The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-08
GENERAL HOWARD RETIRED.
Last Midnight "The Christian Herov
Reached the Age Limit.

NEW YORK. Nov. 7.-To-night at u
o'clock Maj. Gen. Oliver Otis Howard, "the
Christian hero" having reached the statu-
tory age limit, will retire from the United
States army to private life. There will be
many changes in the army this year, but
the withdrawal OF General Howard from
active duty Is the most important, from
the fact that he outranks all officers except
Maj Gen. John NJ. Schoheld, and his only
equal IL Maj. Gen. Nelson A. Miles, of the
Department Of Missouri. who Is spoken of
a. the successor of General Howard The
retirement Of General Howard will cause
vacancy in the grade Of major general
to which Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Ruger, OF
the Department of the Pacific may succeed
II his claim is respected.
Oliver o. Howard was admitted as
cadet in the United States Military. Acad-
uated July /. 1854 He was stationed at
Westervliet Arsenal, with the rank of Sec
0na for nna then
commander. During the Seminole Indian
hostilities in Florida in 1857 he was chief of
and rom ss te 1851 was assistant profey
sor Of mathematics at West Point Acad-
envy. He took command Of the Third Maine
colonel bears the date of May 2S, 1861,
and by Sept. of the same year he was a
major general of volunteers. He was twice
severely wounded, and lost his right arm.
During the Pennsylvania campaign, June
to September. 1863. he commanded the Elev-
end nth Corps Of the As Of the
Meade for choosing and occupying at the
battle Of Gettysburg the position on Gem
eeIvsd f the the thanks ' Of congress e M MAJ 'V Gen.
Howard was commissioned brigadier gen.
eral in the regular army on Dec; 2l. 1864,
major generalship "for gallant and meri-
torious services at the battle Of Ezra
Church and during the campaign against
Atlanta, Ca" After the close of the war;
during the first year of the era Of recon
struction. General Howard was appointed
Freedmen and Abandoned Lands and re-
maned in that capacity until June 80. 1872
The mismanagement of this department
the Freedmen's Bureau-during the time
that General Howard was at its head is a
matter of history, and ii is the one thing
which for a time threatened to be remem-
bered TO his discredit. But General How
ard has lived down the adverse criticism
and refers now with pleasure and pride to
his acts while at the head of that depart
Special Indian Commissioner to the hostile
Apaches of New Mexico and Arizona, and
in September. 1874 was assigned to the
Department of the Columbia Indian fight
ing from then until January. 1881, when he
was assigned to the command of the De-
Of Of the United states Military Academy. had
not changed General Howard's ideas as to
the possibility OF Christianizing the In
with them he Is still of the opinion that
under the proper influences, bv the employ
ment of correct methods. much good in the
Indian may be developed. General How
ard came to Governors island from the
Department of the Platte, TO which he
was assigned in July. 1852. Let him who
merits 1t bear the palm; it is thine is the
inscription in Latin on beautiful sword
presented to General Howard by his men
just after the battle of Bull Run. Another
heavy sword was voted TO the General at
the close of the war in a contest at Wash
ington d. c., to decide who was the most
popular commanding officer.