The San Francisco call., 1898-07-09
MAJOR WHITE
 IS SUDDENLY
 DISPLACED No Longer on the Re-
 tiring Board. SUCCEEDED BY ISAAC P. WARE HAS COLONEL MORRIS CAUSED SOMETHING TO DRoPp
SUCCEEDED BY ISAAC P. WARE
Two Interesting Stories About Major Whites Connection With Gen. eral Merritt's Staff and
 the Retiring Board.

Information was received In San Fran ciso from Washington yesterday that Major R. H. White, United States army surgeon, had been removed from the re- tiring board and that Captain Isaac r. Ware, assistant surgeon, had been ap- pointed in his place. This sudden and unexpected action on the part of the War Department no doubt will cause some surprise as well as comment in local mili- tary circles, as the cause of this retire ment is not generally known.
 There is, however, an interesting story quietly told in connection with this mat ter. Major White, who was post surgeon for some time prior to three months ago, at the Presidio, was appointed assistant to the chief surgeon of the Philippine eX- pedtionary forces on Major General Mer- ritt's staff, but when Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lippincott was made chief sur geon on the staff Major White, for some reason, raised objection, so the story goes, as he did not wish to be subordinate to Lippincott. Whether his objections were owing to some personal reasons or were caused by jealousy is not known to those not fully conversant with the m side secrets of the affair, but some 1eW people are inclined to ascribe his acton to the latter cause. However, the rela- tions between Major White and his su- periors became decidedly strained owing to his conduct. -
 Whites sudden displacement from the re- tiring board there comes another story, equally interesting.
 One day a few weeks ago Lieutenant Colonel Louis T. Morris, commandant or the Presidio, received telegram rom the War Department, notifying him to appear before the retiring board. It was as much a surprise to him as if one or al -lN iIC al walks had exploded in front of him.
 In due time the retiring board met, and its sessions were decidedly warm al times, being made so by the redhot snoIs fired at Major White by Lieutenant Col onel Morris, who believed that the sum- mons to appear for examination had been instigated by White.
 It is said that for long time anytmng but a friendly feeling has existed be- tween these two officers: It seems that the heart of Lieutenant Colonel Morris IS not perfect heart, although It IS Tn the right place, and very large. 5hSslca.ly S hd y known it for years. It was propabiy feared by Surgeon White that Morris might drop dead on the field of battle. Morris, however, insisted that he might as well fall dead there as anywhere else. and that in fact, he preferred to fall on the fleld of battle rather than be igno- minicusly pushed out of the service, so long as he was entitled to remain. Lieu tenant Colonel Morris did not hesitate to boldly intimate that he was being made the victim of some underhanded clique, and he made pertinent inquiries of the board, with a view of getting at the bot tom of the mysterious affair, but without gaining his object. His language was not at all times clothed in the mildest terms, but to show that he was not at all afraid of the results he requested that all that he said should be taken down in writing, which was done. Colonel Morris not only scored Major White before the board, but has continued to do so at every oppor- tunity ever since its adjournment.
 Meantime he has been acting on the de- fensive He has laid the matter before the proper authorities at Washington, and has enlisted the influence of several prom inent men in his behalf. The decision of the board is still hanging fire. It may be not at all improbable that Lieutenant Colonel Morris has caused something to drop. He is too gallant a veteran to be politely booted into retirement, and too pugnacious to allow it without making a most vigorous fight against it. He will not reach the retiring age until 1904. He serv- ed throughout the Civil War beginning his active military career as a first lieu tenant of the Nineteenth Infantry, and rising to the rank of captain. He was several times brevetted for gallant and meritorious services on the field of battle in the Atlanta campaign and during the battle of Nashville. His highest brevet rank was major. He was in the field with the Army of the West and participated in the campaigns of 1S63-64, and fought in Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Buzzard Roost, Dalton. Resaca, New Hope Chuch, Peach Tree Creek Atlanta, Columbia Franklin and Nashville and after the war