then pending, to retire all officers at a fixed age. On
the contrary, such a law would most probably cut them off when in
the full prime of activity and usefulness. But all were more than
willing to accept that rather than still be in a position to be
arbitrarily cut off to make place for some over-ambitious aspirant
possessed of greater influence, of whatever kind. I know perfectly
well that General Sherman was governed by a generous desire to give
General Sheridan command of the army for a number of years, while
the latter was still in the prime of life. But that he could have
done, and had announced his intention to do, by requesting to be
relieved from the command and permitted to await the President's
orders, performing such duties, from time to time, as the President
might desire of him. Such a status of high officers of great
experience, whose inspections, observations, and advice might be
of great value to the President and to the War Department, would
manifestly have been far better for the country than that of total
retirement, which deprives the President of any right to call upon
them for any service whatever, even in an emergency. This was one
of the subjects of correspondence between General Sherman and me
while I was in Europe in 1881-2. But it was finally agreed by all
concerned that it would be best to favor the uniform application
of the rule of retirement for age, so that all might be assured,
as far as possible, of a time, to which they might look forward
with certainty, when they would be relieved from further apprehension
of treatment which no soldier can justly characterize without
apparent disrespect to his official superior.

Such treatment is indeed uncommon. The conduct of the commander-
in-chief of the army toward his subordinates has been generally
kind and considerate in this country. But the few opposite examples
have been quite enough to cloud the life of every officer of high
rank with the constant apprehension of an insult which he could
neither submit to nor resent.

Soon after the inauguration of President Garfield, the "Division
of the Gulf" was broken up, and I was permitted to visit Europe,
as I had requested in the preceding November, until the President
should be pleased to assign me to a command according to my rank.

"(Telegram.)
"Washington, D. C., May 3, 1861.
"General J. M. Schofield, Commanding Division, New Orleans, La.:

"In case the President will repe