The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-08-14
rlaior-GeneraI Young.


Young, who on Saturday succeeded to
the command of the army on the statu-
tory retirement of Lieutenant General
Miles, began his career as an enlisted
man in the Twelfth PENNSYLVANIA infan-
try All of his twenty predeces-
sors as commander of the army began
their military careers as commissioned
officers.
1t has been stated frequently that the
chief objection to General Miles on the
part of his brother officers was due to
the fact that he was not West Point
man. The same cause for complaint is
to be found in the case of the new com
handing general.
General Young is the third man who
has come from civil life. as distinguished
from those who have gone through the
academy. to attain the command of the
army The first. after it became possible
to appoint a West Point graduate to
achieve that position, was General Win
field Scott. who became commander in
lS4l, thirty-nine years after the estab-
lishment of the academy. He entered
the army from civil life as a captain of
artillery Since Scott all the comman-
ders of the army except Miles have been
West Pointers.
But the new commanding general is
soldier from the groGnd~rlp, without any
fuss or feathers. He is not a medal Of
honor man. but one who quietly and
faithfully performed his duty at all
times. and is recognized as a tireless
fighting general who is ready for duty
day or night. He emerged from the civil
war with the respect of all his comrades,
and performed excellent service during
the Spanish war. later distinguishing
himself in the Philippines.
Five months after he entered the
Pennsylvania regiment as private,
April %. 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 lieutenant colonel and two months
later was placed in command of this regi
ment April Q. 1865, he was breveted
brigadier- general of volunteers for con-
spicious gallantry, and was honorably
mustered out of the service July l, 1865.
A year later he was appointed III the
regular establishment, with the rank of
second lieutenant of the Twelfth regular
infantry July % the same year he was
transferred to the cavalry arm of the
service with the rank of captain, and
was assigned to the Eighth regiment.
He was not promoted again until April 2,
1888, when he was commissioned as ma
ior He held this rank until August 10,
1892. when he was promoted to lieuten-
-colonelcy, and was transferred to
the Fourth cavalry. In 1897 he was given
another promotion, this time to the col
onelcy of his regiment.
Upon the outbreak of the Spanish war
Colonel Young was given the rank OF
brigadier general of volunteers, and was
assigned to duty at Las Guasimas, Cuba,
where there was lively battle III which
Sergeant hamilton Fish and Captain
ALVIN Capron. in command of light bat
terv. were killed This is the battle in
which Colonel Capron, the father of Cap
tain Caprin. fought so desperately after
his son had been killed During the cam
paign father and son lost their lives.
Before the close of the Spanish war
General Young had been honored with
the rank of major general of volunteers,
which rank died with the volunteer army
in 1899. He was made briSadier gener-
al in the regular army in 1900 and sent
to the Philippines. Then followed the
daring and successful campaign in Luzon,
conducted under the special direction
of General Young. whose cavalry scatter
ed and broke up the insurgent organiza-
tons effectually.
General Young was a member of the
court-martial which tried and found
guilty General Egan, who attacked Gen
eral Miles before the commission which
investigated the scandals of the Spanish
war. Later General Young was promot-
ed to major general and selected by Sec
rotary Root to be president of the army
war college.
The personal relations of the new COM
mander are strong because of their asso-
ciation in the Santiago campaign Secre-
tary Root also has a high personal re-
gard for General Young, and Also places
a high estimate upon his ability as an
army officer.
General Young will serve only five
months as commanding general of the
army. as he will reach the age limit
January 8, 1904 Upon his retirement
it is the plan to appoint Major General
Henry c. Corbin lieutenant general in
command of the army. General Corbin
will not retire for age until September
IL lQO6