New-York tribune., 1910-07-24


NJ rrorar-s painstakin= editorial work has
-ased this diary OF half q century OF active life
co the importance Of q worthy biography OF q
6ne American soldier. From first 70 last ne
furnishes an rnbroken connecting thread Of mar
rative On which the entries II General Hitch
cocks da-boek are strung for the better under
standing and information Of a younger gener-
alton. The latter. one fears knows ali too lit
t.e Of the work done by this link between the
haphazarG oIdrIue military tablishment Of the
United States and the splendid regular army OF
to-day i VIII he superfluous to recommend
The book 10 cur officers: il may be well 10 draw
Il il the attention Of civilians. who viii find n
il portrait of the warrior his best, an Illus
tration Of the qualities that &c TO his making
md THAT VIII help 70 make better men IN othec
walks Of life as vel.
One feels tempted 10 suggest a motto for this
work: For the good Of the service That IS
the } sson Of Major General Hitchcock's career;
for il he fought many intrepid battle ana
traved the anger Of his superiors- He faced
the cn0leric Andrew jackson. whose interference
ith the discipline Al West Point was decidedly
% the detrimeu- Of the service; he champlon-d
the cause Of courts martial against dIetauon py
commanding officer and Secretary Of war, but
ms greatest service was perhaps, his untIrlns
effort by Drecepr and example, TO make his Off
GERS realize The importance to their professional
honor and dignity. Of clean, self-respecting con-
duet in private life. He fought corruption, he
Was the friend Of the Indian he served with dis
unc1lon through the war with Mexico While de-
IoEncing il IN ms diary as unjust, and, broken
u health. he responded 10 the call OF duty on
the outbreak of the Civil War An invalid, he
declined an active conlnland-McClellans was
offered 10 hir-bUt served military ADVISER
10 Stanton and later as commissioner for the
exchange OF prisoners
C-rious.y enough this man Of war was at
heart a mystic with a strong production 1or
The conterrlative life AS early as le4- ne
wrote II ms diary
find So little 10 interest me in the military @
profession that had rather study or read DOCKS
of philosophy. ! fear 7 am not IN my proper 70. vo.
.a'"n-.la. is have read ana s'eGtso s mn, IA gen
er-- reading have subdued all spirit 1or actI9n it
some solitude
Again, IL 1862 while pressure vas being
brought 70 bear upon him to rejoin the service
Uy General Scott by Stanton Gin whose post
sonse OF The papers would have placed hlm), by
friends and strangers, he complained
have been a student ali my life, even when 1
vas soldier by education lnvoluntarliy re-
because deliberately made choice Of military
ta 1e @ei.1 f osc4 Ie use fisnd Of our family
l.o1s.t = aEpEupriate If service can repay spch @
-lHs enough
Ethan Allen Hitchcock was born at Yer
gern@s W. in 1895 Of old Colonial stock. Little
IS known # his early years, but il Is clear
mat II was his sisters advice (sha had married
an army oficerj and the fame Of the maternal
grandfather after whom he was named, that
e-.lG-d nam L. enter West Point IN 1914 His
-rreFroac tIe department less than his pro-
H.ieney ln MS studies led 10 his being called
-pon 10 teach his class while he was stlll a
cadet on graduation he was first put il com
I-and ef garrison Of twenty men at old Fort
-oREer. near Mobile. where he attracted attea-
lan ar l-gistng a method of improving the
i-t.ar- Here lie spent the winter OF lSI1-':S
when ae #as ordered 10 New Orleans Already
aE This lme. according 10 his diary, he was
--teFta-ulng serious thoughts Of resigning and
studying law" In the fan of lSlS he was made
FIRST Lieutenant. spending much Of his time up
it 80 on recruiting service. HIS appointment
- Instructor of tactics Al West Point followed in
ia lc held this post until his first conflict
WIN The Secretary Of War over question of
l.'' good ot Tie service" being in conseQ uence
relieved from duty "a the Academy and sent
IH Ne& York oH recruiting duty again whence
'- was moved u Fort Smelling. His attitude
F. f-r-