The Washington herald., 1918-01-28
Ranking American Of Group
Suffers Hurt to One Of :
.-. His Arms.
BAKER ASKS PERSHING
TO FORWARD DETAILS
Lieut.. Col. Kilbourne and
Maj. Joyce Also Vic :,
tins of Blast.

Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood was
wounded yesterday in France.
He was the victim Of an acci-
dental explosion. One arm was
slightly injured.
Announcement Of the accident
was made last night by the Secre-
tary of War.
Lieut.. Col. Charles E. KiIbourne
and Maj. Kenyon A. Joyce also
we're injured. Col. Kilbourne re-
oeived a wound in the eye and
Maj. Joyce's arm was hurt.
Five French soldiers were killed
outright.
Secretary Baker has cabIed Gen.
Pershing for full details. The la
comic dispatch from the American
commander contained nothing more
than a bare announcement Of the
accident.
Departments Statement.
The War Department statement fol-
lows:
"A cable dispatch from the head
quarters Of Gen. Pershing. just re-
ceived. stated that An accidental ex-
p, ,tsion, occurring today, killed i've
French soldiers and injured MAJ.
Gen Leonard Wood slightly in the
arm. Lieut. Col Charles E Kflbourne
in The eye. and Mai kenyon A joyce
in the arm
| Gen Wood has been iu France for
I some time. His presence at Gen. Per-
I shing's headquarters was learned
Friday
The information was allowed to
reach the public simultaneous with
the announcement Friday Of the tes-
timony OF Representative Medill Nc
Cormick, Of Illinois, before the Sen
ate Military Affairs Committee in De-
cember.
Lloyd George Wondered
I Mr.. Mccormick. at an executive ses-
sion Of the Senate probers. quotede
/ Lloyd George as expressing wonder
ment over what had become Of Gen.
Wood. The British premier was sur
| prised that so distinguished a soldier
should be buried" when the United
States was engaged in such a great
war.
The information obtained from
army authorities said that Gen. Wood
with others officers had gone TO
( France to study conditions for posi-
Bile service with the American expe-
ditionary forces.
Gen. Wood long has been recognized
the word over as one of the out
standing figures in American army
circles. He was the greatest advocate
of universal military training when
the agitation for preparedness was
in its incipiency. While in command
of the Department OF the East he
devoted much time and energy to the
Plattsburg Training Camp.
Critic of Unpreparedne.s.
! The major general was one OF the
/ chief critics OF the War Department.
In widely published speeches Gen.
Wood assailed the government for
its lack OF interest in preparing 10
meet what he considered the impend-
/ ing military crisis. He wanted thu
administration to wake up.
The general was called upon for an
! explanation of his action in per
mitting Col Roosevelt TO criticise the
I government in a speech to the men at
! Plattsburg.
1 Shortly thereafter the Department OF
the East, OF which Gen. Wood was IN
command, was divided into three sec
| tions-the Department Of the East.
department Of the Northeast, and
department Of the Southeast. Gen
Wood was removed from the COM
mand of the most important Of the
military departments and sent South.
He assumed command OF the Depart
ment of the Southeast, with head
! quarters at Charleston, S. {.
Sent to Kansas.
Subsequently he was relieved Of
command of this department. His
transfer then was 20 Camp Funston,
Kan. where he did great work IN
whipping into shape men enlisted for
military service through the seIectiye
draft.
Gen Wood entered the army as an
assistant surgeon in 1856. In that
capacity he was with the expedition
of the Fourth and Sixth cavaIries into
Mexico in lSS. He attained the rank
OF captain (medical department) IN
lSSl- Between that time and the be-
ginning Of the Spanish-American war
he retired from the army.
In 1895 Gen. Wood was made colonel
in command Of the First United States.
volunteer Cavalry (Roosevelt's Rough.
Riders). Immediately after the HATTIE
i OF Santiago. he was elevated TO brtga-
der general Roosevelt was made col
onel.
Cleaned Up Santiago.
As commandant of Santiago, Gen.
Wood cleaned mp the city for the FIRST
time In as years. He was Governor
General Of Cuba in the interim be-
tween Spanish rule and independence.
Following his successful work IN
Cuba, Gen. Wood was made a major
general and placed in command OF the
PHILIPPINES. He won the Philippine
war and was ordered back 70 the
Emitted States. ~
Gen. Wood was made Chief Of stan
on April p 1910. during President
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