Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

No. Xlix.--The Bill authorizing.the Brevetting of Volunteer Officers.

In the Senate, on the eighteenth of February, 1863, Mr. Lane, of Indiana, from the Military Committee, reported a bill to authorize the brevetting of volunteer and other officers, which was read and passed to a second reading. On the twenty-fifth, the Senate, on motion of Mr. Lane, proceeded to the consideration of the bill. It proposed to authorize the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to confer brevet rank upon such commissioned officers of the volunteer and other forces in the United States service as had been, or might thereafter be, distinguished by gallant actions or meritorious conduct; which rank should not entitle them to any increase of pay or emoluments. The bill was passed without amendment. In the House, on the second of March, it was taken up, read three times, and passed without amendment, and approved by the President on the third day of March, 1863.

No. L.--The Bill to promote the Efficiency of the Corps of Engineers, and of the Ordnance Department, and for other purposes.

In the House, on the thirteenth of June, 1862, Mr. Dunn, of Indiana, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to promote the efficiency of the corps of engineers, and of the commissary department, which was read twice, and its further consideration postponed. On the twenty-fourth, it was considered and recommitted, on motion of Mr. Dunn, to the Military Committee, with leave to report at any time. On the ninth of July, Mr. Dunn reported it back with amendments, which were concurred in, and the bill passed. The Senate, on the eleventh, referred it to the Military Committee, but no action was taken at that session.

In the Senate, on the thirteenth of February, Mr. Wilson introduced a bill to reorganize the corps of engineers, which was read twice, and referred to the Military Committee. On the seventeenth, Mr. Wilson reported back with an amendment. It was taken up for consideration on the twenty-sixth. It proposed to abolish the corps of topographical engineers, and to merge it into the corps of engineers, which were to have one chief engineer, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a major-general; two inspectors-general of fortifications, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of brigadier-generals; five colonels, ten lieutenant-colonels, twenty majors, thirty captains, thirty first lieutenants, and ten second lieutenants. The general officers provided were to be selected from the corps of engineers, and officers of all lower grades were to take rank according to their respective dates of commission in the existing corps of engineers or corps of topographical engineers. No officer of the corps of engineers was thereafter to be promoted to a higher grade before having passed a satisfactory examination before a board of three engineers, senior to him in rank; and should the officer fail at the examination, he was to be suspended from promotion for one year, when he should be reexmined, and, upon a second failure, should be dropped by the President from the army.

The Committee on Military Affairs reported as an amendment that there should be added to the ordnance department, one lieutenant-colonel, two majors, four captains, four first lieutenants, and eight second lieutenants. That there should be added to the officers in the quartermaster's department, by regular promotion, one colonel, four lieutenant-colonels, and eight majors; that the increase of rank and officers, and in the number of officers provided in sections four and five of the act should continue only during the existence of the present rebellion, and one year thereafter. The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Kennedy, of Maryland, moved to amend, by adding, that the President be authorized to confer upon the senior officer of the marine corps, the rank, pay, and emoluments of brigadier-general in lieu of the office of colonel commandant, and that the office of colonel commandant be abolished; and the amendment was agreed to. Mr. Grimes moved to lay the bill on the table — yeas, seven, nays, twenty-eight. On motion of Mr. Wilson, the amendment of Mr. Kennedy was reconsidered; but was agreed to — yeas, twenty-two; nays, thirteen. Mr. Wilson then moved to lay the bill on the table, as he could not vote for it after the adoption of Mr. Kennedy's amendment; but the motion was lost — yeas, fourteen, nays, twenty. On motion of Mr. Wilson, the bill was then recommitted, and not again reported.

In the Senate, on the twenty-first of January, 1863, Mr. Wilson,from the Military Committee, reported the House bill referred to the Committee on the eleventh of June, 1862. On the thirteenth of February, on motion of Mr. Wilson, it was recommitted; and on the twenty-eighth, Mr. Wilson reported it back with an amendment as a substitute.

On the second of March, the Senate proceeded to consider the substitute. It proposed to strike out all of the House bill and insert: “That the corps of topographical engineers, as a distinct branch of the army, is abolished, and is merged into the corps of engineers, which shall have one chief-engineer, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a brigadier-general; four colonels, ten lieutenant-colonels, twenty majors, thirty captains, thirty first lieutenants, and ten second lieutenants. That the general officer provided shall be selected from the corps of engineers as established, and that officers of all lower grades shall take rank according to their respective dates of commission in the existing corps of engineers or corps of topographical engineers. That no officer of the corps of engineers, below the rank of a field-officer, shall hereafter be promoted to a higher grade, before having passed a satisfactory examination before a board of three engineers, senior to him in rank; and should the officer fail at said examination, he shall be suspended from promotion for one year, when he shall be reexmined, and, upon a second failure, shall be dropped by the President from the army. That ”