The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-18
COMMANDING" THE R M
General schOheId Saw HIS Orders for
the First Time in the Papers.


Lieut.. Gen. John NJ. Schofeld, for some
years commander in chief, in his book.
'Forty-six Years in the Army" has this to
say OF his experiences as the nominal head
Of the military branch Of the government
service:
Il have always understood, but do not
know the fact, that in former times the
secretary of war had exercised some in
telligent control over military affairs, so
that there was at least unity in the exer-
else OF military authority. But in 1855 even
that had ceased, and IL had been boldly an
nounced some time before that each de-
partmental chief of staff, in his own sphere,
was clothed with all the authority of the
secretary of war. All that a major general
IS well as an officer Of lower grade had 90
DO was 10 execute such orders as he might
receive from the brigadiers at the head Of
the several bureaus in Washington. 1t was
not even necessary for those mighty chiefs
10 say that their mandates had the sane
ton OF any higher authority. Their own fiat
was al-sufficient for a mere soldier Of the
line or Tor his commanding general, Of
whatever grade OF rank or of command.
course the adjutant general became
by Tar the chiefeSt of those many chiefs:
for il is his JUNCTION to issue to the army ali
the orders Of both the secretary Of war and
the commanding general. Be il said TO his
credit that he did not assume TO issue any
orders IN his own name, after the manner
OF the other chiefs. Like a sensible man,
he was content with the actual exercise of
power, without caring 10 let the army
NNH~ ~
name OF the secretary or the general, as he
pleased; either would answer with the
Yet it did seem TO me passing strange to
sit in my Office about noon. where l had
been all the day before. and learn from the
New York papers what orders / had issued
on that previous day! Upon inquiry 1 was
told that that was only a matter of rou-
tine. a rule of long standing. But 1 mildly
indicated that such a practice did not meet
my approval. and that l wished it changed,
which was finally done, as explained i'm a
previous chapter. But even then | had no
means of knowing whether an order sent to
me IL the name OF the secretary OF war,
had ever been seen by him, or whether il
was the work of the adjutant general, or
the product of some joint operation OF two
or more OF the several chiefs, each OF whom
Tad the secretary's authority TO do such
things. At length the secretary consented
that / might nave an officer of the adjutant
generals department. whom I knew, in my
own Of1ce, 20 keep me informed of what |
was TO do, and, If possible, what orders /
might actually receive from the secretary
himself, and what from the several other
heads OF that hydra called the War De-
partment.
General Sheridan had entered upon his
duties with all the soldierly courage and
confidence OF his nature, declaring his pur-
pose TO regain the ground lost by General
sherman when, 10 use Sheridan's own ex-
pressive words. Sherman threw up the
sponge lie announced his Interpretation of
The Presidents order assigning him to the
command OF the army as necessarily in
Guiding all of the army. not excepting the
chiefs OF the staff department.; and he soon
gave evidence Of his faith by ordering one
OF these chiefs on an inspecting tour, or
something OF that kind, without the knowl-
edge of the secretary OF war. II was not
difficult for the secretary 10 point out 10
the general. as he did in writing. in a firm,
Though kind and confidential way, that
such could not possibly be the true meaning
OF the Presidents order. Nothing further
appears to have been said or done on that
subject during that administration But
upon the Inauguration of the next, the
secretary of war sent out to all the COM
manding generals of the army copies of
that letter of his predecessor, in which the
general IN chief had been so mildly but re-
6peCttully, yet so thoroughly beaten. The
Rrmy was thus given 10 understand that on
that occasion their senior in command had
not even been given a chance to throw up
The sponge, as his predecessor had done,
put had been knocked out by the first
blow.
las If that was not humiliation enough
Tor a great soldier 10 bear. whenever the
secretary went away one of the same chiefs
OF bureaus that the general thought he had
a right TO acted as secretary OF
war, 10 dominate over him. But the loyal,
subordinate soldier who commanded great
armies and achieved magnificent victories
In the field while those bureau chiefs were
purveying powder and balls. or pork and
beans, submitted even to that without a
murmur. IL was only when the adJutant
general, his own STAFF officer. was thus ap-
pointed over him. that his soldierly spirit
Sebelled. The humblest soldier OF a republic
could not endure that.
1T was my good fortune 70 have had. by
close personal association, exact knowledge
o. the difficulties which my predecessors
bad encountered. as well as. perhaps, a
more modest ambition. and hence to avoid
some OF those difficulties. Yet in view OF
past experience of all commanders of the
army. from that Of George Washington
with the Continental Congress down 10 the
present time. 1 advise all my young BROTH
er soldiers 10 limit their ambition 10 the
command of the Division OF the Atlantic
or Department OF the East"