The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-06
rHE MAKING or eENERALS.
Linoein's Experience Contrnsted with Thss 81
President nclkInIey.

military nutn0r1tloe, the American Army II nv
war with Spain will DO mobilized in seven army
corps. In each corps will DO three divisions. or
twonty.ono divisions in all. There are 10 be not
less than three briRades in each of those divt-
sions. making siIty.throe brigades In the seven
corps. Major-Generals will command the corps
and divisions, and BrlEadier-G Generals the brt-
gades. These commands include regulars as
we'll as volunteers. between whom no distino-
tion is made in the organization.
Our civil war demonstrated that the number
of brigades and small independent commands
about tho size requiring n Brigad'erGeneral
increased out OF all proportion to tho corps and
division organizations or tho number Of troops
called out. In the early days OF the war, from
the apparent necessity caused by this fact and
coercion by political and social pressure. an
alarming number OF BriRadierGeneralS were
turned out by President Lincoln. By natural
evolution 1t became one Of the greatest abuses
OF tho time. The error was not dis
covered until things had cooled down, when 1t
was found that the country was the possess
or Of a vast surplusage OF general officers, who
were an expensive and useless luxury even In
consuming war. At one period tho Union pay.
rolls carried more than $50 general ohlcers-7A
Major-Generals and 276 BriRadlers. OF this
number, astonishing to relate, moro than one
quarter were without . command, the great
or portion shelvod or on waiting orders, all
drawing their pay and allowances regularly, yot
rendering no seryice in return. A considerable
number of this clase had been tried in the cru
cible Of war and found wanting. Some Of them
doubtless were deserving enough and capable.
but wero forced out of tho swim by circumstances
over which they had no control. 1t 10 q curious
fact that whilo these Generals were doing moth
ing 163 Colonies were commanding briRadou in
the various armies Of the Union.
This list Of supernumoraries increased a. the
war progressed. 1t was not wholly made up out
of the raw and inexperienced civilian Generals.
1t included veteran regulars and many West
Pointers who had graduated with hiRh honorp.
Brigadiers were go numerous and many Of than
so useless that this high military office was
brought into contempt. In the public estimate
to hold a Brigadier.G Generals commission was q
sort OF reflection upon an officer. At one time
they became such u nuisance In the hotel Hobbies.
of Washington that Secretary Stanton was com
PEELED to issue strict orders against their presence
here except upon official business under orders.
Many of them were actually arrested for infrinR-
Ing these regulations. But, although unemployed
and many OF them under q cloud from one cause
or another, they yet chung to their commissions
under oil those humiliations, with singular
tenacity. Once appointed. there was no way to
be rid Of them. well-sheltered. groomed, and
fed, few died Of disease; fewer still resigned and
none was killed by tho bullets of the enemy.
An anecdote told OF Mr.. Lincoln fairly indi-
Gates Mo public estimate OF this class of officers.
On ono occasion the Confederate Col. John 8.
Mosby, by a night surprise at Fairfax. captured
a Union General and q number of his nIen and
horses. Mr.. Lincoln waS greatly chagrined.
CondolinR with him over the mishap, one Of tho
public men of the day remarked TO the PrOsi-
dent that the loss Of tho captured Generals scr
vices wasa great misfortune to tho Government.
"Pooh!" replied Lincoln. tits the horses I'm
thinking about. ! can make another BriRadier-
General In two minutes. but horses arc scarce
and cost 5000 apiece
Under tho scheme OF mobilization described
above there Is at onco requirement for ninety
one general officers for corps. division and bril-
gado commando alone, TO say nothing Of depart
mental and army commanders. besides lesser
commands Of considerable Importance calling
for a general officer. Up to q few days ago
President Mckinley had appointed exactly sixty
nino general o~fficors-twelve Major-Generals
and ffty-seven Brigadiers. To these We may
add the three Major-GenerRls of tho regular
army who will 60 into the field. making Q total
OF seventy-two general officers all told available
Tor the troops to be mustered under President
MchinleSs nrst cal The seven corps already
PROVIDED Tor Will alone require nineteen addi-
tional Generals. But to provide fully for the
probable necessities OF such O war and the num-
Der or troops to be used, 1t is within bounds to
say that not less than nifty additional general
officers must eventually be appointed to carry
on the war.
lhus IL Will DO seen that there is no foundation
for the criticism already heard from the common
scolds Of the country that tho President is APP
pointing too many Generals. There is no law
limiting the number of these appointments In
the volunteer service. That is a matter of ex.
pediency, controlled entirely by tho judgmentof
the President and Senate. 1t is hardly probable
that tho Executive will abuse his constitutional
preroGative in this particular, and the dclibera-
ton and care which have thus far characterized
his selections give promise that no such conGes.
tion OF general officers as marked the civil war
will occur during the progress of our war with
Spain. Another important item is the superior
quality OF the material he has chosen In com.
parison with the results Of 1851. OF course. the
pressure upon the President has been very great.
Social and political influence is perhaps discern