The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-30
Va GOVERNOR; STAFF LED.
voRK GUARDSMEN HOT OYER a
VI" wILITARY BLUNDER,

-iiiprhast HAD No business as the
az. ar the states Four BriEades In the
- M, Parnde-Governor should Have
~. mere, or tho Senior FsriEadier.
p,.ck's failure to take command of the
,,ools in the Grant parade 10 beine criti-
se, ,rou every quarter in the National
a~ nd there Ia auite 40 much stir over what
'uAN~.a the gross treatment of the Brigadier-
-, Louis FITZGERALD. James MsLeer.
eos 7. shaw oliver. and Peter c. Doyle. com-
n V~,,rs respectively the First, Second, Third.
=. rourtL briead.s. II will be remembered
49,, an the occasion of the pa sado Gov. Black
$500 10 ride In the procession 40 Comman-
,.In.cbIef OF the State foroo OF New York,
w, that Adjt.. Gen. C. Whitney TillinRhast,
~ ,,.umed command Of the State troops and
~, accom- panied by the other members Of
AZ. Goyernor's staff. Officers of this State
'i,,,Ist tho Adiutant-GonerRl for assuming
.nmand of the troops, and the leading milf
AZ men from other States are astonished at
~, procedure. which they say 10 without q
..,,Ilsl in the history of the National Guard In
.nv site in the Union. 1t IL also n violation
=, The Gu ,toms OF the service. So long as Gov.
p,,eK did not soc tit to parade at the head OF
m. troops, the 20 ition. it is argued. rtshtfully
h,,onced TO tile senior line General In the SER
,,os. Brig. .Gen. Louie Fitzgerald OF the First
prvede. and II he preferred to waive his rights
!, the matter the should have de-
ro,,ed. upon the next senior brigade comman-
a.r. thi. being tho established rule in tho
ifnited States Army. The stan Of Gov. Black,
!, IL argued, 30 long as the Governor was not
Win them, had no right whatever to be In tho
narade, their duty being to attend the Gov
amor. z ,. ,,ru .,.
,hs matter is not definitely known, but It Is
probable that rome prominent officers may re-
sign. ,
that The command of the State force during the
Grant parade had not been offered to him. Con.
Fitzgerald also said that he had received a writ
Ten order the last thing, from the AGjutant.
General which announced that he. the Adju-
tant.General. would assume and 1t
was but tho province Of National Guardsmen
""Did you over hear of such a proceeding be-
fore-of q staG officer practically putting HIM
self in command of troops on such an occasionl"
No" replied Gen. Fitzgerald. II never
did. and l regret to say that it has caused any
amount OF unfavorable mmen on our Ma.
.ioual Guard; that is. as TO Its present organize
hoa. which permits . departure from estib-
lished customs of the service and brings moro
State. Personally l desire to have It under
stood that | do not feel aGgrieved over what
may be termed any slight t. me in not being In
command of our State force. but l do feel
sorry for the other visiting brigade command
ss who were so unusually ignored and whose
time-honored ~s>rvice, both in war and peace,
should have been considered"
The General was asked IL officers in the New
York National Guard, as we'll as prominent out
of-town commanding officers. had not spoken to
him with reference to the unusual spectacle OF q
Governors staff paraiing alone. and he said:
Yes. 1t Is true. and officers have EXPRESSED to
ne not only surprise but Indignation about the
matter"
Ex. AIaior.Gen. Thomas Fl. McGrath. who
has served In the position of Adiutant t General
and lnspcctor-Genernl of New York. said that
the action of Gen. TillinEhast in assuming
command was without precedent. and that 1t
held the state force up 10 ride ale: he cen
sidered it a most disgracetul procedure.
Excel. William ]. Harding, who has . long
military record. serving in the rebellion and
later as Lieuteuant-Colonel of the Twentv-sec-
ond and Thirteenth +, Giments. and also as As
sistant Inspector. General of the State. said
that all the BriQadier-General in the State
must have received n most direct and unpardon-
able afIront. and added that in all his military
service he had never heard of such q proceed
ure. Col. Harding said that 1t was contrary
70 all established military customs:
Just imsgine." said he. the President Of
the Ini;cd states placing the Ad!utant-ien;
eHal OF the army In command Of 1t, ignoring all
he Geaerals Of the line. What would be tho
result? suppose the Colonel of a regiment did
pot caro- to parade. and ignored his Lieutenant
sAl,Lel and Majors. and SO on. and out hts Ad-
Fl,.nt in CO nmnnd. What would be the re-
VII? The command OF the State force sho lld,
without any doubt. have been rendered to Gen.
Fitzgerald. The position belonged to him as
q right"