The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-09-08
.or FLAW IN SECRETARY
ALGER'.s MILITARY RECORD
d. Controversy With Gen. Miles Brings to
Mind How the Present War Minis
fer Escaped OshonorabIe DIS
charge From the Army in
1854

III 1864.
4 Warrington, Aug. 3l.-All Wash
acton has already taken sides in the
..ntroversy between Secretary Alger
I'd Gen. Miles, and the whole
.o.ntry will soon divide on the same
.rsstior. The unmilitary way in
rh;cb the Secretary Of War inform
i 4 shafter that Miles was not to
.auersede him, and the devious
msthods he pursued in conmunicat-
mo his orders to both Miles and
cbafter calls to the minds of friends
n Mile how Alger, though recon-
landed for dishonorable discharge
hv his superior officer in 1864, man
.ped to have his resignation as Col
opel accepted, and finally succeeded
10 having himself breveted Brigadier
and then MajorGensral for merit.
o,ous services in the army.
In view OF the TACT that this sam g
Russell A. Alger is now Secretary of
War. whose instructions must be
obsyed by every officer, high and
low, in the army, the following Of
fetal record from the files of the
War Department is a unique bit of
history.
FROM THE OFFICIAL RECORDS.
Headquarters 1st Brigade, Ist Divi-
son Cavalry, Middle Military Division.
Sept. l6, 1854.
Capt. A. E. Dana, A. A. g., First
Division Cavalry:
an compliance with the instruc-
lions of General commanding the
division, have the honor to submit
the following report in the case Of
Col. R A. Alger, Fifth Michigan
Cavalry, stating the time at which
be loft the command, for what pur-
pose, by what authority and his
present whereabouts.
"Col. Alger left his command on
the morning of August %, as it
marched through Harper's Ferry to
rsioin the division near Halltown.
he has been absent since. I was
not aware of his absence when we
halted to feed near Halltown, when
Assistant Surgeon St. Clair informed
me that Col. Alger, owing to some
indisposition, had remained at q
house in Harper's Ferry. At the
same time Surgeon st Clair present
ed for my approval an application
from Col. Alger for leave of absence
for 20 days.
'As Col. Alger had, two or three
times previous to this, applied fol
similar leave of absence, when il
my opinion he was fit for duty, anC
which opinion subsequently proved
to be correct, as it has in the case
now referred to, returned Col. Al
gers application without my approx
al. He failed to join his command
| first heard of him again as stop
ping at the Eutsw House in Balti
more.
Il now have authentic information
that he is staying at one of the no
tells in Washington, and that he hal
been placed on duty in the lattel
city as the member of a genera
court martial.
"How he came to be detailed
cannot say. He left this command
without authority, aud after having
been refused leave of absence, ant
have directed that he be reported
absent without leave on the music
rolls of his regiment. Respectful.
(Signed) &c. A. Custer
''Brigadier- General Commanding.
This statement of facts was re
ceived by Gen. Wesley Merritt, ans
by him forwarded to Gen. Torbet
the Chief of Cavalry, with the sub
joined Endorsement:
'HeadquarsersIst CaYalary Division.
Sept, l. 1864.
Respectfully forwarded for tn
action of the Chief of Cavalary.
The case mentioned within is tn
third in which Col. Alger has absent
ed himself from the command with
out proper authority since the com