The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-27
MACoMB HELD IN HIGH
ESTEEM By OFFICERS
(From Wednesday Advertiser

a.. " FFCN-@-''aeAy AhANSA6eEtsI
The esteem in which General Macomb
is held by officers and men Of the Oahu
garrison was voiced yesterday by one
of the higher officers of the eominand
and reflects the sentiment OF Ell the
Hawai- forces. This officer said:
III is unnecessary for me to say that
We all regret the leaving OF General
Macomb. He is not only loved and ad-
mlred Tor hrs personality but reyered
as soldier. in my opinion there is
not a brainier man in the entire Army.
II Is fit that he should be placed at
the head of the war college. lie Is per-
haps the best all round man in the ser.
vice. He Is acknowledged as an author-
ity on artillery action. He is as almost
equally informed in the other arms of
the service. As an observer with the
Russiun army during the Japanese. Rus.
sian war he made reports that were ex.
tremely valuable to the United States
war department. He has the closest in.
sight into Hawaii defense plans or any
man IN the United States Army and
the most competent to advise wnaI ~
needed for Oahu garrison improve.
ments. We all feel that General Ma.
comb will make one Of the best presi-
dents of the war college that we have
ever had. Executive anty is far from
being new to him. That his SATELLITES in
this line have always been recognized
rs nttested by the fact that he was APP
pointedttO the general staff when IL
was FIRST organized, served three years,
and was then reappointed for a second
term. We all feel that General Macomb
has been selected to preside over the
war college because hoa is today the
lest all round man in the United States
Army. t6nt,. n, ~ t5t,Tl
1.-THE executive ability of General
Macomb wusreeogniged, as | remember,
50 far back as 1890, when he was first
lieutenant and an instructor in art and
drawing in the military aea1emy. Sec
rotary Of State Blaine had called Pan.
American conference at Washington to-
draw the Republics of the two eontin.
ents closer together. One of the am.
billions resulting from that conference
was TO build railroad from New York
to Buenos Aires The railroad was de.
cided ON and the United States was to
make the survey through Central Amer
lea. For this purpose the war depart.
ment determined TO organize a survey
ing party to be known as Corps No, 1.
and TO be composed Of army officers.
Secretary of War Proctor looked over
the field and decided on Lieutenant Ma
comb 20 head the expedition, selecting
Maeomb because of the brains aud ex.
ecutive ability he had displayed MS a
member OF the Wheeler United States
Geographical Survey west of the hun
dredth meridian and during which time
the young lieutenant introduced the
Macomb level system which is still used
in the government geographic depart
ment of the army, IS. K.
fIieutenant Mneomb was asked II
he wanted the detail 10 head the sur.
Nsying corps and replied in the mega
tive. Determined TO have Lieutenant
Maeomb inteharge of the work, Secre-
tary Proctor replied, well, sir, you are
ordered to that duty
Accordingly, Lieutenant Maeomb
took the commission and passed five
years IN the work, surveying route
from the Mexican south border Co the
Chagres river and making a complete
trinneulation survey.
In the party under Macomb were
tie following present officers: Col Nv.
man w. V. Kennon of the Twenty.Rfth
infantry stationed at SchofieLl Bar.
racks; Col. Stephen M. Foote. coast ar,
tiilery corps, and now member OF the
war college; Lieut.. Col. Samuel Reber
OF the Signal Corps and now head Of
the aviation corps; Major Andrew 8.
Rowan, now retired, who carried the
message TO Garcia; Iicut. Col CHARLES
a. Hedekin Of the cavalry. now in the
ot'ee Of the division Of military affairs,
and Doctor shannon Of the medical
corps After the first year Foote, Re.
Der, Rowan and Hedekin went home,
Macomh, KenDon and shannon STAYED
and were later joined by Officer Hill.
The party returned 10 the United States
m 1893 and devoted nearly three years
TO preparing the data, this long period
being required because Maeomb had. TO
practically teach the others of the party
their rart IN that work ~