Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-17
ARMY RETIREMENT LAW.
How It Originated-General Scott First
on the List.

on the List.
From the New York Tribune
Officers of both the army and navy are
recognized as honorable servants Of the
government who when they ask to be re-
tired. ask for nothing more than fulfill
ment of the contract under which they have
served so many years When the retired
list was established. In the early part of
the civil war, it was for the express pur-
pose Of pensioning deserving officers~of long
service and those who should become inca
FACILITATED by reason of wounds or other ext
gencies Of the service. 1t was also intended
to relieve the highest grades of worthy but
superannuated officers and to insure regu-
lar promotions. A retired list for every
army and navy has been recognized as
necessary In the interests of the govern
ment and Of the individual-of the govern
ment in order to secure the efficiency of
it's services: of the individual, to provide
place and provision for those unfit for duty
in consequence of long service and casual
ties
The first law authorizing the retirement
of army officers was passed by Congress In
August. 1861. BY this act officers of more
than forty years consecutive service could
be retired by the President. and Officers
incapable of performing the duties of their
Offices were to be brought before retir-
ing board for examination. If found by
this board "incapacitated for active serv-
ice" they were to be retired differently.
according as the incapacity resulted from
cause incident to the service or otherwise.
The first retiring board was assembled on
August II. 1851, and officers of forty years
service were invited to make application to
be retired. The first officer announced in
orders retired was Lieutenant General
Winfield Scott, he being retired upon his
own application on November /. 1861. On
December S. 1861. an order was published
announcing as taking effect at various
1nta fha oft tr%ry >f1 l.,
addition to General Scott. 1t had been
| hoped that the provisions of the act of Au-
gust, 1861 would have been sufficient to
produce the desired end-namely the fill
ing of the higher ranks with officers of
bodily powers vigorous enough to perform
every duty required from them in time of
war. But this hope was a vain one.
In July, 1862, second act was passed
which authorized the President to retire at
his discretion any officer who had been on
the army register forty-fiye years or who
was Of the age Of sixty-twO. The effect of
| this law was prompt, and up to September l,
| 1863. the President retired under 1t two
generals, three colonies, three lieutenant
| colonies and four majors. In July 1866
Congress passed an act providing that Off
GERS retired for disability for wounds re-
| ceived in battle might be retired with the
| full rank held by them on the active list,
whether In the regular or volunteer serv-
| ice, when wounded. About sixty of this
class were retired before the law was re-
| pealed. in 1872. In March, 1869. Congress
passed act reducing and consolidating
| the army. and in July, 1870. additional
legiSla ton directed the muster out of all
! supernumerary officers. To prevent hard
| ship falling upon old officers under this
! act, some of whom would be left unpro-
vided for. Congress authorized the retire
ment. upon their own applicati ton, of Off
| GERS who had been thirty years in the serv-
| ice. At the same time it fixed the total
| number of officers on the retired list not to
| exceed 300 at any time In June 1873
| Congress, by a clause in the army appro-
| priation bill, increased the retired list and
limited it to 400. In 1883 the retirement
| law was amended to change the compuI-
| sorry limit from sixty-two years and to
| read land when an officer is sixty-four
| years of age he shall be retired from act
| i've service and be placed on the retired
| list. Other notifications have been made
! in the law from time to time respecting
| the limit of number ETC.