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The headquarters of the army are hereby reestablished at Washington City； and all orders and instructions relative to military operations or affecting the military control and discipline of the army issued by the President through the Secretary of War； shall be promulgated through the General of the Army； and the departments of the Adjutant…General and the…InspectorGeneral shall report to him； and be under his control in all matters relating thereto。
By order of the Secretary of War：
E。 D。 TOWNSEND； Adjutant…General。
This was all I had ever asked； accordingly my personal staff were brought back to Washington； where we resumed our old places； only I did not； for some time； bring back the family； and then only to a rented house on Fifteenth Street； which we occupied till we left Washington for good。 During the period from 1876 to 1884 we had as Secretaries of War in succession； the Hors。 Alphonso Taft； J。 D。 Cameron； George W。 McCrary； Alexander Ramsey； and R。 T。 Lincoln； with each and all of whom I was on terms of the moat intimate and friendly relations。
And here I will record of Washington that I saw it； under the magic hand of Alexander R。 Shepherd； grow from a straggling； ill…paved city； to one of the cleanest； moat beautiful； and attractive cities of the whole world。 Its climate is salubrious； with as much sunshine as any city of America。 The country immediately about it is naturally beautiful and romantic； especially up the Potomac； in the region of the Great Falls； and； though the soil be poor as compared with that of my present home； it is susceptible of easy improvement and embellishment。 The social advantages cannot be surpassed even in London； Paris； or Vienna； and among the resident population； the members of the Supreme Court； Senate； House of Representatives； army； navy； and the several executive departments； may be found an intellectual class one cannot encounter in our commercial and manufacturing cities。 The student may； without tax and without price； have access； in the libraries of Congress and of the several departments； to books of every nature and kind； and the museums of natural history are rapidly approaching a standard of comparison with the best of the world。 Yet it is the usual and proper center of political intrigue； from which the army especially should keep aloof； because the army must be true and faithful to the powers that be； and not be subjected to a temptation to favor one or other of the great parties into which our people have divided； and will continue to divide； it may be； with advantage to the whole。
It would be a labor of love for me； in this connection； to pay a tribute of respect； by name； to the many able and most patriotic officers with whom I was so long associated as the commanding generals of military divisions and departments； as well as staff…officers； but I must forego the temptation； because of the magnitude of the subject； certain that each and all of them will find biographers better posted and more capable than myself； and I would also like to make recognition of the hundreds of acts of most graceful hospitality on the part of the officers and families at our remote military posts in the days； of the 〃adobe；〃 the 〃jacal；〃 and 〃dug…out；〃 when a board floor and a shingle roof were luxuries expected by none except the commanding officer。 I can see； in memory； a beautiful young city…bred lady； who had married a poor second…lieutenant； and followed him to his post on the plains； whose quarters were in a 〃dug…out〃 ten feet by about fifteen； seven feet high； with a dirt roof； four feet of the walls were the natural earth； the other three of sod； with holes for windows and corn…sacks for curtains。 This little lady had her Saratoga trunk； which was the chief article of furniture； yet； by means of a rug on the ground…floor； a few candle…boxes covered with red cotton calico for seats； a table improvised out of a barrel…head； and a fireplace and chimney excavated in the back wall or bank； she had transformed her 〃hole in the ground〃 into a most attractive home for her young warrior husband； and she entertained me with a supper consisting of the best of coffee； fried ham； cakes； and jellies from the commissary； which made on my mind an impression more lasting than have any one of the hundreds of magnificent banquets I have since attended in the palaces and mansions of our own and foreign lands。
Still more would I like to go over again the many magnificent trips made across the interior plains； mountains； and deserts before the days of the completed Pacific Railroad； with regular 〃Doughertys〃 drawn by four smart mules； one soldier with carbine or loaded musket in hand seated alongside the driver； two in the back seat with loaded rifles swung in the loops made for them； the lightest kind of baggage； and generally a bag of oats to supplement the grass； and to attach the mules to their camp。 With an outfit of two； three； or four of such； I have made journeys of as much as eighteen hundred miles in a single season； usually from post to post； averaging in distance about two hundred miles a week； with as much regularity as is done today by the steam…car its five hundred miles a day； but those days are gone； and； though I recognize the great national advantages of the more rapid locomotion； I cannot help occasionally regretting the change。 One instance in 1866 rises in my memory； which I must record： Returning eastward from Fort Garland； we ascended the Rocky Mountains to the Sangre…de… Cristo Pass。 The road descending the mountain was very rough and sidling。 I got out with my rifle； and walked ahead about four miles； where I awaited my 〃Dougherty。〃 After an hour or so I saw； coming down the road； a wagon； and did not recognize it as my own till quite near。 It had been upset； the top all mashed in； and no means at hand for repairs。 I consequently turned aside from the main road to a camp of cavalry near the Spanish Peaks； where we were most hospitably received by Major A and his accomplished wife。 They occupied a large hospital…tent； which about a dozen beautiful greyhounds were free to enter at will。 The ambulance was repaired； and the next morning we renewed our journey； escorted by the major and his wife on their fine saddle…horses。
They accompanied us about ten miles of the way； and； though age has since begun to tell on them； I shall ever remember them in their pride and strength as they galloped alongside our wagons down the long slopes of the Spanish Peaks in a driving snow…storm。
And yet again would it be a pleasant task to recall the many banquets and feasts of the various associations of officers and soldiers； who had fought the good battles of the civil war； in which I shared as a guest or host； when we could indulge in a reasonable amount of glorification at deeds done and recorded； with wit； humor； and song； these when memory was fresh； and when the old soldiers were made welcome to the best of cheer and applause in every city and town of the land。 But no！ I must hurry to my conclusion； for this journey has already been sufficiently prolonged。
I had always intended to divide time with my natural successor； General P。 H。 Sheridan； and e