The San Francisco call., 1895-10-12
ELIGIBLEs GO SOONER.
They Will All Be Retired Before
the Commander Leaves
the Service.
EXPERIENCE IN CIVIL LIFE.
Views and Needs of the Soldiers
Free From Devotion to Clique
or Corps.

NEW YORK, N. Y, Oct. IA Wash
lngton special to the Sun says: A leading
subject OF discussion in military circles
continues to be the appointment of Gen
eral Nelson Appleton Miles to the COM
mand OF the army and of General Thomas
Howard Ruger to the Department of the
East, with the other changes thereby occa-
stoned. While both of these officers have
had' OF course, very long service in the
army, they are more in touch than some
OF their fellewofficers with civilian life.
General Miles, as is well known, was a
clerk IN store up to his appointment as
company officer in a volunteer regiment
IN 1861. General Ruger had West Point
education, and, graduating third in his
class IN 1854, joined a corps of engineers,
but he resigned the following spring in Or
der to engage in the practice of law at
GAINESVILLE, Wis, and remained in civil life
until 1861. These are rather striking facts
to record OF the two highest officers now in
the active list, and 1t is not to be expected
that such commanders will be repeated.
General Miles will not be retired for age
until August 8, 1903, nearly eight years
hence, and at that time the very last of the
other maJor-generals and of the brigadier-
generals now on the active list will have
been retired. General Ruger retires in
1897, General Merritt in 1900, General
Brooke, now the senior brigadier- general,
in July, 1902, little over a year in ad-
vance of General Miles. General Wheaton
in 1907, General Forsyth in 1898, General
Bliss in 1899, and General Coppinger also
in 1899. And not only will General Miles,
II be lives, thus outlast all the other gen.
eral officers on the active list, but by that
time all the really illustrious who achieved
National fame during the civil war will
also have gone into retirement.
1t is true that there will be some survi-
vors of that war still in the army, and
many able soldiers, but the names as re-
nowned thirty years ago as are those of
General Miles and his immediate predeces-
sors in his present high office will have all
disappeared. General Miles commanded
the largest division OF the Army of the
Potomac, and for period of about fort
night, during the absence of General Hum
phreys, he commanded the Second Corps.
In the next eight years it is possible, of
course, that we may be involved in great
war, or in Indian hostilities, or may have
other calls for the active service of the
army. Yet it does not seem likely Just
now that 1903 will show an officer to sue
ceed General Miles who has had so re-
markable a field of experience as his, COM
prlslng the hardest sort of service in the
Army of the Potomac, and then an extra
ordinary series of Indian campaigns,
which, for their number and success, may
be called unparalleled.
Meanwhile, it is source of satisfaction
that an officer whose experience not only
in the extent of geographical area of COM
mands but of variety of service is so ex-
ceptional has been called to the command
of the army. 1t has recently been implied
that a movement was contemplated by
Secretary Lamont to increase the powers
and responsibilities of the general COM
manding. This, however, has been posi-
lively denied by the Secretary, who has
repudiated any purpose to enlarge or re-
duce the functions of the general COM
manding.
This imaginary project was to give the
commanding general some control over the
staff departments of the army which he
does not now have, and in that sense
there would have been an increase of au-
thority, although it would still have been
held under the Secretary. But the main
purpose of the suggestion seems to have
been to foster the notion that army head
quarters were to have been little differ
ent from hitherto. Some persons, indeed,
seem to be bent on not having any COM
manding general hereafter, although such
'an office is not only recognized by army
regulations but by statutes OF Congress, as,
for example, the one that makes him ex-
officio mem Der of the Board of Ordnance
and Fortifcations. 1t is known some off,
GERS were very anxious not to have General
Miles in Washington, but their ideas and
projects did not work.
Meanwhile researches into the subject
have brought out some interesting facts in
regard to the past commanders of the
army. After the war of the Revolution
the forces were mustered out with the ex
ception of small detachment at West
Point. But with the new constitution
General Harmer, General Wayne and GEN.
eral Wilkinson successfully became senior
officers. The danger of war with France
brought in Washington in 1898 as lieu
tenant-general, but his death followed
A VIZ Gnu VI ZIG ioio"lhS JSoi, aiiu
then for few months Hamilton was senior
officer, until some changes again brought
Wilkinson into that place. Dearborn was
senior officer during the greater part
OF the war of 1872. Brown succeeded
him in 1916, being in turn followed by
Macomb in 1928 and by Scott in 1S41. That
brings us down to familiar times, since in
1861 Scott gave way to Mcclellan and the
latter to Halleck while Grant, Sherman,
Sheridan, Schofeld and now Miles COM
plete the list.
General Miles wide and varied expert
ence as line officer has been such as to
make him conversant with the views and
the needs of the army. and also to free him
from devotion to any clique or corps.