The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-25
GEN. MERRITTS DUTIES.
.oREATAMOUNT OF WORK CENTRED
tTGOTERNOR'S ISLAND.
.-.,n,rd or the United states Army Scattered
Throush Twcnty-threo states Under HTS
s,n.r,Ision-socini Life ON Governors Is
,.,s-.cu. Mcrritt's Brilliant Career.

,-..,h,rd or the United States army Scattered
rnroush Twcnty-threo states Under HIS
s,n.r,Islon-socini Life ON Governors Is
,,rd-,.cu. Mcrritts Brilliant Career.
when Major.Gcn. Merritt went over to Cover.
.or,s island about noon on April 10 last and took
so-msl command Of the Department of tho East
:, ,bc United states army, the fact was noted
srlv In the newspapers, and that omnipresent
,,dividual known as the average citizen. probably
,o,,ea down mentally the fact that there was a
.oy General over there in charge OF tho island.
Hare and there some ono knew something of
oen. Merritt career, especially old army men,
hut IN the masses the assumption OF command in
,he East BY him meant little moro than that
Gcr. Erger had gone and Gen, Merritt had com
,oIiyc ON that most beautiful of all spots in or
ne,r New York, Governors Island.
New Workers are familiar with Governors
Island only in a general way. They look down
mon It from The Brooklyn Bridge with interest,
and when they pass it in boats going To Staten
Island or to Rockaway or Coney Island. they
notice that It Is q most attractive place on which
,oliye in summer. Occasionally they sec the puffs
from the old guns in Castle Williams as a salute
,s fired at times of ceremony. and generally
they catch a glimpse of n soldier with a gun
marching back and forth on post near tho water.
Al other times they sec n dozen or moro young
women speeding around the edges of the place
nm BICYCLES, and sometimes, IL they look sharp,
they may see an officer in full uniform, with his
sword stuck out over the handle bar, also whiz-
ring on a bicycle around the rim of the
place. That officer is generally the Officer
OF the Day, grown tired OF staying at post
headquarters, and seeking relaxation from tho
routine OF duty in making an ostensible inspec-
ton OF affairs under his immediate charge.
Passers-by also note that there are q score or
more of pretty cottages on the place and that in
the highest place on the island there is u rect.
angle of low-roofed buildings, partly hidden by
~earthworks. where the post garrison lives,
which is known in the army as Fort Columbus.
The island is known to be an important place
simply because the General second in rank in
the army usually lives there with his staff. The
members OF the staff, however, and probably the
General himself. are occasionally annoy ed over
the fact that a common impression seems to exist
that the General commanding in the East is really
in command of Governors Island and of little else.
The fact Of the matter is that as n military
post Governors Island doesn't amount to much.
There are only three companies of infantry
stationed there, and the post is in charge of
Lieut.. Col. W. 8. Worth of the Thirteenth In
fantry. instead of Gen. Merritt. Tho soldiers
there have little else to do than sentry duty and
to watch over nearly one hundred prisoners
who do all the laboring work about tho place,
and are mostly serving sentences for desertion,
ranging from a few months to four years. There
is a department band there to play at dress
parade. and whenever the General wants 1t to
play for his own amusement or on occasions Of
CEREMONY There is no detail of troops COM
mensurate with the dignity Of Major-Generals
supposed Importance, and life there Is much the
same as at any other small military post where
there is no General stationed. except in its social
aspects. The presence OF a large staff, consist
Ing Of half q dozen Colonies and other officers
OF high rank, make the post important socially,
and it is because of this reason, and also because
1t is so near to the chief city Of the Union that
details there are eagerly sought
The visitor to the island will find in its centre
about twenty cottages arranged nearly in the
form of an ellipse, and all facing inward. They
are comfortable rather than pretentious places.
1t is in these houses that the officers OF the de-
partment staff live. Over on the western side Of
the island is a large parade ground, and clear
over on the northwestern edge is old Castle
Williams. now used as a military prison. Near
the C. stle are several rather pretentious brick
dwellings facing the Statue of Liberty, and set
apart from the rest OF the houses. In these
houses the officers OF the garrison dwell. Then
there are barrack-like buildings for the civilians
and their sbn fSPi Mhsr who { r aye ther ceera ii11ls E sp,s.
northern shore, facing, battery Park in New
III u kioup u " lAhlhB III iiN .oiu
nance stores are kept. A building near the boat
landing Is set apart as post headquarters, and ia
the middle OF the group of dwellings, where the
staff officers live, is one used as department
headquarters.
As one walks about the place he meets only
occasionally an officer in uniform. The staff
officers are usually in citizens clothes, and If
one would find a man In officers uniform he
must seek those who are attached to the garri-
son rather than to the department. From a
military standpoint the island IS a business
large force Of clerks are kept busy at the depart
ment headquarters. and when one visits there
he begins 10 see, that the General in command
Island and attend dinners there and in New
York. Really the Jurisdiction OF the General
commanding the Department OF the East has 10
do with nearly one-third OF the entire army of
the country, There are more than 1000 officers
extends over twenty-three States OF the Union.
beginning up in Maine and extending to Florida
the east bank Of the Mississippi up to the
Ohio and along the Ohio to the boundary be-
tween Indiana and Ohio, and thence north to
Lake Erie. This means that all the Southern
States east OF the Mississippi, all the New Eng
land and Middle States, and the State OF Ohio
are twenty.four garrisons OF various size and
t tdpH posts not gnrrisoped; he has ten
lery from five regiments, and six regiments Of
infantry under his command, stationed at these
various posts; These, posts make q formidable
bus, Fort Hamilton, Fort, Schuyler, Fort Slo-
cum, Fort Wadsw9rth. and Fort Wood in and
S'Hs III II uuIl ~ q poIl, EoEl
barancas at Pensacola, Columbus barracks mt
Columbus D.; Fort Ethan Allen at Burlington,
VI; Jackson barracks in 81. bernard parish,
La; Key West Barracks at Key West, Madison
barracks AT SaCketts Harbor, Fort McHenry at
Baltimore, Fort Mcpherson at Atlanta, Fort
Monroe at Old Point Comfort Fort Myer near
Mashington; Fort Niagara at Niagara Falls.
fiattsburg Barracks at Plattsburg, Fort Por-
yer at Buffalo, Fort Preble at Portland. Me-;
-. Francis Barracks at St Augustine, Fla;
fort Thomas at Newport, KY; Fort Trumbun
at New London, Conn; Fort Warren at Boston,
and Washington Barracks at Washington.
All the business pertaining 10 these posts and
their garrisons centres in the department head
quarters at Governors Island, and final respon-
s!blllty for them and their care rests with Gen.
Merritt as commanding officer. All purchases
9i supplies, all matters relating TO detail and 10
discipline, come under Gen. Merritt's super
Vision, II Is tor that reason that u large force OF
clerks labor daily at Governors Island and hat
nearly a score Of staff officers are required to
manage the details OF this extensive business.
Inc General has three First Lieutenants as u
personal staff. They are his aides and he brought
them with him from the Department Of the Mis-
souri, the headquarters OF which are in Chicago,
"here Gen. Merritt last commanded. The de-
partment STAFF practically remains as Gen. Ru-
ger left 1t. 1t comprises no fewer than six Col
onels. one Lientenant-C Colonel, two Majors. and
one Captain. Then there is tho attached staff
Of a Major and a First Lieutenant, besides tho