The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-21


tinction In the field as volunteers were
made Secretaries, although then the eelec-
ton was frequently based rather on their
subsequent records as civilians.
WAsHINoToN's first Secretary OF War was
Gen. KNOX, who had served under him in
the Revolution, 80 that the ONCE started
with a distinctly military appointment;
Col. PICKERING, Who succeeded him, had
also been a soldier, and DIR. MCHENRY, who
followed was n surgeon In the Revolution
airy army and afterward WAsH1NGToN's
Secretary during the war, JOHN MARSHALL,
ADAMs's appointee. had been soldier,
but achieved more fame afterward as
lawyer; DEXTER and GRIswoLD, who were
ADAMs's next selections, were both civil
ians. Gen. DEARBORN, the appointee OF
JEFFERSON, was distinctly soldier, and
served eight years as Secretary. EUsTIs,
under MADISON, had been surgeon in the
Revolutionary army and afterward Con-
gresham. JOHN ARMSTRONG. too, was
soldier, and afterward a United States
Senator. JAMES MONROE, who was Secre-
tary Of State under MADISON, and for
time also acted as Secretary OF War, had
been a Revolutionary soldier wounded at
Trenton. But while MONROE himself, rs
President, first offered the War Depart
ment to SHELBY, a soldier, his subsequent
choice was JOHN c. CALHOUN q civilian,
who served as Secretary with great distinc-
ton for eight years.
From this time we come upon larger
sprinkling Of civilians, beginning with BAR
DoUR, although Gen. PETER B. PORTER, the
latters successor under JOHN QUINCY
ADAMS, was a soldier in the war OF 1912.
EATON, JAcKsoN's first War Secretary, was
a civilian, but Gen. CAss had served in the
second war with England, while BUTLER,
who for a time acted as Secretary, was
civilian. Po1NsETT, under VAN buren,, had
a military education at Woolwich and de-
cided aptitude for the military profession.
JOHN BELL, under HARRISON, was civilian.
and 80 was JOHN C. SPENCER, under TYLER
but JAMES N. PORTER, who was appointed
but not confirmed had served in the war
OF 1912.
The general run Of the selections is thus
manifest. Passing over, therefore, some
names, we may note that w. L. MARCY,
PoLK's Secretary, had served in his youth
as a soldier; that JEFFERSON DAVIS, under
PIERCE, was a West Pointer, and served
against the Indians, and afterward with
distinction as a volunteer officer in the
Mexican war; that FLOYD, BUCHANANs
Secretary. was q civilian, although he
afterward became Confederate General.
CAMERON. LINCoLN's first appointee, and
STANTON, the famous head OF the War De-
partment in the civil war, were civil
ians. JOHNSON appointed Gems. GRANT
and THOMAS dd interim, and afterward
Gen. ScHoF1ELD. The first selections Of
GRANT namely, RAwLINs and BELKNAP,
had been soldiers, but TAFT and Don
CAMERON, who followed, were civilians, and
80 were MCCRARY and RAMSEY. the two
Secretaries under HAYES. LINCOLN under
GARFIELD and ARTHUR and ENDIcoTT, I'M
der CLEVELAND we're civilians. Gen. Proc
TOR, under HARRISON, had served in the
civil war, and Secretary ELKINs was for n
time in the volunteer army Secretary
LAMONT was a civilian, while Gen. ALGER
served in the civil war.
On the whole, we think this review Of the
list in detail will show that there has been
n larger proportion OF War Secretaries
with personal military experience than
most people suppose. On the other hand,
in many Of their cases it has been less that
experience than quite different qualiiica-
tions which has made them Secretaries Of
War; while the number Of soldiers by pro-
fcssion on the list is very small. Perhaps
the clearest conclusion is that the fact that
the appontee has been a soldier or a
civilian is less important than that he is
competent for the place.