The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-15

Famous Dates in the Life Of the
Displaccr.
Five years ago last May Gen LEONARD
WOOD was an assistant surgeon with
the rank of Captain, having entered the
service in tho medical way by appoint
mcnt from civil life.
In the Army List to-day Gen. WOODS
name stands only eight removes from the
top. His brief record in the permanent
establishment is thus set forth
Assistant Surgeon Jan D. 1855
Captain Assistant Surgeon. Jan. 6, 1891
Brigader General ,. Feb T. 1901
The supplementary information con-
corning his progress in temporary and
brevet rank as volunteer is needed to
explain the foregoing phenomenal in
stance of rapid transit:
Colonel First T.. S. Cavary.,,....,.......M May 8, 1895
brgadcr-Ge y lS'S
Major-Gcneral l. lsos
HOnoraby discharged ........,........Apnl 10, 1899
Brgader General .,..,....,.,....,,.Ap April Is, 1899
Maor-Gcncra 90. Dee. 3, 1880
Ionoraby discharged .....,.,-,,.,,,, June 80, 1901
Study the dates. There is nothing
like them in military history. Brilliant
achievement in time of actual war is the
,isuut explanation of uncommon CELEBRITY
in promotion. When that explanation
exists great majority of the people Of
the United States accept it with eager
ness as satisfactory. They care little
for the traditions of the service, or for
the slow process by which most army
officers patiently and faithfully work their
way to distinction in the establishment.
Extraordinary merit in war throws out
of gear the system of routine promotion;
and rightly so.
If you study the dates, you see at once
that the only period during which Gen.
LEONARD WOOD has not been engaged
exclusively either in merely prescriptive
medically prescriptive-or in purely
administrative business, is the time be-
tween his appointment as volunteer
Colonel of the cavalry regiment COM
monty known as the Rough Riders and
the cessation Of hostilities with Spain
The strictly military period covers Just
ninety-six days.
During the ninety-six days, therefore,
Of Col. WOODS experience of actual war
in Cuba must be found the heroic deed of
personal daring, the mastery, strategic
performance, or the great victory identi-
fed with his name and fame which
warranted his preferment over long
line of seniors, and justifies his further
elevation toward the command Of the
army, with tenure that promises to
block the list for nearly a quarter of a
century against the progress of some
three hundred and fifty or four hundred
officers to the ultimate goal Of the Amer
lean soldiers ambition.
What is the date of the illustrious event
in question? 1t should be added to the
foregoing dates, for it is needed to eluci-
date the chronology.
Was the event the charge of the Rough
Riders up San Juan Hill? Ask vAssILI
NERESTCHAGIN.
There are however, some other dates,
which help to make up the record of
Gen. LEONARD WOODS escalade Of the
Army List. We submit two, as follows:
February % III, 1899, when Gen. WooD
was first publicly nominated for Military
Governor of the Island of Cuba in place
of Major-General JOHN RUTTER BROOKE,
to be displaced. The nomination occurred
at dinner of the Anglo American Club
of Santiago, in its old quarters, near the
corner of Jaguey and Escudero streets
The nominee, Gen. LEONARD WooD, pre-
sided at the banquet. The nominator, at
that time known as EDGAR GERALD BEL
LARS, appeared in black trousers and
dinner coat, but with a colored tie and a
bright green sash in place of waistcoat
an Fast Indian custom, as the genial
gentleman explained at the time-and
delivered an eloquent speech in eulogy of
the presiding officer, concluding with
these historic and prophetic words:
Gentlemen, give you LEONARD wooD, the next
Governor General of the Island of Cuba
November 2s, 1899, when another and
very different sort of friend of Gen.
WOOD, Major JAMES f. RUNCIE, forward
ed to New York for publication the at
tack on BROOKE which, he says, he wrote
at Gen. WOODS request in order to get
BROOKE out of Cuba. The letter accom-
panying the manuscript contained this
private advice TO his correspondent:
Now is the tmc to print this where It will be
read. Things here have recently been worse than
when you were here but there seems to be dawn
ing light around Washington. and 1t may be- the be-
ginning Of better day for WOOD well as for
cuba"
II was the beginning of better day
for WOOD, though perhaps not for Cuba.
The situation in the Balkans.
Vhara il some IinpCrtnintv ne tn tba