Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-16
A DESERVED TRIBUTE
PROPOSED PROMOTION OF GEN.
STERNBERG.
Long and Creditable Career in the
Military Service-Congress Like
~ to Act Favorably.

There is reason to believe that Congress
will act favorably on the proposition re-
Gently submitted by the Secretary of War
for the retirement of Brigadier General
G. M. Sternberg, surgeon general Of the
army, on the Sth of June next with the
rank of major general in the army. On the
date named General Sternberg will be six
ty-four years of age and will close an act
i've and distinguished career in the army
covering a period of about forty-one years
and including hazardous and valuable serv-
Ice in the war Of the rebellion, two Indian
wars. the Spanish war and the instruction
In the Philippines, as well as several Sc
we're epidenics of cholera and yellow fever.
Life and War Record.
General Sternberg is the son Of Rev. Levi
Sternberg, DID,, and was born at Hard
wick Seminary, Otsego county, N. Y, June
y, 1888. He received his early education at
that seminary and was graduated from the
College of Physicians and Surgeons in the
city Of New York In 1890. Prior to this he
had studied medicine under DR.. Horace
Lathrop at Cooperstown, N. Y. At the out
oreak OF the civil war, in May, 1861, he was
appointed an assistant surgeon in the army
and served with marked credit during the
entire period of the war. He was brevetted
captain and major for faithful and mert-
torious service during the war and ueuten-
ant colonel for gallant service in the per-
formance of his professional duty under
nre IN action against Indians at Clearwa-
ter, Idaho, in July, 1877.
The official record of General Sternberg's
army service Is as follows:
with General Sykes command Army of
the Potomac, to August. 1862; hospital
duty, Portsmouth Grove, r. l., to Novem-
Der, 1862; with General Banks expedition,
and assistant to the medical director De-
partment Of the Gulf. to January, 1864; in
once OF medical director, Columbus. Ohio,
and In charge Of United States General
Hospital at Cleveland, Ohio, to July 1865;
with the 18th United States Infantry, JEFF
ferson barracks, Mo-, to April, 1866; post
surgeon at Fort Harker. Kan, to October
1867 cholera epidemic), at Fort Riley, Kan,
and in the field from April, 1868, to 1870
Qndian campaign; Fort Columbus, New
a YORK harbor. to May, 1871, yellow fever
Dor, to June. 1871; Fort Warren, Boston
harbor, Mass, to August 1872; ordered to
Department Of the Gulf. July %, 1872; act
ing medical director, New Orleans, La, to
cas-, Fla. to August, 1875 (epidemics of vel
low fever in 1878 and 1870; on sick leave
to May, 1876; ordered to Department of Co.
iumbia, May II. 1876; attending surgeon de-
partment headquarters to September, 1875;
post surgeon. Fort Walla Walla, w. T., to
May. 1877; in the field, Nez Perces expedi-
tlon, 1871; on special duty with national
BOARD OF health from July, 1870, to August,
mission, 1870: ordered to Department of
California. August 10, 1881: post surgeon
Fort Mason, Cal, to May, 1884; attending
t surgeon an ana examiner of recruits at Bal
medical surveying depot. San Francisco,
Cal, to February, 1892; attending surgeon.
New York city, to May, 1893. May go 1893,
he was appointed surgeon general with
the rank or brigadier general and has filled
that office in a highly creditable manner
ever since.
On Special Details.
Among the special details of Gen. Stern
pers are the following: Member and sec
rotary Of the Havana yellow fever commits
sion or the national board of health 1s7CO:
delegate from the United States under spe-
clal instructions from the Secretary of
state, to the international sanitary confer
ence or Rome 1Ss5); detailed by direction
OF the president, in pursuance Of the au-
tnorlty contained in the provisions of the
act OF Congress approved March 3, 1887 to
make Investigations in Brazil, Mexico and
Cuba relating to the etiology and preven-
ton of yellow fever QSS7-S9): consu1tinp
bacteriologist to the health officer Of the
port OF New York GS92), by authority of
the War Department, and in compliance
with special request of the health officer of
the port Of New York and the advisory
committee Of the New York chamber Of
commerce. ~
. Gen Sternberg is an author of note and
hidiiy Oh MS WORKS are standards In his
PROFESSION: He holds membership in MANY
OF the principal scientific societies of this
country and Europe and has served as
president of the American Medical Asso-
cation, the Biological Society of Washing
ton, the Philosophical Society Of Washing
ton and other bodies.
The Proposition Endorsed.
Secretary Root and Adjt Gen. Corh,n
have given official approval of the proposi-
ton to retire Gen Sternberg with the rank
or major general, which action, they state.
is In full accord with previous recommenda
tons that all officers of forty years SER
vice and honorable records be retired with
advanced rank. In his Endorsement Gen
COrbin says: '
Gen, Sternbergs services are too wei,
known to require any commentators state
menus from this office to strengthen hts
claim for the most kindly consideratfon Of
the government.
In this connection attention is called To the
Iact that the surgeon general Of the navy
WITT no more important work. and whose
RESPONSIVENESS are even less than that of
the surgeon general Of the army has re
Gently retired with the rank of rear aS-
mlra1. corresponding with the rank Of major
general in the army All heads of densrt
ments IN the navy are so retired with like
rank "''A1 1AAo
1t is difficult to understand Wherein thar.
can be Justice or fair dealing in retiring
oincers or corresponding duties and resnon
slb1l1t1es upon different grades in the two
services. In other words, If the surgeon
general of the navy is entitled to retira
with the rank equivalent to that Of q mainn
general why not the surgeon general of ~
army with the same ra nix and enool,n,s or