The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-23
TEE 1xDtAx BRErErs Nv 4nE 1Rwr.
Tks Slow Progress OF the Measures thu.
Now Rnsuit In Thar Mnnnra

Tks Slow Progress OF the Measures tb..
| Now Rsrut In Thess Houors.
WASHINGTON. April 22-After delay which
has been long for the candidates. the IL, o'
nominations for brevet commissions has Al
last seen the light 1t Ia headed by seven
names OF officers who are TO have the lrevet
rank OF Brigadier-G eneral. i've who are 10 have
that OF Colonel, and great many Others who
! are nominated to be Lieutenant Colonies, Als.
jors. Captains. or First Lieutenants
/ The list sent to the Senate shows names OF
| some officers now dead aud Of others ont OF
the service There is II suggestion also in tie
names OF the enRagem ents against hostile In.
! dams mentioned in the list. Thus the breyet
OF Brigadier-General is given to Col. r { Ma.
son. now commanding the Third Infantry,
| for gallant and meritorious service in
| the Lava Beds In 1873. and again AZ tho
| Clearwater. in Idaho in 1871: to Col. w.
b. Royal. now retired. and to Lieut..
Col. Guy " Henry. Seventh Cavalry,
for the Rosebud Creek action in 1915: to
Lieut-Co A. W. Evans. retired, for the en-.
gagement at Big Dry Wash In 1882; to Lieut..
Col. John Green. also retired. for the Lava
Beds and In general through the Modoc war:
to Lieut. Col Lewis Merrill retired, for Canon
Creek In 1891 and to Major L. W. Benteen, re-
tired. for the same action. and also for the
Little Big Horn. In some cases the persons
now receiving brevets have previously reached
the full rank by regular promotion. as shown,
for example In the case OF Col c. L. Comp
who is to have the brevet OF Colonel, but al.
ready enjoys the full rank. and commands the
Fourth Cavalry. In repeated cases the services
go back as far as 1864
The history OF the effort to procure the
award OF honors now at last accorded 10 sin
Eular. Section !. 2o9 Of the Revised Statutes
declares that the President. by and with the
advice and consent Of the Senate. may In
time OF war confer commissions By brevet
upon commissioned officers OF the army for
distinguished conduct and public service in
presence Of the enomy." Why, then. does not
that statute. which was enacted as long ago as
March !. 1850. cover the cases now in ques-
ton? The answer is that the Senate many
years ago took the ground that hostilities
Of the statute phrase time OF war" and that
the red men were not tho enemy" In the
that eo G o4 SFs
soyos Ga ut OF dnm tss In Ind h
Senate, Military Committee declared that
4 t., withheld ,, RECOMMENDATION to con;
any doubt as TO- the mefitorioGs character Of
the service. repdered." but through doubt as
ETrsstHtlo1 put 5y the senate upon hi; statute;
com missions are right and should be conferred
for any wars whatever, they should DO Tor In-
largest exposureo Of risk. sIposS Ss apd toll
and every possible stim illus OF honor and profit
should be held out to encourage officers to
popular view. Indian hostit!es imply war for
the troops. II they do not for the Govern m ent.
4, However II was long ago recognized that
the simplest and surest way out OF the dif-
Guilty was so to amend the language OF the
statute that 1t should include Indian hostile
ties ,Accordngly this was done In bills intro
which allowed the comforting OF such breyet
rank for gallantry in action against hostile In
House Military Commistee well said, Every
highest attribute OF a good soldier and officer
is called for in these wars. courage. skill ygi-
tagging energy. which. usually remote from
and beyond communication with officers Of
high rank. are all demonstrated in their dis.
our remote frontier" Year after year. the act
was delayed and often because it was not
reached 9T the ns acton &
signed q bill which had passed both Houses.
1t required that the department commander
title him to a brevet promotion for gallant ser
vice In action against hostile Indians since
Jan. 1857. and that the Commanding Gen:
the particular heroic act for which the oficer
was reported vas to be mentioned in the com.
ended. Gen sehoied ' sent iIst Of w Hroposed
breyets to the President. omprising, II was
said. between POO or 800 names. The Presi-
was too large. and would give a dispropor-
tomato number OF officers in the army very
Now. at last, after the delay Of years. tho
Senate has before it q list OF the brevsts rec
commended. The revis lon OF the statutes on
the subject VIII also. Of course. apply to any
always be possible to make at least this
acknowledgment OF acts OF gallantry which in
many cases deserve more substantial reward.