Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-08
Confers With Secretary Root
and Other Officials.
SUCCEEDS COL. SANGER
DISCUSSING HIS NEW DUTIES IN
THE DEPARTMENT.
To Be the Recipient of Social Atten-
tions-Military Career of the
New Assistant Secretary.

Gen. Robert Shaw Oliver Of Albany NY,
who succeeds Col. William Cary Sanger of
New York as assistant secretary of war;
arrived here this morning from his home
In Albany and spent the day at the War
Department in conference with Secretary
Root and other officials in regard to his
new duties
Secretary Root will entertain his new as
slstant, Gen. Oliver, at dinner at the
country Club this evening, to which the
Following named gentlemen have been in
Vited: Secretary Hitchcock. Postmaster
General Payne. Secretary Wilson, General
Young, General Corbin, General Carter,
General Randolph, General Gillespie, Cen
eral O'Reilly. General Bates. General Hum
phrey, Judge Magoon. Chief Clerk Scof. H.
Colonel Edwards and Mr. N. O. Chance,
private secretary to the Secretary of War.
General and Mrs. Corbn will give a din
ner in honor of General Oliver at their
residence tomorrow, at which most of the
gentlemen named above will be present.
Gen. divers Military Career.
General Robert Shaw Oliver was born
In Boston, Mass, ffty-six years ago. He
received his training at the military school
Of Marlborough Churchill at Ossining and
after graduation went directly into the
1854, he was commissioned a second lieu
tenant in the 9TH Massachusetts Cavalry
Although only seventeen years old he was
placed in command of his troop and two
weeks later took part in his first action
While serving before Petersburg he was
selected by General Cole to be his aid-de-
camp. On September g. 1865 he was ap-
pointed by General Clark to be assistant
adjutant general of the Sd Division, 25th
Army Corps then serving in Texas after
the close of the war
On the recommendation of his superior
officers he was commissioned second lieu
tenant 18th Infantry, February %, 1866
and after a short service in New York
harbor was again ordered to Texas with
his regiment as acting adjutant and later
received his promotion as first lieutenant,
18th Infantry. At his own request he was
transferred to the Sth United States Cav
airy, and appointed first lieutenant of that
regiment May z, 1867, and ordered to the
Pacific coast, where he served three years
In California, Oregon and Arizona in the
various Indian wars at that time. and was
promoted captain October 81, 1869.
After Leaving the Army.
After leaving the army he returned to the
east and moved from Boston to Albany,
and accepted a colonelcy Of the 10th Regi-
ment, August 25 1873; assistant adjutant
general, 9th Brigade, July IL. 1878; briga-
der general and inspector general of the
state of New York. January 1, 1880; briga-
dier general, 9th Brigade, January 10, 1888;
br1gadier general, Sd Brigade, December 30
1890, a position which he still holds, an al
most unbroken line of service for thirty
four years.
He Is a member of all of the prominent
clubs of Albany. In business, he is asso-
cfated with Rathbone, Sard & Co.. stove
manufacturers.
The Retiring Assistant Secretary.
William Cary Sanger of Sangerfleld, N.
Y, who is succeeded by Gen. Oliver, has
been assistant secretary of war since March
IA, 1901. when he succeeded George D. Mel
klejohn. He Is a graduate of Yale. Col
Sanger was born in Brooklyn N. Y, May
Fl, 1853 He took up the practice of law
and afterward devoted much of his time to
farming. At the outbreak of the Spanish
war he was sent by the adjutant general
to Chickamauga to report on the subject
or mobilizing the army, having devoted
much attention to military studies.
Then he was detailed to the pay depart
ment for service at Camp Alger, near this
city. He went abroad in 1900 to study the
British system Of auxiliary forces under In
structions from Secretary Root, a close
friend. Col. Sanger also was on intimate
terms with President Roosevelt when the
latter was governor Of New York.