Evening star., 1901-05-20
GEN. LIEBERS RETIREMENT
PROMOTIONS IN OFFICE OF JUDGE
ADVOCATE GENERAL.
Lieut.. Col. George b. Davis Will As
der Provisions of New Law.

Brig Gen G. Norman Lieber, Judge advo-
cate general of the army, will be placed on
the retired list tomorrow by operation OF
law on account of age. In accordance with
arrangements made before President Nc
kinleys departure for the west. Lieut.. Col
John w. Clous and Col. Thomas F. Barr
will be promoted to the Office Of judge ad-
vocate general In the order named, and i'm
mediately retired. Lieut.. Col. George B.
Davis will then assume the duties of the
Office under the provisions of the army re-
organization law authorizing such details
for terms of four years. Col Davis has
recently been relieved from duty as profess
of law at the Military Academy. By
an order issued today he is ordered to re-
port in person to the adjutant general to-
morrow for the purpose of assuming the
duties of judge advocate general.
Neither Col Barr nor Col. Clous will
take actual charge Of the business of the
judge advocate generals office. Col. Clous
is IN the city today on business before the
Supreme Court.
Gen. Lieber's Military Career.
Gen. Liebers military career dates from
May IA, 1861. when he was appointed first
lieutenant. 11th Infantry. Although born
and educated in South Carolina. he was
appointed from New York. In November,
1862. he was appointed a judge advocate
with the rank of major in the volunteer es-
tablishment, and transferred to the
permanent establishment in the same grade
in February, 1867. His patriotic devotion
to the cause of the Union is demonstrated
by the fact that he was brevetted three
times for gallant and meritorous services
during the war of the rebellion, once for
service in action at the battle of Gaines
MILL Va, and again for services in the Red
river campaign.
He has been at the head Of the judge ad-
vocate generals department since July.
1881. and during the first eleven years of
that period he performed all the duties. re-
ceiving only the pay of colonel, however,
while Judge Advocate General Swain, the
incumbent. was under suspension by SEN
tence of court-martial. He became judge
advocate general with the rank of brlgadier
general in January, 1895. General Lieber
is graduate of the South Carolina Col
lege. Columbia, S. c.. and of the Harvard
Law School.
Clean and Efficient Administ trntiOn.
His administration has been remarkably
clean and efficient, and his retirement from
active service Is recognized at the depart
ment as a great loss to the service.
1t is said of him that he has done more
to preserve the integrity and dignity of
military Jurisprudence than almost any
other man in the army. He has always
been true friend of the enlisted men,
and has instituted many reforms in the
administration of military Justice In their
interest. He Is the author of the law Civ
Ing the President the power to limit the
punishment of enlisted men. and was also
instrumental in obtaining other legislation
for the amelioration of their condition and
the general Improvement of the service
He is the author of many valuable papers
on military justice and has the reputation
of being the highest living authority on
the articles of war. The closing months
of his career were marked by the compfla-
tion of the opinions of the judge advocate
generals office and the revision of the court
martial manual. 1t is expected that he will
continue his residence in this city