Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-02
BATES IS AT HEAD OF ARMY
Officer Well Known in Omaha is Named as
Lieutenant General.
GREELEY NAMED As MAJOR GENERAL
General j. Franklin Bell VIII Sue
coed General Bates ms Chief
of the General stan
in April.

WASHINGTON. Feb The president
today nominated Major General John G.
Bates, at present chief of stan, to be
lieutenant general to succeed Lieutenant
General Adna r. Chaffee (retired). this
day He also nominated Brigader General
A. W. Gresly, chief signal officer, to be
major general Of the line to succeed Gen
eral Bates as major general; also Colonel
James A. Allen TO the brlgadier general
and chief of the signal corps to succeed
General Greedy.
1t is further announced that Brigadier
General ]. Franklin Bell, now in command
of the infantry and cavalry school at Fort
Leavenworth Kan, would be appointed
chief of STAFF to succeed General Bates
upon his retirement next April.
Chanee says Farewell.
Lieutenant General Chaffee was at the
War department today for the last time be-
fore his retirement, saying farewell to his
friends. He is going to West Point TO see
his son. who is cadet there, before leav-
ing New York next Saturday for Santiago,
Cuba, to assist in the location of the bat
tie monuments there.
In explanation why the general order re-
firing General Chaftee did not contain a
history of his army career and of the bril-
liant services rendered by him to the gov
eminent and the country the following
statement was issued at the War depart
ment as coming from the secretary:
The. secretary Of war feels that no Of
fcer In the army has retired from active
service more entitled to high commentator
for his long, courageou efficient and use
ful career of forty. three years than General
governing the War department. which
should be as binding on the secretary as on
orders eulogizing the conduct Of living Of
flcers except in cases of gallantry in action
Rel to He Major General.
In connection with General Bells appoint
ment it was announced that he would be-
come major general upon the assumption
of his new duties as chief of staff
General Bell is a native OF Kentucky and
is West Pointer having entered the
academy in 1874. He was 20 years of age
last month.
When he went to the Philippines General
Bell was captain Of the Seventh cavalry
and was made information officer soon after
his arrival at Manila. In 1902 Bell was
made a brigadier general in the regular es-
tablishment, jumping an unprecedented
number Of his senior officers. He has been
since his return to the United States sta
toned at Fort Leavenworth. Kan.
General Bells selection as chief Of staff
Of course makes il impossible for General
Macarthur to I'LL that place, but it does
not interfere with the execution Of plans
for the promotion OF General Macarthur to
lieutenant general in due course. When
Lieutenant General Bates retires April IA
next Major General Corbin, who today re-
linquished the command of the Division of
the Philippines and who will arrive in San
Francisco March 2, will succeed to the
rank OF lieutenant general
He will proceed at once to ST. Louis to
take command of the Northern department.
General John c. Bates was in command
of the Department of the Missouri. with
headquarters at Omaha, from August 13,
1901, to November q, 1903, when he was
given command of the Division of the
Lakes. with headquarters at Chicago. He
came to Omaha direct from the Philippines
where he had been promoted to be brga-
der general While here he took an active
part in social and business life, and was