Evening star., 1901-04-01
.FUNSTONABRlGADIER
Promptly Regarded for His Recent
Exploit
WHEATON RGEEDf DfOMAJOR GENERAL
Col. j. H. Smith Also Promoted
by the President.
THEIR CREDITABLE CAREER

The following important army appoint
ments were announced at the White House
| Saturday night:
To be major general United States army,
Brig. Gen. Lloyd Wheaton, vice Miles, pro-
NOTED lieutenant general
To be brigadier generals in the regular
\ army, Col. Jacob H. Smith, 18th United
| states infantry, brigadier general volun-
teers, vice Daggett. retired
Brigadier General Frederick Funston.
United States Volunteers, vice Wheaton,
promoted.
The announcement of these appointments
was made after conference between the
President, Secretary Root and Adjutant
| General Corbin, and at the same time the
| long-expected list of appointments of ma
Jors and captains in the paymaster's, quar-
| termasters and scommissary departments
| and of chaplains was made known The
! list included two majors and twenty-five
captains in the paymaster's department,
| twenty -one captains in the commissary de-
paFtnent. thlrty-Seyen captains in the
quartermaste err 8 department and seventeen
chapiains. All of these appointees are in
the regular army under the recent act of
| Congress enlarging and reorganizing the
army, and without exception the staff ap-
polntees are from volunteer officers.
The chief interest. however. centered in
the tHFee H1Sn appointments or a major
general and two brigadiers and more par
ticularly in the selection of Gen. Fun
ston after his gallant exploit in capturing
Aguinaldo. Following the announcement
Gen. Corbin sent the following to Gen.
Macarthur:
WASHINGTON. March 80, 1901.
Macarthur, Manila
The following appointments made:
wheaton, major general, Smith and Fun:
ston, brigadier generals Secretary of War
joins me In congratulations to all.
"CORBIN."
After the appointment of Gen. Funston
Secretary Cortelyou. by direction of the
President, wired the news to Gov. Stanley
of Kansas. The following response was
received from the governor: Express to
the President the thanks of the people Of
Kansas for his recognition Of Gen. Fun
ston."
General WheatOn's Career.
Gen. Lloyd Wheaton, just promoted to be
major general. was appointed a brigadier
general only a few weeks ago. Prior to
that time he was colonel OF the 7th Infant
ry In the regular army, but was a major
general of volunteers and in command of
the military department of northern Luz
zon. During the war of the rebellion he
served in the Sth. Illinois Regiment first as
sergeant and then first lieutenant
he received rapid promotions In the voun-
teer service, and in 1854 was a lieutenant
colonel. In the following year he was
paign against Mobile and was subsequent
ly brevetted for services in the seige of
Nicksburg and In the assault on Fort
Blakely, Ala. He also received medal of
honor. He entered the regular army as
captain of the Bath Infantry July 2s 1865,
and became coaoneIsof the 7th Infantry in
February, 1899. He accompanied his regi-
ment to the Philippines just after the close
of the war with Spain and for ga1lantry in
action against the insurgent force near
linus was made a major general Of volun-
teers Because, of his meritorious services
IN the Philippines he was recently appoint
ed brigadier general in the regular army
His rapid promotion to the grade of major
general was somewhat of a surprise In
military circles. as 1t had been generally
understood that the only existing vacancy
in that grade had been reserved for Brig
Gen. j. F. Wade, the senior brigadier gem
eral of the army.
Promotions by Selection.
General Wade is now, on his way to the
Philippines. and is expected to arrive there
in short time. He conducted the nego-
tiations for the Spanish evacuation of
Cuba, and was president of the army board
which investigated the beef scandal His
case. well as that of Brigadier General
Merriam, who is the second senior briga-
dier general, illustrates the point made in
The Star Saturday that promotions among
general officers are made by selection and
not by seniority. The significance of this
action In the case of General Wheaton Is
that 1t removes all certainty as to the
regular uninterrupted advancement of any
brigadier general to the rank of lieutenant
general. 1t has been frequently stated that
General Wood and General Funston must
soon reach the grade of lieutenant gem
eral, and on account of the comparative
youth of each officer, remain in command
OF the army for many years. thus cutting
off all officers now their seniors in age
from all hope of reaching the highest
grade in the army. AS has been already
shown, General Wood General Funston
may eventually become lieutenant general
of the army by reason Of presidential Sc
lection, but there IS nothing certain In
the matter, as future occupants of the
presidential chair may decide in favor of
the advancement of other officers.
Gen. Smiths Record.
Colonel Jacob H. Smith, who has been
appointed brigadier general of regulars
is another veteran of the war of the re-
bellion. He was made lieutenant of the
I'd Kentucky Infantry In 1861, was pro-
NOTED to captain in 1862 and at the close
OF the war was made a captain of the
18th Regular Infantry. For gallant con-
duct in the battle of Shiloh Tenn, April
@, 1862, he was brevetted major In 1869
he was promoted to major in the regular
army and assigned to the 10th Infantry.
In June, 1898, he was made lieutenant colo
mel Of the 18th Infantry and later colonel
of the 18th Infantry.
Other Appointments.
The other appointments were as follows:
To be captains and assistant quarter
masters-F NJ. Schreiaer, District of Co
lumbia; N P. Batchelder, California; G.
G. Bailey New York; A w. kimball, Calf
fornia; ]. q. Dare, Ohio; w: c. r. Colqu-
MA; R. L. Brown, West Virginia; H. P.
Young, New York; J. N Patton, Iowa; H.