Looking Back

Compiled by Ryan Schlehuber

This Detroit Free Press article was printed in The St. Ignace Enterprise newspaper July 26, 1890, under the Mackinac Melange column:

Lieut-Col. Leslie Smith of South Norwalk, Ct., was a guest with his wife at the Hotel Cadillac yesterday. He was placed on the retired list of the regular army during the past year and purchased a handsome home and settled permanently at South Norwalk.

A considerable number of years ago, Col. Smith, then a major in rank, was in command of the garrison at Fort Mackinac. He had many friends and acquaintances in Detroit and Michigan but comes back to find that the scythe of time has almost completed the task of harvesting them.

His eyes were frequently moistened with the tears of saddened memory as he asked after this and that old-time friend, only to find that they had passed from mortal ken forever. After leaving Fort Mackinac, Col. Smith completed his military service in the far west, the last decade being passed without once returning east of the Missouri River.

Col. Smith and his wife are enroute to Mackinac Island for a summer vacation.

“The officer who is not in a position to save anything out of his salary during active service and finds it exceedingly difficult to live in comfort and make both ends meet on his retired pay,” Col. Smith said last evening. “Fortunately for myself, I was able, during the last few years of my active military life, to secure quite a handsome competence through real estate speculation in the western territories. Had I not been lucky in this regard, I should doubtless have had what is forcibly termed ‘hard sledding’ for the remainder of my life –– as do many of my brother officers who are retired.

“When a man’s whole life, or all the best years of it, at least, have been passed in the army, it is difficult for one to settle down to any sort of business,” Col. Smith continued. “As it is, I have been able to secure a very comfortable home in South Norwalk, a city of 13,000 inhabitants, which is only about an hour’s ride from New York City, and expect to end my days in comparative peace and quietness.”

Being asked as to the justice of President Harrison’s recent army promotions, Col. Smith said,” There is no justice about them, none whatsoever! Were the matter left to the army to decide, you may be very sure of the fact that President Harrison would never see the inside of the White House after his present term of office has expired. His promotions are all made on a political basis, regardless of justice and equity. President Cleveland, on the contrary, was universally popular in military circles.”

–– Detroit Free Press.