Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-11
COL, SN|FFEN CHOSEN
Appointed Paymaster General
of the Army.
SUCCEEDS GENERAL DODGE
Latter Was Retired Today for Age
Limitation.
PROMOTIONS IN PAY CORPS
Understood That Col. Tower Waived
His Seniority in Favor Of the
Officer Selected.
PROMOTIONS IN PAY CORPS

Acting Secretary Oliver of the War De-
partment today announced that Col. Cul-
yer c. Sniffin of the pay department had
been appointed by the President paymas-
tee general of the army, with the rank
of brigadier general, vice Gen. Francis
S. Dodge, who retired today for age.
The New Paymaster General.
The new paymaster general has been
in the service since the Sd of March,
1887. He was appointed pavmaster with
the rank of major at that time by Presi-
der. U. S. Grant, it being one Of the
last appointments made by Gen. Grant
Gen. Sniffin had been private secretary
for President Grant for several years.
and few men now living have a more in
innate knowledge of matters pertaining
to the Grant administration than Gen.
Sniffin. 49, Gen. Sniffin is a native of New
York. and was appointed from that state
He reached the grade of assistant pay
master general, with the rank of colonel
in May, 1901. and for several months mast
he has been serving at Governors Island
N. Y, as chief paymaSter of the Depart
ment of the East. Col. Towar of the pay
CORPS was the ranking colonel, but he
will not retire until nearly two years
after Gen. Snifin. and it is reported that
he waived his seniority in favor of the
Junior officer. Gen. Sniffin will serve
until January /, 1908.
The new paymaster general is one of
the most popular officers in the army, and
most efficient men in his corps. He
served in Cuba during the Spanish war,
and for several years was stationed in
Washington.
Gen. Dodge's Career.
Brig Gen. Francis s. Dodge, paymaster
general Of the army. who was placed on
the retired list today by operation Of law
on account of age. began his military career
as private in the 23d Massachusetts, Vol
unteer Infantry in October, 1861. and was
honorably mustered out as captain of the
I'd U. S. Cavalry in February. 1863. At
the close of the war of the rebellion he was
division ordnance officer in the Army of the
James.
In July. 1866. he was appointed first lieu
tenant 9th Cavalry, and served with dis
tinction on the frontier against the Indians
for several years. He was brevetted major
and awarded a medal of honor for most
distinguished gallantry against hostile In
dams near White River agency, Colorado,
in October, 1879. He was transferred from
the line to the bay corps in January, 1880,
and reached the grade of paymaster gen.
eral, with the rank Of brigadier general, in
January, 1904
During the yellow fever epidemic Of 1900
Gen. Dodge distinguished himself through
his timely services in Havana, Cuba. He
also disbursed the 100000 allotted to pay
the Cuban army after the cessation Of the
Spanish-American war in 1898.
Pay Corps Promotion.
The retirement Of Gen. Dodge causes
number of promotions in the army pay
corps, as follows:
Lieut. Col. William H. Comegys, to be
colonel; Maj. Elijah w. Halford. to be lieu
tenant colonel, and Capt. John r. Lynch,
to be major Col. Comegys has been in the
pay corps since 1881, when he was appoint
ed from Ohio. Col. Halford was private
secretary to President Harrison, and was
appointed to the pay corps in January.
1898. Maj. Lynch is a colored man, and
was once United States representative from
Mississippi and was later register of the
treasury. He has not been Identified with
politics since he entered the army.