The National tribune., 1903-07-23


der the terms Of this Act to the super
vision of the Chief Of Staff; and to per-
form such other military duties not other
wise assigned by law as may be from time
to time prescribed by the President.
Sec. 3. That the General Staff Corps
shall consist of one Chief of Staff and two
general officers, all to be detailed by the
President from officers of the Army at
large not below. the grade of Brigadier-
General; four Colonies, six Lieutenant
Colonels. and II Majors. to be detailed
from the corresponding grades in the
Army at large. under such rules for selec-
ton as the President may prescribe; 20
Captains, to be detailed from officers of
the Army at large of the grades OF Cap
tain or First Lieutenant, who while so
serving shall have the rank, pay, and al
lowances of Captain mounted. All officers
detailed in the General Staff Corps shall
be detailed therein for periods of four
years, unless sooner relieved. While serv-
ing in the General Staff Corps, officers
may be temporarily assigned to duty with
any branch of the Army. Upon being re-
lieved from duty in the General Staff
Corps, officers shall return to the branch
of the Army in which they hold permanent
commission. and no officer shall be eligible
to a further detail in the General Staff
Corps until he shall have served two years
with the branch of the Army in which
commissioned, except in case of emergency
or in time of war.
''Sec. f. That the Chief of Staff, under
the direction of the President or of the
Secretary of War, under the direction of
the President, shall have supervision of
all troops of the line and of the Adju-
tant-Generals. nspector-General's, Judge
Advocates, Quartermaster's, Subsistence,
Medical, Pay, and Ordnance Departments,
the Corps of Engineers, and the Signal
Corps, and shall perform such other mill
tary duties not otherwise assigned by law
as may be assigned to him by the Presi-
dent. Duties now prescribed by statute
for the Commanding General of the
Army as n member of the Board Of Ord
nance and FortificatiOn and of the Board
of Commissioners of the Soldiers Home
or other officer designated by the Presi-
dent. Acts and parts of Acts authorizing
Aidsde-Camp and military secretaries
shall not apply to general officers of the
General Staff Corps.
Sec. ). That the Chief of Artillery shall
hereafter serve as an additional member
of the General Staff and by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate shall
have the rank. pay, and allowances of a
BrigadierG General and when the next
vacancy occurs in the office of Brigadier-
General Of the line, it shall not be filled,
and thereafter the number of Brigadier-
Generals of the line, exclusive of the Chief
of Artillery, shall not exceed Il; and the
provisions of the foregoing sections of this
Act shall take effect Aug. u. 1903"
Gen. Young, who will thus he the first
Chief of Staff, and as such will go down
in history. is. like Gen. Miles, a volun-
tccr soldier. He entered the Army ,rhcn
n youth as private of Co. X, 18th Pa,
April %. 1861. He promptly won a com
mission, was brevetted Major and Leuten-
ant-Colonel, and Colonel for gallant and
meritorious services during the war, and
in April, 1865. was promoted to Brigadier
General of Volunteers. In the Regular
service he became a Lieutenant-C Colonel,
and by regular promotion has reached his
present high position. He will reach the
retiring age in January. 1903.
Brighten. Samuel S. Sumner is also
a veteran of the war of the rebellion. He
is son of .'Old Bull Sumner" who com
manded the Second Corps and the Grand
Division comprised of the Second and
Ninth Corps, whose history is the earlier
history of the Army of the Potomac. The
son entered the army as Second Lieuten-
ant Of the ID n. Y. Cav, and was finally
mustered out as Major of Volunteers. He
then entered the Regular service and by
successive promotions became a Brigader-
General, Feb. 4, 1901. Gen. Sumner will
reach the retiring age in February, 1906.
Brighten. Wood, who comes in the di-
rect line of promotion now, is not soldier
of the old war. He entered the service
as an Assistant Surgeon, JGn 3. 1856.
He was given the rank of Captain, Jan. 5,
1891. When the Spanish War came on
he was made Colonel of the 1st u. S. Cav.
Rough Riders), May 8. 1898. His pro-
motions have been rapid, and were be-
Ctn for f11nr nrfn Iraf md oil
liant service all along the line. Wherever
Gen. Wood has been placed he has ac
quilted himself honorably. His promo
tiOn at this time comes in the regular or
der according to the rule of seniority, but
an important point will be reached in Gen.
Woods career in 1906. When Gen.
Young retires to become Chief of Staff,
in January, Gen. Adna r. Chaffee will be
promoted to Northumberland. He will
reach the retiring age in April. 1906. Gen.
Sumner will retire nearly three months
before Gen. Chaffee. The list Of Major
Generals will then stand according to
seniority, as follows: Macarthur. who re-
tires June .. 1909; Bates. Aug. 26, 1906;
Wade, April IA, 1907: Wood. Oct. "a,
1924: Grant. May 30, 1914. and Bell, Jan.
9, 1920 If Macarthur should be made
Lieutenant-General on the retirement of
Chaffee, he would continue to serve three
IhOnlLS dlteF tue TERM OF the next IFeSl-
dent expires.
1t is well known that the very warm
est friendship exists between President
Roosevelt and Gen. Wood. and that the
President desires to,3see the General ad
vanced as rapidly as possible. The ques-
tion that is being discussed in Army circles
is, whether the President will in his de-
sire to advance Gen. Wood promote him
over Macarthur and Wade to the grade
of Lieutenant-General, in order to make
sure that he would have command of the
Army and become Chief of Staff The
promotion of Gen. Wood would mean that
only one officer now on the list of general
Wood is the junior of all of them except
Gen. Frederick Funston.
1t must not be forgotten, either, that
Gen. Corbin has been climbing up, and
stands next to Gen. Miles in rank, though
not Of the line. It is thought likely that
he will be selected to succeed Chaffee to
the Lieutena ant Generalship, as his promo
ton will not materially delay Gen. Mac
Arthur's promotion, for the reason that
Corbin will retire for age Sept. 15, 1906,
about six months after Chaffee goes out.
Col G. G. G. Carr, of the 4th Cav, has
been selected to fill the vacancy caused by
the promotion Of Brig. Gen. Sumner, but
before this is accomplished a lot of minor
promotions are to be- made. All the Off
GERS who are to be thus advanced viii re-
tire Immediately, to make way for others.
They all saw service in the war of the re-
bellion. There remain upon the active list
II such officers, and at least one-half OF
them will retire for age by Aug. o. Those
who will be promoted to the rank of Rri-