Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-08
MANY CHANGES.
Gems. Graham and Coppinger Will
Retire from Army.
Admirals Sicard. Matthews. Miller and Bunce
will Retire from Navy.

Washington. Sept. MANY important
changes will occur in the army and navy
during the remaining months of the pres
emit year. These are due to the natural
course of events and are i'm no wise the
result of the war with Spain. Two brig
adler generals of the army and four rear
admirals of the navy will go on the re-
tired list by operation of law on account
of age, making vacancies which will re-
suit in promotions all along the line in
both services.
The two army officers who will retire
are Major General VIM. NJ. Graham. in
command of the I'd Army Corps. now in
camp at Middletown, Pa. and Major Cen
erai J. j. Coppinger. in command of the
18th Army Corps. with headquarters at
Huntsville. Ala. Each of these officers
holds the rank of brigadier general in the
regular establishment and was appointed
major general of volunteers a. the out
break of the war with Spain. Gen. Ora
nam will retire on the 18th inst, and Gen.
Copplnger on Oct. II.
Their retirement will necessitate their
detachment from their present commands
and the question of filling the prospective
vacancies is now under consideration at
the war department. Both officers served
during the Civil War and have excellen.
records. Gen. Graham is a native of the
District of Columbia and entered the
sarmy as a second lieutenant of artillery
in June. 1855. He received four brevets
the last one as brigadier general, for gal
liant and meritorious services in various
battles during the war. From April 1859
until the following September, when he
was honorably mustered out of the volun-
teer service. he was colonel of the I'd Dis
triot of Columbia Infantry. Since then
he served in the artillery branch until
May Is. 1897. when he received his present
commission as brigadier general. His
last general command was the depart
mert of Texas, with headquarters at San
Antonio.
Gen. Coppinger is native of Ireland
and was appointed to the army from New
York in September. 1861, as captain of the
nth Infantry. He was brevetted twice
during the Civil War for gallantry and
once since for merltorious services against
the Indians. At the close of the war he
was in the volunteer service as colonel of
the 18th New York Cavalry, since which
tire he has been attached to the regular
infantry up to his appointment as briga-
der general in April. 1895 When the
Spanish war began he was in command
of the department of the Piatte with
headquarters at Omaha.
The rear admirals who will retire this
year are Admiral NJ. Sicard. recently
president OF the naval war board and
TOW president of the navW board Of pro-
motions. who will retire on the 3Oth inst .
Admiral f. o. Matthews, formerly chief
of the bureau of yards and docks ana now
president of the examining and retiring
boards, who will retire. Oct ~; Admiral
Joseph N. Miller. the ranking officer of
the navy, now in command of the Pacific
station. who will retire. Nov. p; and Adj
miral F. N. Bunce. commandment of the
New York navy yard, who will retire.
Sept. %.
The principal heroes of the Spanish war
VIII retire in the following order; Admiral
George Dewey. commanding the Asiatic
station, December. 1899: Admiral w. s.
Schiey, on the Porto Rican evacuation
commission. October. 1901: and Admiral
". l. Sampson. on the Cuban evacuation
commission, February, 1902.