Waterbury Democrat., 1902-07-22
BROOKE OUT OF ARMY Over Forty Years of Efficient
 Service. SECRETARY ROOT PRAISES GENERAL.
Says He Has Always Been a Credfe and Honor to Himself and His. Country General Mac-
 Arthur Succeeds.

NEW YORK, July 22.-Major Gen.
 eral John R. Brooke, U. S. A., com-
 mander of the department of the east, whose headquarters have been at Gov ernors island retired yesterday, having reached the age limit. He was suc- ceeded by Major General Arthur Mac Arthur, who will be in command at Governors island until the arrival of General Chaffee from the Philippines. After leaving New York General Brooke intends going to Philadelphia for few days to superintend the com pletion of his home at Rosemont, then to join his wife at Bar Harbor. Gen. eral Brooke was born at the Brooke farm, near Pottsville, Pa, in 1888.
 Secretary Root in announcing the re- the following tribute:
 "The retirement from active service this date by operation of law of Major General John R. Brooke, U. s. A., is announced, terminating a period of over forty years of efficient honorable and distinguished service on the active list of the volunteer and regular army
 'General { Brooke volunteered his services and was commissioned by the governor of Pennsylvania in the Fourth regiment of infantry from that state at once, upon the. call of the presi- dent for volunteers following the att tack on Fort Sumter. He was subselt quently commissioned colonel of the Fifty third Pennsylvania volunteers in November, 1861, and was appointed brigadier general of volunteers by President Lincoln May 12, 1864, for distinguished services in the battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania Courthouse. He was twice severely wounded--in the battle of Gettysburg. July 2, 1863. and in the battle of Cold Harbor, June 3, 1S64-and was bre- vetted major general of volunteers for gallant and meritorfous services in the battles of Tolopotomy and Cold Harbor, Va. He resigned from the volunteer service Feb. 1, 1866, and entered the regular service with the grade of lieu tenant colonel of infantry July 2S, 1866; was commissioned colonel in 1879, brigadier general in 1888 and ma-a jor general in 1897. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier general, U. s. A., March 2, 1867, for gallant and merito- rious services in the battle of Gettys- burg and Spottsylvania Court House respectively.
 "In the beginning of the war with Spain he was assigned to the command of an army corps and in July, 1898, sailed in command of the troops em- parked for Porto Rico, and after the declaration of truce, in August, 1898, was in command of all of the troops in that island to December, 1898.
 "He was chairman of the commission to arrange for the evacuation of Porto Rico by the Spanish troops, and from Dec. 2S, 1898, to Dec. 20, 1899, General Brooke was in command of the diyi- sion of Cuba and as military governor of the island, under circumstances of great difficulty, rendered faithful and effective service.
 During his long service General Brooke has exercised important militia ty commands, both in peace and war, and always with credit and honor to himself and to the country.
 It is pleasure to refer to record such as this, which would serve as an example and an inspiration to every young officer who has yet to shape his character and career in the military service"