The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-01
STATEMENT BY GEN. ALGER.
~ CgJEFIT REPLY TO an Ar
TICLE IN THE LONDON TINES.

TICLE IN THE LOHDoN bAAS'
He Saw. the President Appointed Only 1859
-, III, q. 1875 Volunteer Ohosrs. and He
sol.cted Regular Army Mon or Mon Who
HAD Served In tho Civil War or en- the
rroptier-Not a Dollar Misappropriated.
w,sytSdroN. July 31.-Sscretary Alger prac-
t,c,lly seyered'his official connection with the
Nar Department at O'Clock this afternoon.
whom he went from the de Dartment building to
mia residence He will not return to bis desk
nn,iI Tomorrow morning. and then only to
greet Mr.. Root. his successor. and say good
by TO officials and employees This evening
s.cre,ary Algsr gave out the following pre-
pared statement:
"t nm led 10 make the following state ments
nh account of the many criticisms which have
been made by the public press. and especially
on account Of u recent article which appeared
IN the London Times. containing assertions
which have no foundation In truth.
Al the com mepcemsnt Of tho war with
spain and several years prior to that time. the
rn,,,lar army consisted OF only $4,000 men.
with the minimum number OF officers pre-.
srribrd bv law The situation can be par
tInlIy appreciated when II 10 remem bered that
within sixty days from the declaration OF war
fhp strength Ol tno army Wdt iucTodSeu ~
.75Ouu men, and everything for the equip
rcnt Of this great force. Including clothing.
tents, TRANSPORTATION. medical supplies. camps
and camr eqsipaRe. and all that pertains to
sruipping An army for service, had to DO man
ufactured transported and distributed for use.
From the statement referred to the public
might 10 led to believe that the volunteer
army was differed by men selected through
political influence by the Secretary OF War. by
specia favor and without any regard to fit
ness for the duties they wore TO perform. AS
ia well known. the volunteer force. with the OK
ceptIon Of three regiments OF engineers. three
regiments of cavalry and ten regiments Of I'm
rlunc infantry was made M Of regiments from
the various States. the officers OF which were
oil appointed exclusively hy the Governors OF
the respective States from which the reei-
nents came. and any officer found untitled for
service and discharged was replaced by an
other In the same manner. Tho President
had 10 voice or control In the matter.
The returns Of the volunteer army show
that in August 1898 there were 2O7.124 en-.
listed men and s.7S5 officers in those reRi-
ments. This with the regular army recruited
up to the war strength made an aggregate
force Of about 27JOOO officers and men. The
volunteer officers appointed by the President
numbered all told..l OBJ or this number AL
were taken from the regular army and 5D1
from civil life. The scarcity OF reRimental
officers in the regular service, owing to ap-
pointments In the volunteers and special re-
cruiting and mastering details. had 80 re-
duced their number that to have taken a
larger number for service with the volunteers
would have seriously impaired the efficiency
Of the regular regiments. For little over a
thousand appointments made by the Presi-
dent the number Of applications was over
25.OO0, and each apDllcatlon vas accom- panied
BY certificate of ability. and. In most in
stances. Of military service. either In the reg
plar army or a State organization. and not In
frequently in both. These certificates showed
That each one was as we'll qualified for the posi.
ton he sough: and to which he was appointed
as could be possible tor.men In civil life Ia this
country. Of the mum Der appointed there were.
for Instance, 26 Major Generals OF whom 10
were taken from the regular army and I from
Of West Point Military Academy and ali had
distinguished themselves In command during
the civil war, OF Brigadier;; Generals there
and 81 from civil life. Those from civil life
had q! seen service during, the civil war or on
our Western frontier, and all had proven them
sevo. TO 10 com Netent to command.
=, IL has been stntsd ard reneated many times
made upon his recommendation, although he
caused the entire list, with the recommends
President for his selection. l woul ID be only
these nppointments. No better. moro loyal or
patriotic srtotmen asa whole ever served their
country anu their appointments were credit
ngt only TO the nrponyIng power. but 70 the
bur they could not have been foreseen.
In every walk of lie men are found who can
NOT carry out successfully the work they have
cavalry, the officers Of which were ppointed by
the Sc1reicry Of Wal. Col; Leonard Wood.
was one Of these, Col Grissby and Col. Tor
rrny both good officers. were the other two.
there were three regiment. OF enRineere the
~ M,ltsry Academy. and not only the ofl'oers.
put the enlisted men,;were selected with a view
70 thelT special itnesh, and In most instances
themselves; and all proved themselves most
eelIicient' Therc wcre, also ten regiments OF
aTidTaoI 'f frMm he RI " MI,srv Hcademy Who
were selected for srecial illness TO command.
fhu, ~ the short time these regiments were
o.iuclsm+ nN to tie amounts and methods
o. expenditures. which could imply wrong or
Gf"reIess use "' money. were also made by the
a. the conduct OF the service was concerned.
no person with any knowledge of tho facts can
sker charge truthiuly and no ono can eyer
snow mat a dollar was misappropriated; stolen
2tembeZHied out OF the hundreds OF millions OF
e".,ars thai were expended. The records are
mR.dIy examined. and ask my successor to
oIen these accounts ito the country whenever
Pr"n"rly called Tor. In order that the entire
.v.,-,. n. a; ALGEp, Secretary Of War.
WASHTSGToN, d. C., July 81, 1870"
The War Department issued this afternoon a
OF bureaus and their assistants tomorrow
Mhorhlng for presentation to Secretary. Root,
The order specifies that the Major General
SS.mmandiHG will be the lrst to meet the new