New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-05
ARMY NOTES Of INTEREST

The promotion o, Brgadier-Ceneral Wesley Mer-
rift 20 be major general, and 'he promotion o'
Colonel Zenas 4. Bliss 10 be brigadI'r-seh'ra''
probably did not surprise The Tribune readers iof
II was predicted in this column several weeks "so
that these two officers were slated for the h'h"'S
which have been bestowed upon them. The pro-
motion of Colonel John r. Coppinser the son-'h-
law OF James G. Blaine was a surprise 10 '"'R"
number OF his associates. and surprise OF the hu
that leads most OF his juniors well as his seniors
asuired 10 wear the OF the brgall'I--"I"I"i'
SII ,nI To m one more worthy than colonel now
Hrlgadicr-dic General, coppingcr Pel"fai vI'i"sri
military service is so well known that II IL hardly
necessary to expatiato upon u lie was mace q
captain in the i4th Infantry IN III ana ~. ,,"
was promoted TO colonel OF Ne%,fork caVaanIy,
because Of his lighting record H. vas suR u 4
captain Of regulars az the clos" oi Ne ~ "
ma he Was promoted TO major January. 1891. sag
mn as ,b rrncra opinion hat the president would
not appoint additional hrleddei s'i'i"i "' t..
opinion mat in restoring the grade o; lieutenant
general Congress unintrnti0nal.y n"sirgt'l 10
reduce the number Of malof-se''i''S OF D'l'"'''''
by one
Before another week rolls round in fact. on Friday
next. Brlgadier-Gencral Thomas l.. Casey Will be
NM on the retired list on account OF age; and then
when Colonel Henry J.. Abbott is retired. ior the
same cause on August g. there VIII De ony an
even half-hurdrcd left on active duty who were
commissioned officers In the regular service when
The Cyll War opened. or when the bOmbarlment
OF Fort Sumter began on April i. 1861. The mar
ininp When schoneld reres to
the list Of the 'fnnOcuous desuc'NdeS'
The question has often been asked In Congress as
well as In Army and Navy circles. al what age an
ofRcers service becomes OF no use to the Govern
ment For instance. officer Of the Navy y
retired by statute when he reaches the az" OF
slxty-two years but an officer OF the Army 'o'S
not become useless until he - two years older. IL
IL. .t.-.,t. sIga4 "a "a.
the theory upon which Congress framed ms law.
but it always settles back into the nnsats,ac' orH
and sirnule logarithm constants Of siAiy-twO ana
sixty four and the officers retire ana are sought
r3yn ~ NE Where ability and disciplinary methods
are desired. An instance may be mentioned IN
of a big company in California. Then. on the part
OF the Navy, several OF the Congressdcinei
service in civil life. and even now Rear Admiral
Erben, az capable as almost any man Of MY. has
Of thought was suggested by the active interest
taken among medical officers Of the Army regard
ing the successorship 10 Surgeon John S. Billings.
who II Is rbqred T ago go upon mon one h re nn nS
nIication under The thirty-years service law. Or.
billings has accepted the chair OF hygiene at the
| that he is not unfit for active work.
The transfer OF generals commanding conse-
| uuent upon the promotion OF Brgadicr General
| Merritt was not in accordance with the programme
arranged by the quidnuncs about Army head
quarters hence the announcements made on
! Wednesday coused hairs to rise on the heads OF
| few who asked, what nOw"' What next II
was reported that General Merritt contemplated
| making ties at 81. Paul and. therefore, pre-
ferred 10 remain in command OF the Department OF
! Dakota. The fact that he is transferred to the
| Department of the Missouri shows that the Army
| prophet dead wrong" In this instance Briga-
! dler-Gcneral Brooke goes to the Department OF
Dakota. and Brigadier-General Coppinger. whom
| the prophet had put on waiting orders until
General Schohelds retirement. ana VINO was men 10
| be sent to Texas. succeeds General Brooke IN the
| Department OF the Platte i'rlgadlcr-ienerai bhss
Is sent 10 command the department OF Texas
as predicted would be the case Genera
| Wheaton who had expressed a preference Tor the
| department az Colorado. got his wish granted
there will be one commanding officer left unpro
| vided for" said the "one who knows. but th'
| Major-Ceneral Ruger to special duty al Wash
ngton soon as he is relieved by General Merritt
The retirement OF Major-General A. ID. McCool
recalls the fact that he is the last survivor
OF a gallant family which a father anc
every son the military service. In defence Of thu
country, and lost four-dcad upon the battlefield
He was graduated from the Military Academy IL
1852 His service prior to the civil War was wher
he had lots OF experience In practical fighting
for he was engaged with the hostile Indians on Tn
frontier In many battle. He was also one o
year was made brlgadler-general OF volunteers 70
gallant service at Bull Run as colonel OF an OH
regiment. Before the close OF the war he wa
brevetted a major-general so he had the right I
the title for thirty years. although 1t was only si
months ago That hc was hctuhi.y COMMISSIONS
a major-general
BY reason OF sentence OF couri-martial Lieu
tenant f. L. LoyerIdge ceased TO be officer o
the Army on April 30. The charge which he wa
tried was drunkenness on duty upon which h
was found guilty. The seDtence was severe one
ba. Is n %s ATy ana %a
appointed TO the Academy la lsSs.