The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-08-08
Major General Young
Assumes Command
of the Army
First Officer to Rise From the
Ranks TO That Position,
But Jumped Over
Many

| AAAtAAAA Nhb 1AhANfA ~ NV 90 hAl
laborers have become presidents o.
the great republic, no man who shoul
dered a musket as a common soldier
has ever attained to the position OF
commander OF the army OF the United
States until today. Msjor-General Sam
uel Baldwin Marks Young, who today
succeeds TO the command OF the army
on the statutory retirement of Lleuten.
ant-General Miles began his career as
an enlisted man in the Twelfth Penn.
sylvania infantry. All OF his twenty.
one predecessors as commander of the
army began their military careers as
commissioned officers. II has been
stated frequently that the chief objec.
tion TO General Miles on the part Of
his brother officers was due 10 the fact
that he was not a West Point man.
The same cause for complaint is TO be
found In the case of the new com.
manding general. General Young is
the third man who has come from civil
life. as distinguished from those who
have gone through the academy. TO at.
tain the command OF the army. The
first. after Il became possible to ap.
point West Point graduate. 10
achieve that position was General Win.
field Scott who became commander in
1s4l. thirty-nine years after the estab.
llshment OF the academy. He entered
the army from civil life as a captain of
artillery. Since Scott all the com.
manders Of the army except Miles
have been West Pointers.
But the new commanding general Is
a soldier from the ground up. without
any fuss or feathers. lie is not a
medal-ofhonor man. but one who qul
city and faithfully performed his du.
ties at all times, and Is recognized as a
tireless lighting general who Is ready
for duty day or night. He emerged
from the civil war with the respect OF
all his comrades. and performed excel.
lent service during the Spanish war.
later distinguishing himself in the !
Philippines.
Five months after he entered the
Pennsylvania regiment as a private. |
April 25, 1861, he was made a captain /
OF volunteers. One year later he was
promoted TO the grade OF major In
October 1864. he had reached the
grade OF lieutenantcolonel. and two
months later was placed I'm command
Of his regiment. April .. 1865 he was
brevetted brigadlergenera OF volun.
ieers for conspicuous gallantry and
was honorably mustered out OF the ser,
vice July /. 1865.
A year later he was appointed In the
regular establishment, with the rank
of second lieutenant OF the Twelfth
Regular Infantry, July 2S the same
year he was transferred to the cavalry
arm of the service. with the rank OF
'aptain, and was assigned to the
Eighth regiment He was not promot.
ID again until April ., 1888. when he
vas commissioned as major He held
his rank until August 10, 1892. when
he was promoted to a lieutenant-c colo.
'elcy and was transferred TO the
Fourth cavalry In 1897 ne was given
mother promotion. this time TO the
olonelcy of his reglment.
Upon the outbreak OF the Spanish {
var Colonel Young was given the rank
4 brigadiergeneral OF volunteers and
vas assigned TO duty at Las Guasimas.
'uha, where there was lively battle
n which Sergeant Hamilton Fish and
'aptain Allyn Capron. the father OF
'aptain capron, fought so desperately
fter his son had been killed. During
his campaign father and son lost their
ives.
Before the c'ose Of the Spanish war I
leneral Young had been honored with :
he rank of majorgeneral OF volun.
eers, which rank died with the volun.
eer army In 1899 He was made
rigadiergeneral IN the regular army \
1900 and sent 20 the Philippines.
hen followed Jhe daring and success,
al campaign in LuEon. conducted un.
or the special direction OF General y
'oung, whose cavalry scattered aud 3
roSe np the insursent organization
neciuany.
General Young was member OF the 7,
oartmarital which tried and found a
unity General Eagan who attacked
eneral Miles before the commission
hich Investigated the scandals OF The Il
pAn'sh war Later General Young
an promoted 10 maiorgenerai and So 3
e'ed BY Secretary Roo, to be presi.
enc Of The army war college. m