Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-08-08
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette'l
Washington, ID. G., August 3.

briet and formal order retiring hlm from
the service, an order that is in marked
contrast to the laudatory one whereby
his predecessor, Lieut.. Gen. Schoheld, was
relieved from active duty. No episode
connected with the return of Gen. Miles
to private life has accustomed so mucn
comment in Washington as the STUDIED
omission in the order of any reference 10
his services. Those who sympathlse WIN
the administration in taking this course
contend that General Miles could certain
" have expected nothing else in view OF
his antagonism to the administration
since Spanish War. On the other hand,
the generals friends feel that he has been
dealt with in an unnecessarily harsh
manner. The Army and Navy Register,
which usually reflects the sentiments oil
the army, says OF this matter this morn
ing
"General Miles has a record, before
he came to Washington, at any RATE
which entitled him to more than tnls
fling of silence. 1t was the last Official
act in very bitter fight, and it accom-
plishes nothing except to incite remark
we would like to have seen something
generous from the department at this
time" :.
Inasmuch as General Miles after his
retirement is lust as amenable to mill
tary discipline as he was before, 1t Is
not likely that, however strongly he
NAV feel on the subject, he will make
any public complaint. His future attl-
tude, if indicated by the sentiments ex-
pressed in his farewell address to the
army, will be strictly that Of the SOL
der. In this parting message to his
comrades in arms there is not line or
word that suggests that there has been
anv personal differences between him
and the officials Of the administration.
Gen. Miles last duty as commanding
general of the army was to receive al
his headquarters this morning the ON
GERS of the army stationed in Washing
ton.
Dress uniforms were worn by Gen.
Miles and his callers, according TO- an
order issued yesterday by Adit Gen.
Corbin. Inasmuch as this order made
the psving of their respects to their
chief practically imperative there were
numbered among his callers both friends
and foes of the retiring general, Gen.
Miles reached his Office promptly at y
O clock. He wore his plain blue uniform
without gold lace except on the military
hat and on the broad eagle he wears on
the shoulders to denote his high rank.
From 9 to 1890 he held a reception for
the clerks of his personal office and few
members of the Grand Army of the Re-
public who happened to be be passing
through Washington. Considerable
emotion was exhibited by Gen. Miles
when he was presented by his clerks
with magnificent silver loving cup on
which was engraved "Lieut. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, u. S. Army, on his retirement
from active service August s, 1903. From
the clerks and messengers at the Head
quarters of the the Army" A beautiful
bouquet of roses was presented by the
lady clerks of the office.
But it was exactly at 1890 o'clock
that the dramatic incident of the morn
ing occurred. Walking side by side just
as the clock struck the half hour, the new
Lieut.. General of the army, Samuel b.
NJ. Young, and Adjt. Gen'l H. O.
Corbin, who has not spoken to Gen.
Miles for more than year, passed into
the private Office of the retiring general
to pay their official respects. With a
friendly smile, which, however, seemed
to CONCEAL slightly when he noticed the
three stars of Lieut. General worn by
Gen. Young, Gen. Miles, took, in turn
the hand of his successor and Gen.
Corbin.
Immediately following Gems. Young
and Corbin were all the officers of the
general staff corps, who a week from
today will manage the military affairs of
the army and all the general officers of
the army, stationed in Washington and
the personal representatives of those
generals who are temporarily absent from
the city.
After the reception to the officers
about five hundred clerks of the War
and Navy and State Departments, filed
past Gen. Miles and each was taken
by the hand.
There was comment on Gen. Young
wearing the insignia Of a Lieut.. General at
the reception Of Gen. Miles previous to
the hour of Lieut.. Gen. Miles retire
ment, which was at noon, but it was
learned that Gen. Young took the oath
of Office before 10 O'Clock this morning.
Owing to the personal enlargement
between Gen. Miles and the Secretary Of
War, the retiring general did not go to
the Office of the Secretary to pay his
final respects, but instead sent his
aide, Lieut.. Col. Reber, for that pur-
pose shortly before noon.
Gen. S. B. NJ. Young, the new COM
handing general of the Army, today
issued the following order:
Washington, ID. c., Aug. 8.
oIn obedience to the order of the
President, promulgated in general orders
No III War Department Adj. Gems.
Office, Aug. s, the undersigned hereby
assumed command of the army of the
United States"
rs. B. NJ. You've,
1t. Gen. U. S. A."
Because colored children were to be
excluded from the feast, President Roose-
welt countermanded his permission for
the use of the White House grounds to-
day for the picnic prepared by the Wo-
mans Rescue League for 500 poor chill
dren of this city. Instead, a small army
e IL. IL Ln,rn nro today gathered at