The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-26
WHO FOR BRIGADIER
----------------
Were so Plentiful in 1861 you
Would Stumble Over
Them.
UNWORTHY APP0IN ICES
NO MAN BUT ONE TRAINED IN
ARMS SHOULD BE AP-
POINTED.
TOM C0RWlNS WITHERlNG SATIRE
How he Laughed Brigadier out of Congress
and Into Oblivion The Wild
Bears Lesson.
Washington, June -, 1898.

washington, June - tCJc.
To the Editor:
Many mistakes were made on both
sides during the late Civil War in the
matter of appointment of Brigadiers
and even Major Generals. l know less
about how things were managed in the
South in that regard than in the North
ern end of the "unpeasantness," as l
was then a resident Of this city. But
| have understood that Air. Davis got
very tired of some OF his appointments,
and particularly Of Ex-Governor Floyd,
Of Virginia. and Pillow, of Tennessee,
who ran away with the bulk of the army
from Fort Donaldson, and left Buck
ner with remnant to fight it out the
best he could with General Grant.
The failures ON the Northern side
were numerous 1t is sufficient to refer
to two or three lamentabe instances.
There was in the first instance, Il Mr..
General Pierce, / think his name was,
who made a disgracefu surrender at
Bethel. 1t is credtahle 10 him to say,
however, that he redeemed his charac
ter for manhood by existing rs private
Immediately after his surrender.
OF General Banks, as Major General,
it is sufficient TO say that he was highly
esteemed South of the Potomac. for his
valuable service as Quartermaster for
Stonewall Jackson He was afterwards
sent out west Of the Mississippi where
he rendered similar service to General
Dick Taylor. son of old Jack.
The friends of General +. L. Butler
claim that he, too, rendered distinguished
services to his country, although as
General Grant said, you Confederates
s'bottiad him up near City Point and
although he made I; sitna, failure at
Fort Fisher The claim Of mis- friends is,
however that ne coined he phrase
"contrabands Of war.' ms applicable to-
the slaves who ran away from the
South in the early part of the contest,
and that as Governor of New Orleans,
he cleaned the streets. anG kept out
the yellow fever.
But these were the Major Generals
As to the Brigadiers taken from civil
life ! don't know that history has pre-
served fly account Of their achieve
lEcnts. They were generally appoiDt1G
to satisfy the importunate applications
Of Congressman and others who had m
fluence. 1t was said here, in those days,
that a man could not throw stick at
a dog, about the hotels without hitting
brigadier. or an applicant for a
brigadiership.
Is it not absurd to appoint a man
commander Of an army who has had no
education or experience in that high
art? A man may learn the art without
a West Point education; but he must
begin at the foot Of the ladder, and
rise gradually, accompanying study with
daily service. 1t. is the dictate of com
mon sense that we never employ n
shoe maker to make Il coat, or Il car
penter to make a plough-share. and is
the command Of armies a more simple
art than these. which no man brought
up to other business can master without
q regular training? Can a lawyer or a
farmer organize "A mass Of men into re-
giments?
Apropos Of this brigadier question, /
remember debate in the House of
Representatives which took place in
1910, pending the Presidential campaign
in which the candidates were President
Van Buren, and General William Henry
Harrison. There was a valiant briga-
der general Of the Michigan militia
there at the time, who ventured learss-
ed criticism of General Harrison's mill
tary career, and especially of his con
duct at Tippecanoe.
This military criticism of the Michi-
gan brigadier afforded Tom Corwin, of
Ohio, fine opportunity for the display
Of his rare powers Of wit and ridicuie.
He represented the heroic young com
mander on the field OF his glory-the
muster ground-on the quarterly parade
day, armed cap-apie on bob-taied old
mare. During the parade Il cloud arises
threatening a heavy shower, when the
commander orders a retreat to neigh
boring liquor shop There, Alexander
like, when he cut the gordian-knot
with his sword, the Michigan hero
slashed open the watermelons that were
piled around. And having eaten their
contents, the rinds were used as drink
ing vessels to dispose Of the whiskey
like the Scandinavian heroes, VINO af-
ter fatigue of war, drank wine from the
skulls of the slaughtered enemies.
General Creary had criticised the in
competency Of General Harrison as a
commander, for having taken position
at Tippeeanoe, in an angle formed by the
river on one side and a morass on the
other. Creary's idea was, doubtless.
that it left no way Of retreat Corwin
said he would not venture TO take issue
with the gentleman on a point involving
SO much learning, but he would givl,
some authorities on the other side. lie
said:
I'm almost all scientific research, We
find that what is now reduced to sys
tenn, and rises to the dignity Of science.
was at first the product Of some cas.i-
atty, which. falling under the notice Of
some rejecting mind, gave rise to sur
Trisng results. The accidental falling
of an apple developed the great law of
gravtation. / am sure have some
where seen it stated that PyrFhus. the
celebrated king of Epirus, who is allow
ed by all authority to be the greatest