Statutes, the troops are employed as a part of
the military power of the United States, and act under the orders
of the President, as commander-in-chief, and his military subordinates.
They cannot be directed to act under the orders of any civil officer.
The commanding officers of the troops so employed are directly
responsible to their military superiors. Any unlawful or unauthorized
act on their part would not be excusable on the ground of any order
or request received by them from a marshal or any other civil
officer.

"By command of Major-General Schofield:
"Geo. D. Ruggles, Adjutant-General."

It appears to have been thought in Chicago that "the request of
the United States marshal," with whom the commanding officer of
the troops had been directed to "confer," was equivalent to "orders
of the War Department," notwithstanding the order of May 25, above
quoted, strictly prohibiting any such use of the troops. Hence
the faulty disposition of the troops which was corrected when the
mob was approaching the heart of the city. Then "some of the troops
on the outskirts of the city" were withdrawn, and "in the evening
the battery and one troop of cavalry" were moved "to the Lake Front
Park, for the purpose of attacking the mob should it reach the
vicinity of the government building between Adams and Jackson sts."
And during the afternoon and night of the 5th and morning of the
6th an effective force was concentrated on the Lake Front Park,
forty-eight hours after the time when the orders from Washington
indicated that the Fort Sheridan garrison should be at that place.

THE DUTIES OF THE MILITARY MISUNDERSTOOD

On July 9, the day after the President had issued his proclamation,
it appeared in Chicago that "the duties of the military authorities
are now clearly defined." The President's proclamation was
"understood by the military to be in the interests of humanity,"
and to concern, in some way, "the State militia," as if they had
been "called into the service" of the United States. It was "the
duty of the military forces to aid the United States marshals."
Again, "it is expected the State and municipal governments will
maintain peace and good order . . . . Should they fail or be
overpowered, the military force will assist them . . "--and this
notwithstanding the well-known law on that subject to which allusion
was made in the despatch of July 5 from the headquarters of the
ar