The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-02
GEN. G.. F. HUMPHREY RETIRED
MAJOR ALESBIRE SUCCEEDS HIM
AS

Long and Honorable Record Of the Retiring
Gonersl-He Asks 10 Be Relieved After
"a Years Continuous servIce-Had .
quarrel with Roosevelt at s,boney.
WASHINGTON. July BRIG. Gen. Charles
F. Humphrey. Quartermaster-Genera OF
the army. was retired to-day at his own
request with the rank of Major General.
and Major James B. Aleshire. who has been
attached to the Quartermaster- Generals
office. was appointed to succeed him. The
retirement Of Gen. Humphrey has been
expected for several weeks. lie timed his
retirement to meet the convenience OF
Secretary taft and to permit his successor
to be selected and his appointment an
nounced at the same time.
Gen. Humphrey is a seasoned soldier
with a long and honorable record in the
service and has a host OF friends not limited
TO military circles. He was born in New
York on September 2, 1914. and entered the
service as a private in Company f.. Fifth
Artillery. in March. 1853. He was graduated
from the Artillery School in 1874. At the
beginning OF the Standardization war
he held the rank Of Lieutenant-C Colonel and
depot quartermaster He served in the
Spanish-Americsn war with the rank OF
BriRadier- General Of Volunteers and was
chief quartermaster OF the Santiago cam
paign. His record in Cuba was especially
creditable. Afterward he went to the Phil.
ippines as chief quartermaster and served
in hat capacity throughout most Of the
long campaign. He has been Quartermaster-
General since April II. 1903. In his letter to
Secretary Taft asking for retirement Gen.
Humphrey says:
My DEAR SIR: I have been in the military
service continuously for more than forty-four
yea ~. ana during that time have held every
grade OF rank from that of u private TO that
OF a Brigadier-GeneTal Much of nv service
has been arduous, MY service as Qua rter-
master-tenera Of the army since April ~,
1909, having been especially so should
Ike. and | feel that | am fairly entitled 20,
relief from the burden Of official RESPONSE
bility that ! have borne for so many years.
Congress, largely on your enda ton.
has been good enough 10 provide for my
retirement with the rank Of Ma jor-General.
IN view of these facts and beCa use this Is
the beginning Of a fiscal year and a favorable
time for my successor 10 enter upon the dis
charge Of his duties ! respectfully request
that I be placed upon the retired list of the
army.
III lW'hlng IDtS HpnlcaIlon ] OeSlre 70 IMAM IL
yor. aud through you the President. for
the kindness and consideration that both
Of you have uniformly shown me. and to
assure YOU both of the high rega rd md friendly
feeling that | entertain Tor YOU. Very respec-
fully. e. +. HUuPHRP-.
Brigadier-General, [. y. A.,
Quart rmast er-General.
Major James b. Aleshire. who succeeds
Gen. Humphrey as Quartermaster-General.
is a native Of Ohio and a graduate of West
Point. lie was born on October 81, 1856,
and appointed a cadet in the Military
Academy on June II, 1870 His first service
was in the First Cavalry. but he was APP
pointed a Captain and Quartermaster on
April %. 1895. He reached the ran Of
Major and Quartermaster on February 2.
1901. He is the departments expert on
horses Gen. Aleshire is appointed under
thu four years detail system.
While engaged at Siboney as Chief Quar-
termaster Of the Santiago expedition Gen
Humphrey had a quarrel with Col. Roose-
welt. then commanding the Rough Rider
regiment. The i'll feeling then engendered
had not been adjusted when Mr.. Roosevelt
became President. and Gen. Humphrey,
then n Colonel. was an applicant for the
vacant Office OF Quartermaster-General.
Gen. Humphrey was then serving as Chief
Qlartermaster of the Philippines. He had
already made a record. showing remarkable
executive ability in the face Of tremendous
obstacles. His friends went to Mr.. Roose-
welt to urge his promotion. but found hat
the President was not responsive. or ap-
peared not to he
This fac was communicated to Gen.
Humphrey at Manila, and he sent a long
cable message to the President pointing to
his record and asking that il he examined.
II was such a frank, manly statement that
Mr.. Roosevelt was impressed. and he found
upon examination that to Gen. Humphrey
much of the success OF the several Philip
pine campaigns and the Pekin campaign
was due Gen. Humphrey was appointed
QuartermastFr-General and has served
continuously in that Office for four years.
There are few men in the military service
as popular as the retiring Quartermaster
General He is liked particularly by
younger officers. to whom he has shown
many kindnesses and given encouragement:
He was prominent in the organization Of
the Military Order of the Carabao, and is
Paramount Cardiac, or president, OF the
Washington Corral.