The National tribune., 1902-08-14
THE 18th BIRTHDAY.
The War Department Creeping On in Years.
Long List of Gallant Commanders-Act
of First Congress.

of First Congress.
Just 113 years ago Aug. Z the First
Congress of the United States, then in
session in New York City, passed the act
authorizing the establishment of the War
Department 1t is as follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That
| there shall be an executive department to
be denominated the Department Of War.
and that there shall be principal officer
therein, to be called the Secretary for the
Department of War, who shall perform
and execute such duties as shall from time
to time be enjoined ON or intrusted to him
by the President of the United States,
agreeably to the Constitution relative to
military commissions in the land or naval
forces of the United States and the care
Of warlike stores of the United States, or
to such other matters respecting military
or naval affairs rs the President of the
United States shall assign to the said De
partment, Or relative to the granting of
lands to persons entitled thereto for mill
tary service rendered to the United States
or relative to Indian affairs: and. further
more, that the said principal officer shall
conduct the business of said Department
in such manner as the President of the
United States shall from time to time Or
der or instruct.
The Department of War had at that
time jurisdiction over everything which
now comes under the province of the Navy
Department, the General Land Office and
the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Army
of the United States. however. is older
than the War Department, and was first
organized by the Continental Congress
June IL. 1115. The militia organized by
the various States between 1775 and 17S1
was an effective branch of the American
Army.
Those who have commanded the United
States forces through their varying for
tunes are:
Gen. George Washington, June 15 17775,
to June 90. 1884: Capt. John Doughty, to
Aug. IL. 1884: Lieut.-Col. Josiah Harmer.
to March 4. 1871: Mai.-Gen. Arthur ST
Clair. to March 5. 1872: Maj.-Gen. An
thOny- Wayne. to Dec. Is, 1886: Brig. Gen.
James Wilkinson, to July 13, 1913: Lieut.
Gen. George Washington, TO Dec. ID, 1850:
Mai. Alexander Hamilton. to June
15. 1900: Brighten. james Wilkins. to
Jan. q, 1872: Mai.-Gen. Henry Dearborn.
to June Is. 1915: Mai.-Gen. Jacob Brown.
to Feb. IA. 1928: Mai.-Gen. Alexander
Macomb. to June %, 1871. Maj Gen. Win
field Scott. to Nov. /. 1851: Maj.-Gen.
George Brinton Mcclellan to March II.
1862: Maj.-Gen. Henry, Wager Halleck.
to March .; 1864; GeP ,s,,d Tlysses Simpson SI1
'TdIll, 10 IiTtu T. NIeH- =" lli1dI
Tecnmseh Sherman. TO Nov 1. 1883: Gen.
Philip Henry SheridaR.e to- Aug. s. 1883;
Lieut.. Gen. John McAlistsr Schofeld. TO
Sept. %. 1895; Lieut. Gen. Nelson Apple
ton Miles: the present Lieutenant General
commanding the Army %
The first Secretary oH War was Henry
Knox, Of Massachusetts,. aad other Secre
taries who have been sfamous men We're
Timothy Pickering. Iof =, Pennsylvania:
James McHenry. Of Maryland: Roger
Griswold. of Connecticut: James Monroe.
of Virginia: William % II. Crawford of
Georgia: John c. Calhoun Dof South Caro-
lima: James Barbour. of Virginia; John Fl.
Eaton. of Tennessee: Lewis Cass of Mich
igan; William L. Marcy. Of New York:
George W. Crawford. of Georgia: .Jeffer-
son Davis. of Mississippi: John r. FLOYD.
Of Virginia: Joseph Holt, Of Kentucky:
Simon Cameron. Of Pennsylvania: Edwin
NJ Stanton. OF Pennsylvania, and today
Elihu Hoot, of New York.