Alaska sentinel., 1905-03-09
MEXICAN WAR VETERANS.
Twenty.two of Them Are Still on tn,
 Army Retired List.

oH 1hGu HIE Sttll Ou Ihe
 Army Retired List.
 It is interesting to note that of the officers who took part in the Mexican war there are still twenty-two on the retired list of the army at the present time, says the New York Post. Of this number seven are West Point gradu- ates. and the other fifteen were either appointed from civil life or served in the ranks during that conflict and later were given commissions
 Capt. Napoleon J. T. Dana has the honor of being the oldest graduate of the Military Academy now on the re- tired list, having entered that insti- tution in 1S3S He Is followed by Maj. Gen. Thomas I. Wood. who en- tered in 1s41; Brig James Oakes and Marcus D. l.. Simpson. and Lieut-Col. Henry D. Tender Orlando B. Wilcox and Brig.-Gen Horatio G. Gibson. who began their service in 1S43. All of these officers served with credit in the Mexican war, and received an advance in grade this year for civil-war service. with the exception of Capt. Dana, who resigned from the service in 1855 as captain in the quartermaster's department, and who, through Congressional legis- lstion, was reappointed an assistant ouarterma ster with the rank of cap tain, August 2, 1894. Nine days later he was placed on the retired list and therefore does not receive any benefit from the law passed this spring. He also served throughout the civil war in the volunteer service. receiving the rank of major-general.
 Maj.-Gen. Lawrence r. Graham is the oldest officer in point of service on the restired list of the army, hay ing been appointed second lieutenant in the Second Dragons, October 16, 1887, that is, no less than sixty-seven years ago He Is closely followed by Ma. ..Gen. Daniel H. Fucker, who was appointed second lieutenant in the First Dragons fifteen days later. Gen. Rncker is older in years than Gen. pScu boih AAA iSA1i and the latter in 1915. Then follow Lieut.. Col. Thomas J. Eckerson, who was a private from 1888 until 1853, when he was appointed military store keeper Quartermaster, with the rank of captain Maj .-Gen. Robert Murray and Brig. Gen. John F. Head, sur geons, 1S46; Maj.-Gen. Richard c. Drum, who was private in the vol unteers in 1s46, and who was appoint ed a second lieutenant of infantry in 1S47; Col. Edward Collins, who was . private from 1s46 to 1861, when he was commissioned a first lieutenant of infantry; Col. John Green, who was . private from 146 to 1855, when he was appointed a second lieutenant in the Second Dragons; Maj. William Fletcher, who was private in the volunteers and regulars from 1S46 un- ttl 1861, being appointed second lieutenant of infantry in that year; Col. George B. Dandy, who was a private in 1S47 and 1S4S, then a ca det at West Point until 1852, again private from 1854 until 1857, when he was appointed second lieutenant of artillery; Brig. Gen. Elisha I. Baily, surgeon, 1s47: LieutCol. Albert B. Kaufman, who was private from 1S4T until 1898, being then appointed captain of volunteers and made first lieutenant of cavalry in 1866: Maj. John Miller. who was a private in the volunteers and regulars from 1Si7 until 1862, when he was commis- stoned a second lieutenant of infan- try; Brig. Gems. John E. Summers and John Campbell, surgeons, 1S4s.
 All of the officers were on duty dur ing the Mexican war. Col. Kaufman served sixteen years In the ranks be- fore being commissioned. It is sell dom nowadays that an enlisted man who succeeds in getting a commission has served over i've years in the ranks.