The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-04
MORTALITY OF THE MILITARY.
REGULAR ARMY RECORD FROM 1861
TO 1899 REVIEWED.
Only Fourteen Army Officers Now in
Active Service Were in the Regu-
lar Army When War Between the
states Was Declared.

60 and 81. and comparing them with the
revised Army List just published by the
war department, I was astounded by che
discovery, 50 startling and unexpected,
that there are now living and still in ac-
tive service, but fourteen officers who were
in the regular army when the first sho,
was fred on Fort Sumter in Charleston
harbor, and many of these survivors were
then only recently graduated from West
Point Military Academy, and secured their
earliest assignments and promotions In the
spring Of 1861.
The most distinguished of these surviv-
ors is Maj. Gen. Wesley Merritt of New
York, the great cavalry leader, now in
command OF the department of the Hast.
He graduated from West Point in July,
1860 a brevet second lieutenant of the
Second Cavalry, and in May, 1861. was
promoted TO a first lieutenancy.
Next we have Brig. Gen. John NJ. VIII
son of the District of Columbia, now at
the head of the Engineer Corps in Wash
ington. Leaving West Point In July, 1860,
ne was made a brevet second lieutenant
Of the First Artillery, but in May 1861,
became a first lieutenant.
Brig Gen. Asa b. Carey of Connecticut,
paymaster general, had a close shave TO
get into this list, as he is just now going
on 10 the retired roll. He graduated
y
pointed brevet second lieutenant of the
sixth Infantry, going to the Thirteenth
infantry as first lieutenant in May, 1861.
he went into the pay department in Oc-
chief
Brig. Gen. Robert H. Hall, U. s. Vol
unteers, is colonel of the Fourth Infan
Try. lie is q Michigander, and left West
Point in July, 1860, as a brevet second
lieutenant of the Fifth Infantry, and was
promoted a fest lieutenant in June, 1851.
Alexander vi Pennington
New Jersey, commander of the Second
Artillery, was lately a brigadier general
of volunteers. and in command of this
department, with headquarters in Attain
IA. lie came out of West Point i'm July,
l860, was made brevet second lieutenant
of the First Artillery, and promoted to
a first lieutenancy In May 1861.
Col. Royal T. Frank of Maine, in com
mand of the First Artillery, was also
brigadier general of volunteers and sue
eeeded Gen. Pennington in command of
the Department of the South, at Atlanta,
where he still remains, but with his regu-
lar army rank Of colonel Like Gen. Ca
rey, he graduated from West Point in
july 1855 and became a brevet second
lieutenant of the Fifth Infantry, and first
lieutenant of The Eighth Infantry in May,
1861. He was transferred to the First
Artillery as captain in 1870.
Col Francis l.. Guenther of New York,
late brigadier general of volunteers, in
command of the Fourth Artillery, came
from West Point in July, 1853, as brevet
second lieutenant of the First Artillery,
and was made a first lieutenant of the
Fifth Artillery in May 1861
Col. Abraham X. Arnold of the First
Cavalry, is from Pennsylvania, and was
made brigadier general of volunteers
during our Cuban campaigns. He grad
uated from West Point IN July. 1889. as
brevet lieutenant of the Second Cavalry,
and was made first lieutenant of the
Fifth Cavalry in April 1861.
Infantry is q New Yorker, who came
from West Point Military Academy in
July, 1860, as breyet SECOND lieutenant Of
the Fourth Infantry He was promoted
a first lieutenant of the Eighth Infantry
In May, 1861. of which he became lieu
tenant colonel in December 1888
Col. James NJ. Whittemore, of Massa-
chusetts, who is in the ordnance depart
ment of the army, graduated from West
Point in July, 1850, as breyet second lieu
transferred to the ordnance department
in May, 1861, and in July promoted to be
first lieutenant. He is now the sranking
colonel in the department, and liable to
succeed Gen. Flagler when that officer is
retired.
Col Henry NJ. Robert, of South Caro-
lima, at the head of the list of officers of
that rank in the Engineer Corps, will
probably succeed Gen. Wilson when he
Is retired as chief of engineers. He en-
tered West Point from Ohio and gradu-
ated in July. 1857, as brevet second lieu
tenant of engineers, but was promoted 20
first lieutenant in August, 1861.
All of the foregoing officers were West
Pointers, and ali of them were first lieu
tenants with two or three exceptions. in
May, 1861. The exceptions were promot-
ed from second lieutenants in July and
August Immediately following.
Col. Charles II. Alden, of Pennsylvania,
entered the army in June, 1860 as an as
sistant surgeon, with rank of first lieu
tenant, but was not made captain until
June, 1865. He is now the ranking assist
ant surgeon general, and the possible sue
ccssor of Surgeon General Sternberg.
Next i'm rank to Assistant Surgeon Gen
eral Alden is Col. Charles c. Byrne, of
Maryland, who was made assistant sur
geon in June, 1860, and, like Col Alden,
was promoted an assistant surgeon, with
rank of captain, in June, 1866.
Mai. John Z. Baker of Illinois, who
was appointed from civil life a second
lieutenant of dragons in March, 1861,
was promoted TO first lieutenancy In
May, 1861. From captain of cavalry, in
1862, he became, in 1882, paymaster, with
July, 1865 as a cavalry officer, and did
not become an accepted paymaster until
1883, he cannot be correctly reported as
having served continuously from 1861 10
There are others, Ike VIM. NJ. Graham,
Wallace F. Randolph and Peter c. Hams,
all of~vhom were brigadier generals in the
| Spanish American war, who came very
near being in this list, but Randolph and
| Hams entered the regular army just af-
! ter the civil war started, and Graham like
| a number of others, haa been nut on the
retired list. Thus it is the only thirteen
officers really, have held continuous SER
! gun at Sumter until the present time Not
| TO death alone is this attributable, many
! have resigned, While others have been
| placed on the retired iisC OF the fourteen
| named, nearly every one was made a
! first lieutenant soon after the civ,d war be-
| gan. The mortality in the regular army
! has not been as great as among the VOL
| unteer officers Of the same period
Take the great headers of our armies.
! North and South, in the civil war, and
| how few remain. Jefferson Davis and an
| his immediate associates, except Postnnas-
| ter General Reagan, are cead. as are near
/ ly all his most eminent army and navy
! commanders OF our Presidents. who were
| commanders-in-ch of the army and
| navy, only Cleveland, Harrison and Mo
! KInley survive. and ex-Nice Presidents
and cabinet officers arc few in number
! while all the great military and navai
| commanders. except LNL:. Gen. Schofield
| have passed away from earth The same
! ratio of morality has marked the history
! of the Society OF the Army of the Tennes
! see the Society of the Army OF he Cum
| herland the Society Of the Army of Inc
! James, the Loyal Legion aud the Union
! Veterans Union, and the Society of the
/ Army Of the Potomac
In the latter society. of all its 5istin-
| guished presidents. Sheridan, Meade.
! Hooker. Burnside, Mcdowell Hancock'
! Hartranft. Slocum, Devens, Humphrey