The Washington times., 1902-07-22
COL. R. M. O'RBILLY TO
SUCCEED GEN. l0RW00D
Will Become Surgeon Cen
e al of the Army.
Duties to Begin in September - Long
and Brilliant Career
in Service.

The President has designated Col. r.
NJ O'Reilly to be Surgeon General OF
the Army to succeed General Forwood
who will retire September because OF
age.
Colonel O'Reilly. has been ordered to
report in Washington in time to assume
charge of the Medical Department on the
retirement of General Forwood
Colonel O'Reilly is considered one of
the ablest medical officers in the army,
and especially well fitted for the billet
of Surgeon General.
He was born in Pennsylvania and ap-
pointed from that State as medical
from the University of Pennsylvania as
an N. d.
In April. 1867. he was appointed an as
sistant surgeon. with the rank Of first
lieutenant, and after short service at
Fort Trumbull, Conn. he accompanied
recruits to California and Arizona. While
at Mud Springs, Cal. October 5. 1867, he
was wounded by the accidental discharge
of a revolver and was sent to Drum
Barracks for treatment and remained
until February. 1865. when he was made
post surgeon at Camp Mcpherson. Ariz.
In the Far West.
He was in the field on scout duty in
the fall of 1868 and the summer of 1869,
and was afterward post surgeon at Fort
Whipple, Ariz., chief medical officer for
the district Of Upper Arizona. and the.
post surgeon at Fort Halleck. In July.
1870. he accompanied Troop H, Of the
Union, n. NJ, and was with the troops
in the field in that State and Colorado
until October. 1870. After service in Ne
braska and Wyoming he was chief sur
geon of the Sioux expedition in March.
1874.
In June, 1875, he returned East and
served successfully at Fort McHenry,
Nd; Fort Hamilton. n. Y: Fort Ontario,
n. Y; Charleston. S. c., and Atlanta,
Ga. During this period he was with the
troops in Maryland and Pennsylvania
during the serious labor strikes In the
summer of 1877.
Physician to Mr.. Cleveland.
In June, 1882. Colonel o'Reilly began
his service In this city In the Office Of the
attending surgeon, and in October, 1884,
was made attending surgeon. While in
hat Office he was assigned to duty at
he White House and was the physician
20 President and Mrs. Cleveland. In No
rember. 1890. he was given leave of alb
'ence. In May, 1890, he was assigned to
luty at Fort Logan, CAL. and was with
he troops In the field in South Dakota |
against the hostile Sioux Indians in the |
winter Of 1890. Three years later-Feb- |
'uary. 1S93-he again returned to Wash |
ngton for duty as attending surgeon, |
md again served as President Cleve- |
and's family physician throughout Mr.. |
Ileveland's second administration.
In April. 1897, he was sent to Fort |
Wayne, Mich, and remained there one
-ear, when he was transferred to Mo-
,ile, Ala, where he served with the |
Nineteenth Infantry.
Spanish-American War.
Colonel O'Reilly was at that station at |
he outbreak of the Spanish war. and
vas appointed lieutenant colonel and |
kief surgeon Of volunteers. He was
uccessively chief surgeon of the First |
Division and then chief sur
,eon of the Fourth Army Corps at
'ampa. Fla. with General Schwan. He
vas member Of the commission ap- !
ointed to select winter camps for the
roops mobilized for the war. At the
lose of the war he was granted sick
cave of absence and assigned to special
uty in Washington. remaining here un-
ii October 1. 1898. when he proceeded to
Iavana, Cuba. as member of special
oard of officers. From October 20 to
december 2S, 1898, he was chief surgeon
n the staff of General Wade, president
( the commission on the Spanish evacu-
tion of Cuba. Later he served there
S chief surgeon of the Division Of Cuba
ntil November IL, 1899. when he was
transferred to Fort Monroe and placed
, command Of the Josiah Simpson
eneral Hospital. In December, 1901, he
as assigned to duty at San Francisco !
S chief surgeon of the Department of
alifornia and has remained there up to
lie date Of his present assignment.
Colonel O'Reilly stands high in his {
and is well qualified for the
nportant duties to which he has been
ssigned.