The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-09

advances of -four, sugar and coffee TO
provide for the Crow Indians, who had
come down from their reservation on the
Yellowstone to meet US in 1868, before
our own supplies had been received.
For a time / could not comprehend
The nature of Mr.. Campbell's complaint,
80 / telegraphed to the department COM
msnder, Gen. C. c. Augur, at Omaha,
to know if any such occurrence had
happened, and the reasons therefor. L
received prompt answer that 1t was
substantially true, and had been ordered
BY the Secretary of War.
1t so happened that during Gen.
Grants command of the Army Congress
had given to the General of the Army
the appointment of post-traders." he
had naturally devolved it on the SUBJ
ordinate division and department COM
manders, but the legal power remained
with the General Of the Army.
went up to the Secretary Of War,
showed him the telegraphic correspond
ence, and pointed out the existing law
In the Revised Statutes. Gen. Belknap
was visibly taken aback, and explained
that he had supposed the right Of ap-
pointment rested with him; that Ward
wa. an old rebel Democrat, ETC.; where
as Ward had been in fact the sutler OF
Fort Laramie, United States military
post, throughout the civil war.
told him that | should revoke his
orders, and leave the matter where it
belonged, to the local council of adj
ministration and commanding officers.
Ward was unanimously reelected and
reinstated. He remained the trader OF
the post until Congress repealed the law,
and gave back the power Of appoint
ment to the Secretary of War, when, of
course, he had to go. But meantime he
was able to make the necessary business
arrangements which saved him and his
partners the sacrifice which would have
been necessary in the first instance.
l never had any knowledge whatever
of Gen. Belknap's transactions with the
traders at Fort Sill and Fort Lincoln
which resulted in his downfall. | have
never sought to ascertain his motives for
breaking with me, because he knew L
had always befriended him while under
nv military command, and in securing
him his Office of Secretary of War. |
spoke frequently to President Grant of
the growing tendency Of his Secretary of
War to usurp all the powers of the Com
manding General, which would surely
result in driving me away. He as fre-
quently promised to bring US together to
agree upon just line OF separation of
our respective Offices, but never did.
POWERS OF COMMANDING GENERAL
Determined to bring the matter to an
issue, wrote the following letter:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED)
STATES, WASHINGTON, ID. c., Aug. II, !
1870.
Gen. ". W. BELKSAP, Secretary of War.
GENERAL must urgently and respect
fully invite your attention when at leisure to
o matter of deep interest to future Command
ing Generals Of the Army more than to my
sell, of the imperative necessity of fixing and
clearly defining the limits of the powers and
duties of the General of the Army or of
whomsoever may succeed to the place of Com
mander-in-Chi
The case is well stated by Gen Grant in
his letter of Jan. %, 1866, to the Secretary
Of War; Mr.. Stanton. hereto appended. and
though ] find no official answer recorded,
I remember that Gen. Grant told me that
the Secretary Of War had promptly assured
him in conversation that he fully approved OF
his views rs expressed in this letter
AT that time the subject was much dis
cussed, and soon after Congress enacted the
bill reviying the grade of General which bill
was approved July %, 1866, and provided
that the General, when commissioned, may be
authorized under the direction and during
the pleasure OF the President TO command
the Armies Of the United States; and few
days after, viz, July ., 1866, was enacted
the law which defined the military peace
establishment. The enacling clause reads:
hat the military peace establishment oi
the United States shall hereafter consist oi
five regiments OF artillery, 10 regiments oi
cavalry, 40 regiments OF infantry, the Pro-
fessors and Corps OF Cadets of the United
States Military Academy and such other
forces as shall be provided for By this act. to
be known as the Army Of the United
States"
The act then recites in great detail all the
parts of the Army, making no distinction be-
tween the line and staff, but clearly makes
each and every part an element OF the
whole
Section 81 provides for a Board to revise
the Army Regulations and report; and de.
claTes that the regulations then in force. viz
those OF le63, should remain until Congress
"shall act on said report y; and section IS
and last enacts that all laws and parts of laws
Inconsistent with the provisions of this act
be and the same are hereby repealed.
Under the provisions of this law my prede
cessor, Gen. Grant, did not hesitate TO com.
mand and make orders TO all parts of the
Army, the Military Academy, and staff. and
II was under his advice that the new regula
tons were compiled In 1S6S that drew tn,
line more clearly between the high and re
sponsible duties Of the Secretary OF War aut
the General Of the Army
lie assured me many time before I wa
called here to succeed him that he wanted m,
TO perfect the distinction and il was by hi
express orders that on assuming the com
mand OF the Army ] specifically placed th,
heads of the Staff Corps here in Washington
in the exact relation 70 the Amy which the,
would bear TO an army ia the field.
j am aware that subsequently,. in his or
cers OF March 26, he modified his forme