Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-22

The notification OF the sudden death Of
Brigadier General Theodore j. Whit at
Hotel Normandie, Philadelphia, Thursday
morning at 2 o'clock, was received at
army headquarters in Omaha, where he
was stationed. at an early hour Thursday
morning with profound sorrow.
Only a few days ago the intelligence
was received here that General Whit had
improved so materially from his illness as
to be removed from the hospital to the
hotel and every hope was entertained Of
his speedy recovery. This information was
received direct from General Whit him
self
His illness was a general breaking down
of his system from many years of active
service in the army, dating from his first
enlistment as a private soldier in Penn
sylvania cavalry regiment in 1861. He had
been in active army service since, rising
from the grade of private IN the volunteer
army to that of a brigadier general in the
regular establishment every step of his
promotion being the merited reward or
gallantry and heroism. He was slightly
wounded during the civil war at the battle
of South Mountain and received severe
wound in the leg while major of the Tenth
| United States cavalry at the battle Of San
! Juan ttlll, May - loVoi III N4S HfS''A'''
American war. 1t was this latter wound
that gave General Whit the limp that was
so we'll known to his host Of Omaha friends
Thrown from Auto.
He was also injured by being thrown
from an automobile during the army ma
neuvers at Fort Riley in 1906, while he was
! in command of the maneuver camp there.
He also suffered a slight injury at Fort
/ Des Moines a short while thereafter by
| being thrown from a horse However,
these injuries were but slight and never
seriously disconnected him.
! on a recent visit TO the western posts, In
company with Secretary Of War Taft Gen
eral Whit was taken seriously i'll at Chey-
! cnne and returned to Omaha. Ever I'M
complaining, rugged and hearty, he was not
prone to mention his illness and few knew
! of his disabilities.
General Whit was a native Of Pennsyl-
vania. He entered the service as private IN
/ Company F, Sixth Pennsylvania cavalry
! October r. 1861, and served in that COM
| pany as corporal and sergeant. July l.
1864 he was commissioned first lieutenant
in the same regiment, serving until Sep
| TENDER 30 Of the same year. He enlisted
| as private in the regular army February
] 90 1865, and November "a OF the same year
] was commissioned as second lieutenant III
the Fourth cavalry, accepting December l.
He was promoted to first lieutenantcy May
g. 1865; captain, April p, 1872; major, Tenth
cavalry, May 6, 1892; lieutenant colonel
Sixth cavalry, April 8, 1899; colonel Feb
ruary g. 1901; brigadier general June 3
1902
Most Notable Potomac Battles.
During his service in the volunteer army
In the civil war General Whit participated
in the most notable battles of the Potomac
| army.
After the war he was actively engaged
in Indian campaigns against the Com
manches and Southern Cheyennes in Texas
Indian Territory and New Mexico, as q
| subaItern officer in the Fourth United
states cavalry one of the most notable
OF these was the Miles expedition agains
the noted Southern Cheyenne chief, stone
Calf. in ls74-5 in which General Wint dis
tinguished himself for conspicuous gal
Iantry. He subsequently engaged in thu
campaign against the klamath Indians n
oregon, with his regiment the Fourth
cavalry He was made major OF the Tent
cavalry in 1892 and much OF the efficiency
! OF that regiment Is due 10 his energy an,
example. He was in practical command o