Evening star., 1903-07-14
RESIGNED IN MARCH
Col, Sanger Has Long De-
sired to Leave.
NOT TO AWAIT OLIVER
HAS BEEN A VERY POPULAR Or
FICIAL.
The President and Secretary Of War
Very Reluctant to Part
With Him.

At a conference yesterday at Oyster Bay
between President Roosevelt and Secretary
Root it was decided to appoint Robert
Shaw Oliver of Albany to be assistant
secretary of war. to succeed William Cary
Sanger. resigned.
Assistant Secretary Sanger intends to re-
linquish his position as soon as possible.
and it is probable that he will leave be-
fore Mr.. Oliver comes to Washington. Col.
Sanger has been a very popular official,
especially among the high officers and
heads of bureaus in the department He
rendered his resignation last March, asking
to be relieved solely on account of the ILL
health OF Mrs. Sanger. which cOmpels her
to be away from Washington much of the
time. President Roosevelt and Secretary
Root were very reluctant to part with Col
Sanger. but they recognized the demand
upon him Imperative and finally made
the selection of his successor.
Col. Sanger has been assistant secretary
of war since March ii. 1901. when he sue
ceeded Col George d. Meiklejohn. re-
signed. He is a graduate of Yale. He
was born in Brooklyn. N. Y. May 81. 1853
He took up the practice of law and after
ward devoted much of his time to farming.
At the outbreak of the Spanish war he was
sent by the adjutant general to Chicka-
mauga to report on the subject of mobiiz-
ing the army. he having devoted much at
tention to military studies. Then he was
detailed to the pay department for ser
vice at Camp Alger. He went abroad in
1900 to study the British system of auXili-
AIRY forces under instructions from Secre-
tary Root. a close friend. Col. Sanger also
was intimate terms with President
Roosevelt when the latter was governor of
New York
1t has not been decided definitely when
Gen. Oliver will assume his new office. but
as Col. Sanger desires to relinqulSh his
duties soon as possible the probabilities
are that Gen. Oliver will undertake that
task as soon he can arrange his bust
ness affairs.
Military Record CT Gen. Oliver.
Gen. Oliver. who will become assistant
secretary of war, has been a resident of
Albany for the past thrty-three years. and
has long been prominent in the business
social and athletic life of that city and the
National Guard organization of the state.
He WAS born in Boston about sixty years
ago. and was boy at school at the begin
ming of the civil war. He wanted to enlist
among the first. but owing To his youth his
family succeeded in pcrSuadng hlm to post
pone his enlistment for time. In lsh2.
however. he obtained a commission as sec
ond lieutenant. and Joined the 9TH Mass1-
{ nuSettS Cavalry.
DESPITE his youth his service was such
;ls to attract Tn. attention of his SuperiOrS,
and later an aid the staff of the 18th
Army Corps
After the surrender of Gen Lee Gen.
Oliver went to the Rio Graude. where he
Was mustered out of the service. He re-
manned out of active service but short
time however, rejOning the regular cstab-
lishnleut in 1856 when he assigned : Il
second lieutenant to duty in the district of
Arizona.
IL was promoted to first lleutenanCy
and then to ii captaincy. In 1870 he resign
ed his commission, and in November OF
that year he married Miss Marion Kath-
bone chieSt daughter of Gen. John +. Rath-
bon. of Albany and went TO Albany to live
He was made a partner in the stove manu-
featuring firm of John +. Rathbone & Son,
now known as Rathbone Sard * Co.
In 1850 Gen. Oliver was appointed by Gov
Cornell inspector general of his staff. and
with Adjt. Gen. Frederick Townsend. WAS
instrumental in securing for the state the
state camp at Peckskill. When Gen. r
Ellery Lord resigned Gen. Oliver succeeded
him as brgadier general, commanding the
fifth brigade.
Gen. Oliver is n member of several Albany
clubs His second daughtc" Cora. recently
married Joseph Ii. ChOate. jr.. the son of
t he auba sStd0r to the court of st. James.
He has two other daughters. and one son,
who Is a graduate of Yale.