Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-12-21
BRIG. Gen. GATHER
NOW OUT OF Army
Ranking Officer Maryland National
Guard Discharged
DECLARED PHYSICALLY UNFIT
entertaining To Reduce Weight Sc
riously Affects Heart Mary
Ianders Shocked.


terday in command Of the rigade at
Admission. Ala. was received by Mary
landers with expression of regret
The order relieving General Gather
of his command and of his commits
sion was signed yesterday by the
Secretary OF War, according to Official
information from the Bureau of Mill
tary Affairs.
The order was based upon the re-
port of the medical examining board
before which General Gather appear
ed last week. This board after a most
rigid examination reached the conclu-
sion that the Maryland soldier was
disqualified for the arduous service
required of brigade commanders in
the field.
1t seems that General Gather, when
mustered into the Federal service,
was 60 pounds over weight This
fact was temporarily waived by the
War Department because of the SPLEEN
did military record and high charac-
ter of the Marylander But ii was dis
tinctly understood at the time that the
General would be expected TO under
go a period of physical training de-
signed to reduce his weight within the
regulation limit
General Gather has been engaged
in this training for weeks, and has
succeeded in reducing his weight, but
in doing so he has seriously affected
not only his heart but his arteries.
Inffa al
that the War Department has felt
compelled to order his immediate re-
tirement from the service
IL can be stated authoritatively
that Secretary Baker and the General
STAFF as a whole are distressed over
the necessity Of relieving General
Gather from his command. War De-
partment officials generally regard
the Marylander as fine officer, one OF
the best, in fact, which the National
Guard of any State has produced He
won the highest esteem of the regular
service during his command of the
Maryland Brigade on the Mexican bor-
der last year and since he has been
at Admission he has been looked upon
as one one of the most capable COM
nanders in the field.
But the War Department has adopt
ed an memorable policy with respect
to physical qualifications for service
IN France. This policy was strongly
urged by Lieutenant-Gene Bridges
OF the British Army. when he came to
Washington as a member Of the Brit
ish War Mission. General Bridges
advised American army officers that
no man past the age of so years
should be sent abroad unless he was
in prime physical condition. The
terrific strain which field command
ers undergo on the firing line is such
as to break them unless they are as
tough as hickory, General Bridges
declared.
Since General Pershing has been in
France he has adopted the same view
OF the matter as urged by General
Bridges and has impressed upon the
War Department the necessity OF
sending to France only division and
brigade commanders whose physical
condition is beyond question
Governor Harrington and Adjutant
General Henry M. Warfield were
greatly surprised when told of the
examining boards decision last night.
Il am sorry" said the Governor.
General Gather is one of the best
specimens of true manhood have ever
known. His retirement will be
great loss to the Maryland forces, and
il will come as a personal loss to me.
General Gather always has had my
most profound admiration, both asa
soldier and as a citizen. In my es-
timation, he is a prince His retire
ment from the head of the Maryland
forces comes as a great shock to me-"
General Warfield was equally griev-
ed to learn of the Maryland command
cr's retirement.
Il am exceedingly sorry. ] am dis
tressed deeply" he said. General
Gather won the utmost regard of all
who served under him. They would
have followed him anywhere, ! know.
In his retirement the War Depart
ment is losing one of its best officers.
His popularity among the ranks of his
command placed him at decided adj
vantage. He was every inch COM
mander and, at the same time, real
friend to his men,"
30 Years In Military Life.
General Gather is 81 years old He
has seen 40 years service with the
MARYLAND forces. He comes from
fighting family, his father. George r.
Gather, having been an officer under
u. E. B. Stuart. the Confederate
cavalry leader. When the Civil War
broke ont the elder Gather organized
his own troop of cavalry among his
farmer neighbors of Howard County.
equipped them out of his pocket and
led them to the front.
In 1877, when the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad strike was on. men
were needed in the Fifth Regiment
General Gather. then healthy lad OF
I II. enlisted in the command, of which
I bis father then held the rank OF lieu
tenant-colonel. At the station from
which he departed in September to
1 lead The Maryland forces to Camp Nc
| Clellan the future general heard the
vhiz OF bullets for the first time
He then was a member of Company
II Of which unit he became second
lieutenant in 1881 In 1882 he was
chosen commander of Company G, aid
in 1855 lieutenant-colonel of the regi-
Uaent. being promoted TO the cclonelcy
.ao- -, ~.-fs-s, -.ozt ha remained