The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-25
A BRIGHT MILITARY MEDLEY
INTERESTING GOSSIP ABOUT ARMY
OFFICERS.

One OF the GOD FOrsaken" Places in
FIorida-SOme "Reminiscences OF
GEN. Scotia Point in Reference to
Gen. SchOfeId-Other Matters Of
Interest.
Maitland. Fla, Dec 24.-One If the most
"God forsaken" places in Florida is called
at the present day Fort Christmas Back
in the thirties Col. Zachary Taylor, Q. s.
A.. moving between Fort Mcneil and Fort
Lane, during the Seminole war, camped on
this spot and the time being Christmas
he named the temporary defense erected
there Fort Christmas, and so it has re-
NAMED 1t is located in Orange county,
south of Lake Harvey, has but few inhab-
itants and of the genuine cracker order. A
more unsuitable name for the place could
hardly be selected.
Objection is being made to references IN
Southern newspapers TO the camps oil
"Federal troops" located in various states.
Such distinguished generals and military
writer's as Gen. Joseph F. Johnston Gen.
VIM. t. Sherman and Gen. Joseph Wheel
er. an West Point graduates, use this term
in their published works. Other prominent
military men refer TO the Federal caval-
ry or Federal forces, although during
the civil war the term Union" forces was
more commonly used.
A Florida paper says Secretary of State
Phil Cook, in Atlanta, is a son of the lace
Gen. Phil Cook, a graduate of West Point
f4iaay m
resigned to enter the Confederate service,
where he became a lieutenant general This
is very astonishing statement for an
editor to make who was born and reared
in Georgia Philip Cook Sr, was never
even d cadet at West Point, nor was he
in the United States army Philip st.
George Cook, of Virginia, was a West
Pointer and regular army officer, and 40
fought on the Union side in the civil war.
The late Philip Cook of Georgia was a
Confederate brigadier general, but his hon
ored father, Philip Cook, was, in 1913 in
the regular army as junior major of the
famous Eighth Infantry, Of which Patrick
Jack was colonel, William Cumming of
Augusta. senior major and David E.
Twiggs, senior captain, w. Chisholm being
next IN rank.
am gratified to see that Lieut.. Gen
J. M. Schofeld, u S. A. Qetired), in his
address before the military committee of
Congress- so fully indorses what have
several times written to the Morning
News in regard to the commanding gen.
eral so-calIed, of the army As early as
1892 I wrote that the revival of the grade
of fun general did not confer upon its
holder the right to command the army.
1t was only through aud al the pleasure
of the President that he was to exercise
that function. There is, as | have learned,
no such office as commanding general.
While Grant was a fun lieutenant general
Il was in the power of the President 20
put Scott in command under his brevet
rank of lieutenant general. Gen. Schohe}d
also shows up the conflicts of authority,
as | did between the Secretary of War
and the adjutant general and himself, in
The case of the adjutant general there be-
ing an assumption of authority perfectly
astounding. He is simply clerical officer.
the same as a regimental adjutant. Gen.
Schofelds plain talk will work revolu-
ton in the proposed army reorganization.
Recently the Morning News published a
lengthy article full of gossip about Gen.
Winfield Scott The reference to a large,
heavy carriage. "a curious old chariot =
used at Elizabeth, n. j., in his last years,
Is rather misleading. IT was not built
that way" because an ordinary carriage
was not strong enough for Gen. Scott. It
is true that he was a very tall and large
man. but Gen. Shafter and Gen Keifer
are both heavier than Gen. Scott was III
his prime This chariot" as well as his
single carriage used in Washington. was
butt expressly for him because he had
difficulty in his old age in lifting his feet
sufficiently high to get into an ordinary
vehicle of any kind. 1 well remember his
shutting step as he crossed the sidewalk
from his Office in Washington and en-
tered his coupe. The step was Just on
! a level with the curb stone and he could
enter the carriage without lifting his foot
higher than when walking and he walked
with stiff joints.
The many old Confederate friends of the
late Col Charles Co.cock Jones Of Angus
ia. Ga, will be gratihed to know that his
brother-in-law Rev. r. @. Mallard has
written a most interesting memoir of the
| life and family Of the senior Rev. DR.
| Charles Colcock Jones Of Liberty county
whose beautiful homes at Monteyldeo and
| Claybank are most attractively described
In such cultured and Christian homes
good old Liberty county nurtured some ~
the best and bravest OF GeorgIa's most
| distinguished soldiers. statesmen. dlvines
and citizens. Although Rev. DR.. Jones
devoted much Of his life to phiautbropic
work among the slaves he was also =
prominent figure IN church and state ar
fairs. aud in bic home life a model father
rearing a family that lived 10 add honor
and fame 70 biz own exalted ebaracs. D
Tho memoir is published by the prseby.
terrain Book Committee lu Richmond. Va
am more fhaa Ieyoiced over the grand