Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-09-21
RETIREMENT OF SCHOF|ELu
The Official Life of the Genera
Expires at Midnight.
Lieutenant General of the Army Reaches
His Sixty-Fourth Year and Goes
on the Retired List "A
Brief sketch.

Washington, Sept. 2s.-The official lifs
If a gallant old warrior expires al mid
,ight tonight when, by reason OF the
act that tomorrow is the s~ixty-fourtf
anniversary Of his birth, Major Genera
John NJ. Schofield. lieutenant genera
If the army" Will be retired from active
lerv!ce. Today is one of leave taklngs
md the sincere affection with which tho
feteran commanding officer of the army
S regarded by those with whom his Of
icial position has brought him IN con.
TACT has been ~abundantly manifested
since early morning in outward evil
iences among his associates of sorrow
and grief al his departure. IT Is u pc
.uliarly touching farewell-one rare and
strange to the martinets Of the war de-
Dartment.
Tonight a number Of officers OF the
army and navy will personally present
heir retiring friend with a token of the
esteem they feel for him. Absolutely
devoid Of frills, pleasant and courteous
10 all with whom he has been brought
n contact officially or socially, General
schofield has been a particularly popu'
al commanding officer. The press gen
rally has always found his door wide
open, and the youngest news sathereI
could always enter his office feeling as
sured of as cordial and courteous "A re-
:eption as that given to veterans In the
tanks, who have walked down the high
way Of life with the soldier for nearly
half d century. IT is a grand record
and one full OF instruction 10 the rising
generation, that General SchofielJ
leaves upon the pages Of the depart
nent from which in a few hours he
axes his departure.
From a quiet. plodding, but never
brilliant country boy, General Schofield
mas worked his way step by step TO tbs
highest rank within the gift Of the
United States army. His war record
may be summed up in "A single sentence:
sherman planned; Schoield executed"
In all the battles preceding the fight for
Atlanta. he was the poten; factor, and
he great general who marched from
Atlanta to the sea found him equal TO
every task assigned him. Throughout
the war he met with but one accident.
This wns near Dallas, when his horse
fell on him, when riding through the
thick forest at night 10 consult with
sherman. IL was In Tennessee. at tho
battle of Franklin, that he cl.nched his
reputation as a soldier Of bravery, cool
hess and shrewdness. by repulsing with
q numerically inferior force the confed-
crates under Hood.
General Schofield has been twice mar
ried. Ity his first wife he had three
children, one Of whom is "A lieutenant II
the regular army stationed at Boise
Barracks, Idaho. Four years ago, just
a. he roundedsthe sixth decade OF life
he married Miss Georgia Kilbourne 81
keokuk. la. A young girl at once At
tractive in her personality and hand
some in appearance, and who has be
come very popular At Washington. VIII
General Schoield's retirement the It'll.
lieutenant general Of the army dies
He has only held this official title sine,
February last. when he was nominated
to it by the president in accordance Will
All act passed by the last congress. Hi
former title was major general com
handing the army" His successor vii
hold that rank and title until congress
If IL chooses, creates him lieutenant
general.
The retiring veteran has nc settled
plans Tor the future. de VIII roDabl
trave! for awhile, and then devote z
couple of years 10 the preparation of his
memoirs, which viii I'LL several volumes
Recently a newspaper writer mentioned
his name as a possible candidate for
president, III wnen the matter wan
brought to his attention, the grisled
fighter said bluntly; Il suppose every
in public life has had that report
{ culated about him. II IL hardly
worth the trouble of denying. | want
political honors. My country has
done very we'll as 1t is. ] deem the pres
Of the United States the most ex.
Of humanity created offices, but 1t
Is not egotism in me to say that | do
not seek 1t. The use of my name in
such a connection is not serious and on
that account / am not pleased with it,"