The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-21
NEW HEAD OF ARMY.
Gen. S. B. M. Young Started as :
Private In the Ranks.


Although Americans who started in life
as day laborers have become president
of this great republic. no man who
sholdered a musltet as common soldier
has ever attained the position Of COM
mander of the army Of the United States.
The army has had twenty-one command
ers since 1775, but each one began his
military career as a commissioned officer.
But that statement will not be true af-
ter Major General Samuel Baldwin Marks
Young succeeds Lieutenant General Nell
son Applegate Miles next August says
Washington dispatch to the Inter Ocean
Young began his career as an enlisted
man In the Twelfth Pennsylvania infan-
try. He was a private IN Company X It
was one of the three months regiments.
When he was mustered out Of that or
ganlzation he set about recruiting COM
pany N the Fourth Pennsylvania cav
airy, and as a reward for his successful
efforts the governor Of the Keystone
commonwealth made him captain In
that regiment He was promoted for
merit with regularity. until he reached
the grade OF colonel Then they made
him a brigadier-g general by breyet.
Major General John r. Brooke, retired,
began his military life as a captain In
the Fourth Pennsylvania infantry. He,
however. became a fuli-fiedged brigadier-
general during the civil war, and major
general by breVet before that great con-
fiict was over. Brooke was much more
successful than Young In getting on In
the regular army when It was reorganized
in 1866 He was given a lieutenant Colo
nelcy, while Young had to be satisfied
with q second 1eutenancy, the lowest
rank he could have been given. Brooke
became brigadier-general of regulars
before Young reached the grade at which
I1vann baA rAa al In a rec
vice.
But In the end Young beat him. He
will, If he lives, become the lieutenant
general, commanding the army, and thus
reach the highest honor that can be con-
ferred upon an American soldier.
Officers who graduated from the MILL
tary academy at West Point will not like
the promotion OF General Young He Is
not one of them. They are OF the opih-
ion that the honor of being the nominal
commander of the army should be given
to those who have been educated at the
school for officers maintained by the
government. They did not like 1t when
General Miles was given the place he will
give up next August, unless sooner re-
tired.
General Young will the the third man
who has come from civil life, as dlstin-
guished from those who have gone
through the academy to attain the COM
mand of the army The first after 1t be-
came possible to appoint West Point
graduate to achieve that position was
General Winfield Scott, who became COM
mander in 1S41, thirty-nine years after
the establishment of the academy. He
entered the army as captain of artillery.
He remained longer at the head of the
military establishment than any other
man. He did not give up the command
until November /, 1861, when his infirma-
ties, both mental and physical, became so
great that 1t was impossible to continue
him longer at the head of the army.
When he retired he was so heavy he
had to be assisted into his carriage by
his aide-de-camp. 1t was almost impos-
sible for him to walk, as he had nearly
400 pounds Of too solid flesh to carry. His
long tenure and the fact that he insisted
on making the plans for the first cam
paign of the civil war caused congress
to pass the law retiring officers when
they reached the age of "a.
Since Scott, all the commanders Of the
army except Miles have been West Point
ers. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan were
givin the rank of generals, thereby being
put on an equal footing with General
Washington while he commanded the
continental troops. When the first pres
ident was called the second time to COM
mand the army, during the threatening
days of 1898. congress. gave him the lower
rank OF a lieutenant general, the same as
that held by General Scofeld, retired and
General Miles. General Scott was made
lieutenant general by brevet in 1S47, but
congress never saw fit to confer the full
honor on him so that he might have the
pay and allowances mentioned in the pre-
ceding sentence.