The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-13
COL. HALVES RESIGNED.
COMMANDS oAYALRY NO LONGER
He Says That the Governor Has Failed to
Treat Him With the Proper Considera-
tien--Colonei wickham in Charge.


received the following letter from Adjutant-
General Mcdonald:
Sir am directed by His Excellency
the Governor 10 inform you that your resig-
nation a. colonel Of tho First regiment
cavalry, Virginia volunteers. rendered under
date of the 9Th instant. was accepted by
him the 7th instant"
In reference TO his resignation Colonel
Halves said last evening: ] considered that
rs a soldier. doing all ! could to oeneht tne
States service, ] had been treated oy the
Commander-in-Cb Chief in a manner uDpTece;
dented In military service. lmputations anu
insinuations were cast at my military onaL
ecter by An officer inferior TO me ia rahk,
and when / asked the only redress MILL
tary man has-that of a court OF inquiry
nv re0uest was not needed. apparently, IN
the slightest degree by the Conmander-ln-
Chief. Governor Mckinney.
| had personal interviews, which though
polite ia the extreme, never amounted
10 anything. Communications requiring
prompt replies were either overlooked or
treated with an apparent carelessness' whlch
In discouraging to any man who - deslrous
of forwarding the interests of the militia
have notified the Governor through the
proper channels of appointments without
receiving tho attention which l had the
right TO expect.
Fearing that the unfriendlY attitude of
the Commander-in-Ch Chief to me would reject
in some degree upon the regiment ! com
manded, / preferred to retire rather than
subject the regiment TO any injury. Nheh
/ entered the cavalry service i've years
ago as private il was my aim 10 do all
could 10 make the small battalion that then
existed regiment. How ! have succeeded
the citizens of the State can Judge for them
selves. The promotions that | have had
have in no way been due to any personal
effort on my part towards getting them.
Il was selected by Colonel Thomas IL.
Marshall as his adJutant. and he as MAJOR
commanded small battalion. When that
battalion had grown to be regiment was
elected unanimously major. and on the re-
tirement of Colonel Marshall was unani-
mously elected lieutenant-colonel. On
the retirement of Go lionel Bidgood / was
unanimously elected colonel. which posi-
ton have held since September 10Th last,
and would have continued to hold had L
been treated with that respect and conslde-
ration which consider due to the position
as we'll as to myself.
THE TROUBLE.
IL will be remembered that on February
4th of this year Colonel Halves. Colonel 10.
Lane Stern. Captain Guigon and others APP
peared before Joint meeting OF the Senate
Committee on General Laws and the House
Committee on Military and Police. During
the meeting Colonel Stern took occasion TO
speak dispAringly of Colonel Halves military
conduct. and ended his remarks by saying;
Il want to say, sir, that | remain of the same
opinion as TO it being a breach OF discipline,
and that no military officer has right to
make such propositions without the knowl-
edge of his superiors"
Further in the discussion Colonel Halves
said:
''As citizen of the State of Virginia l
have a right to ask my representative to
amend any legislation. As a citizen OF the
State of Virginia | have a right 20 ask any
law to be repealed. | have a right to appeal
10 the Legislature. and when do that ! APP
psaI TO an authority higher than these gen.
tlemen or even the Governor II is not a
lack of discipline. and as an American
citizen and as citizen of the State OF
Virginia l take Issue with any man
IN the Commonwealth who questions this
right, and l give you notice that many OF
you gentlemen will be called before court
of inquiry if you persist in maintaining this
position and if Colonel Stern persists IN
taking the position he does | shall have him
called before court of inquiry and have an
investigation Of the matter"
A COURT OF INQUIRY.
On February 18th, five days after the oc-
currence, Colonel HAYES wrote 70 the Gov.
ernor, requesting a court OF inquiry.
Eleven days later the letter was acknowl-
edged by Governor Mckinney. On Feb
rusry 23d Colonel HAYES wrote in reference
to witnesses to be summoned at the court
and the next day the letter was acknOwl-
edged On March 18th Colonel HAYES
wrote, reminding the Governor Of his re-
quest and asking that the court be ordered.
The reply stated that the papers had been
sent to the Judge Acknowledgement for ad-
vice.
On August 5th Colonel Halves wrote ask
ing that his regiment be inspected by some
officer other than Colonel Stern. On Au-
gust 18th the acknowledgment of the letter
was received in which tho request was de-
MED. On August 10Th Colonel HAYES again
wrote, again asking that his request for
court of inquiry be complied with. Tho
letter was never answered. On September |
10th letter OF resignation was sent IN, 1t |
was accepted on the 18th.
Colonel Halves. besides these letters pub |
lished below. has had several conversations
with Governor Mckinney IN reference to
the subject with the same result:
HEAD'Q's FIRST REGIMENT CAvALRY,) |
VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS,
RICHMOND, Va. Feb. IL. 1892 |
To His Excellency Governor p W. McKin- !
ney, CommRnder-in-Chief
Sir.-I have the honor herewith to request
that court OF inquiry shall be ordered to
inquire into and express an opinion as TO
the action and conduct of myself and other
officers in presenting and advocating be-
fore the General Assembly and the Joint
of the Senate Committee on Cen
oral Laws aud the House Committee on Mil-
Itary and Police, held in the city OF Rich
mond on February lst and 4th. bill entl-
tied "a bill to prescribe the mode of APP
pointment, term of office and duties OF the
adjutant generals copy of which Is en-
closed and known as Senate bill No. 122-
said action and conduct having been char
acterized before the said Joint committees
At their said sessions by Lieutenant Colonel
Jo Lane Stern, assistant inspector-general,
who claimed TO be member of your staff,
as a breach Of discipline and as exceeding
the right of any military officer TO make
such propositions without the knowledge of
bis superiors: and said action and conduct
having been further condemned and cTiti-
cised in other remarks made by him at the
same times aud places.
/ have the honor further 10 ask an ex-
of opinion as TO whether. under
The lave governing the Virginia volunteers.
such reprOach WAS merIted.
i have the honor TO remain, sir, your obe-
dent servant.
ISignedl G. Percy HAYES.
Colonel Commanding.
ADJUTANT- G GENERALS OFFICE.
RICHMOND. Feb. ~, 1892.
Colonel G. Percy Halves, commanding First
Regiment Cavalry, Virginia Volunteers,
Richmond. Va:
sir,-I am directed by the COMMANDMENT