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

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[53] such court should be convened; and if the court find him competent to command in the rank to which he is entitled, he should be restored. The amendment was disagreed to — yeas, forty-six; nays, sixty-nine. Mr. Kernan's amendment provided for the appointment of a board of officers, to consist of three major-generals, three brigadier-generals, and three colonels, to examine into the competency, fitness, and efficiency for command of major-generals and brigadier-generals, who should not be in the performance of duty on the first of July, 1864. The amendment was lost — yeas, seventy-two; nays, forty-five. It was referred by the Senate to the Committee on Military Affairs, and not reported.

In the House, on the eighth of December, 1864, Mr. Schenck, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to drop from the rolls of the army unemployed major-generals and brigadier-generals, which was read twice and recommitted to the Committee. On the fourteenth, Mr. Schenck from the Military Committee, reported it back with a recommendation that it do pass. It provided that all major and brigadier-generals in the military service, who on the fifteenth day of February, 1865, should not be in the performance of duty or service corresponding to their respective grades or rank, and who should not have been engaged in such duty or service for three months continuously next prior to that date, should be dropped from the rolls of the army. That thereafter, continuously, until the termination of the war, on the last day of each month, after the fifteenth day of February, 1865, the provisions of the bill should be made applicable to any general officer in the military service, who should not, on the last day of any month, have been engaged in the performance of duty or service corresponding to his proper rank for three months consecutively, then next preceding. Mr. Eldridge, of Wisconsin, demanded the yeas and nays, and they were ordered, and the bill passed — yeas, ninety-nine; nays, thirty-eight.

In the Senate, the bill was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On the twenty-second, Mr. Wilson reported, that “the Committee are unanimously of the opinion that economy, justice, and the efficiency and general interests of the military service alike demand that where general officers in the regular and volunteer forces of the United States are found to be unfit for commands, and who are consequently unemployed or employed on duty not corresponding to their rank, they should be mustered out of the service, and that the vacancies thus created should be filled by new promotions and appointments, in order that the officers of an inferior grade who are performing the duties proper to such general officers may be promoted to the rank and receive the pay, allowances, and emoluments of such general officers. But the Committee are of opinion that no fixed, inflexible rule of discrimination, such as is embodied in the joint resolution of the House of Representatives, could be adopted and executed consistently with equal and exact justice toward individual officers, and with the interests of the military service of the country. Justice and the public interests demand that the power to muster general officers out of the service of the United States should be exercised with much discrimination and care. The power of removal and the responsibility of action being now fully and completely vested in the President, the Committee unanimously report against the passage of the joint resolution of the House of Representatives.” On the sixth of January, the Senate, on motion of Mr. Wilson, proceeded to consider the bill. Mr. Wilson moved its indefinite postponement. The indefinite postponement of the bill was advocated by Mr. Wilson, Mr. Lane, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Powell, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Hendricks, and Mr. Johnson, and opposed by Mr. Trumbull, Mr. Conness, Mr. Davis, Mr. Howe, and Mr. Farwell. The question was then taken, and the motion was agreed to — yeas, twenty-eight; nays, eight.

No. Lv.--The Joint Resolution expressive of the Thanks of Congress to Major-General Joseph Hooker, and Major-General George G. Meade, and Major-General Oliver O. Howard, and the Officers and Men of the Army of the Potomac.

In the Senate, on the fourteenth of December, 1863, Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, introduced a joint resolution expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major-General Joseph Hooker, and Major-General George G. Meade, and the officers and soldiers of the army of the Potomac, which was read twice and referred to the Military Committee. On the eighth of January, 1864, Mr. Wilson reported it back without amendment. The Senate, on the eighteenth, on motion of Mr. Wilson, proceeded to the consideration of the resolution, which declared that the gratitude of the American people, and the thanks of their representatives in Congress, be tendered to Major-General Joseph Hooker, and the officers and soldiers of the army of the Potomac, for the skill, energy, and endurance which first covered Washington and Baltimore from the meditated blow of the advancing and powerful army of rebels led by General Robert E. Lee; and to Major-General George G. Meade, and Major-General Oliver O. Howard, and the officers and soldiers of that army, for the skill and heroic valor which at Gettysburgh repulsed, defeated, and drove back, broken and dispirited, beyond the Rappahannock, the veteran army of the rebellion. Mr. Grimes said: “As I have read the history of that campaign, the man who selected the position where the battle of Gettysburgh was fought, and who, indeed, fought it the first day, was General Howard, and to him the country is indebted as much for the credit of securing that victory as to any other person. I wish, therefore, as a recognition of his merits, to couple his name with that of General Meade, in the vote of thanks.” He moved to insert after the name of General Meade the name of Major-General Oliver O. Howard, and the amendment was agreed to. The joint resolution as amended then passed without a division.