Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-12
M'C00K TO RETIRE
Interest in Military Circles as to His
Successor.
Gen. WESLEY MERRITT MOST LIKELY
There Will Be Two Brigadier
GeneraIships Vacant.
WESLEY MERRITT MOST LIKELY
A HOST. OF CANDIDATES


tered in the approaching appointments Of
major general and a brigadier gen.
eral as necessary consequence of
the retirement Of Maj. Gen. Alex. Med.
McCook on the 22d instant. Gen. Nc
Cook got his promotion on the retire.
ment of Maj. Gen. Howard, in November
last, and was then jumped over the head
OF Gen. Kruger, because 1t was his last op-
rortunity Of reaching the grade of major
general before going on the retired list by
operation Of law on account of age. Since
then. however, Gen. Ruger has also been
made a major general. to fill the vacancy
in the list caused by the elevation Of Gen.
Schofeld to the grade Of lieutenant general.
Ever since Gen. Ruger's promotion, in Feb
ruary last vacancy has existed in the list
OF brigadier generals. Another vacancy in
that grade will be created when Gen. Nc
Cooks place in the list of major generals
Is filled.
Why the Vacancy Remains.
The main reason why the existing vacan-
cy in the list of brigadier generals has re-
| NAMED untitled is that all the department
commands ere now filled. II another gen.
eral officer were added to the present list
there would be no command to give him
commensurate with his rank. There are
but eight military departments, with Lieut..
Gen. Schofield commander-in-chief. Be-
fore his promotion there were but two
major generals in command of departments.
The command of the eight departments,
however, is now divided among three major
generals and five brigadier generals. If the
legal quota Of six brtgadier generals were
filled one of the number would have to be
placed on waiting orders until vacancy
occurred. Although the retirement Of Gen.
McCook will create two vacancies in the
brigadiers, 1t will still leave vacant but one
command.
No Change Until September.
The situation will remain unchanged, in
the natural course Of events, until Septem-
Der % next, when Lieut.. Gen. Schofield will
reach the retiring age. The grade Of lieu
| tenant general, re-created for his special
benefit. expires with his retirement. and
the military establishment will then re-
sumo its normal state with three major
generals and six brigadier generals, with
one general officer in command at WASH
ington and the others each in command of
q separated department
It is said that the President and Secre-
| tary Of War are of opinion that Congress
In authorizing the promotion OF Gen.
Schofleld did not intend thereby to increase
the number of general officers. Acting on
| that theory, one vacancy In the list Of
| brigadiers will remain untitled until the re-
tirement of Gen. Schofeld in September
Eext, when the normal order of things
| may be easily re-established. There is no
doubt. however, that the vacancy in the
list Of majors general, caused by the re-
tirement Of Gen. McCook on the Odd in
ton Of one of the FIVE brigadier generals,
and also that a colonel of the line will at
the same time be elevated to the rank of
brigadier general.
| Gen. Wesley Merritt the Next Major
.'" General.
It is generally conceded in army circles
that Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt command
ing the Department of Dakota, with head
quarters at st. Paul, will be the next major
general. There is nothing to prevent the
| selection. however. of either Gen. Brooke.
Gen. Wheaton. Gen. Otis and Gen. For
syth. They are all of the same grade and
each has good record.
General Merritt is the senior in rank and
Is regarded as having special claims for
graduated from the Military Academy in
1860 and was assigned to the second
dragons, afterwards the second cavalry.
In those days promotion was rapid. and
in the summer of 1868 he had reached the
rank of brigadier general Of volunteers.
His service was with the army of the
Potomac. He received a string of brevets
from major up to major general, inclusive,
| in the regulars, and of major general of
volunteers, for gallant and meritorious
services at Gettysburg, Yellow Tavern,
Halves Shop. Winchester, Fishers Hill.
Five Forks and the final Virginia cam
paign. He was also made full major
general of volunteers for distinguished
services. Since the war he has served in
various capacities with credit mainly in
the cavalry. He became colonel of the
fifth cavalry in July. 1876, and reached
his present grade in April, 1887. He re-
| tires in June, 1900. General Wheaton will
retire in May, 1897, and General Forsyth
in August 1898. General Brooke and Cen
eral Otis do not retire until 1902.
The BrigndiSr Genernlship.
There is no limit to the probabilities in
the selection of the new brigadier general,
and any prediction on that subject is mere
speculation. All the colonies of the line,
cavalry. artillery and infantry. are eligible,
and practically all the seniors are open
candidates. The highest in rank is Col.
w. R. Shafter, first infantry, who retires in
1899. Second on the list is Col. H. e. Mer-
Ram, seventh infantry, who retires in 1901.
The third colonel in rank is Col. q. r.
Bliss, twenty-fourth infantry. who retires
in 1899. Following him comes Gel. M. T.
Anderson, fourteenth infantry, who re-
tires in 1900. Col. e. F. Townsend,
in 1897. Then following in succession, con-
sidering only the line, are Col. r. f. A.
Crofton, fifteenth infantry, who retires in
1898; Col. ]. F. Wade, fifth cavalry who
retires In 1907; Col. Chas. e. Compton,
fourth cavalry, who retires in 1900; Col.
p. c. Mason: fourth infantry. who retires
May 81, 1885, and Col H. w. Closson,
fourth artillery. the senior officer of that
arm Of the service. who retires in June,
1896.
There is no special occasion for continu-
ing the enumeration, inasmuch as 1t is al
most a foregone conclusion that the list
already given includes the name of the
hyfc on far t1 to-. IT.