird. was
also taken from the second Grade below. with
like inferior rank: Brig Con. McCook. who
succeeded Gen. Grierson. was junior Colonies:
Brig. Gen. F.nGler. who succeeded Gen. Benet
as Chief OF Ordnance. was Junior. and So
finally. was Gen. kantz who succeeded Gen.
Gbbon OH tho latter's retirement.
1t will therefore be soon why there is plenty
OF chance and horo for tho various aspirants
to tho approaching vacancy; and indeed there
is great probability that once more the claims
OF seniority " i'll be set aside Col G. II. Smith.
Nineteenth Infantry, now tina seuior reGi-
mental commander. rotires Nov. 1. or before
the vacancy will occur: while Col. G. 1. An
drews. Twenty-nfth Infantry. who Ii next in
relative rank, will reach the age OF GA In . lit
tic over three months after the vacancy so that
while possible he canLot be considered
probable selection.
There is a feeling that this time. after re-
reatedly comforting the star on infantry Colo
nels, tho President might we'll give it to the
cavalry: and at the top Of the list in that arm
are two very prominent candidates. Col. En-
Forsyth. seventh. Col. Carr has n remarkably
ne record Of service in the army, Anative Of
state fory-fly yenrs nGo. in 1916, and on grad.
nation Joined the moun,eh rlnemen. In 1855
fifth Cavalry, and has ever since served in that
nsvH ssn Tor he eRe
the civil war he was made Colonel Of. the Third
fsSsts n m
In the volan1sers; lor Gallant ana merii orIous
Little Rock. and in general during the war; and
has since l., cnmpHigned Against the Indians
Col. forsyth the renowned Tony Forsyth OF
sheridan's staff in the civil war and for many
whs e the
Military Academy in 1851 he began service
IN ns and The # the
which arm he has since continued. reaching
his present grade and command about fve
to BrigaLier-General. inclusive. IN the army
and to Br gndier.Genera Of Volunteers tor
Shenandoah battles OF 1864. Five. Forks. and in
general through the war. He does n OF retire
Carr and acc"Sdney y not seieeed f"r he tie
coming vacancy. has good chances remaining.
Al the other cavalry Colonies also retire later
The infantry. as usual; is strong in candt-
ro te cSo ssG IT
be n.a tsnH ~ the first ais
most o1i,ers lower on the list retro later
These csc seven in order are Col; Andrews Twen-
Second. retiring in 1897: Col. SKATER. First in
1882: Col Otis. Twentieth. in 1902: Col. Car |
lin. Fourth. In 1893 Col. Blunt. Sixteenth, in
1894; Col. waine. Twenty second. a noticeable |
candidate. in 1895.
The artillery might well urge its claims for |
the next star. so long has this arm BEEN with. |
out promo ton OF one OF it's CoIonels yet 1t |
happens that every one OF its existing regl.
mental commanders has COMO up n Rraie |
within tho srace Of n little over four years. the
in August, 1887. and { o. Closson the f"ilowine
April. Col. Piper retires next May. Col. Men
denhall in 1898. Col. Closson in 1896.
One fact which will render the pendinR con- |
test less discouraginc to most OF tho unsuc- |
cessful candidates is that next June Con stan
ley will retire. so that another chance for pro-
motion will then be offered.