Evening star., 1925-05-25
GEN. CARTER DEAD
OF HEART DISEASE
Retired Officer, 73, Served
on First Board of Army
War College.

Maj. Gen. William Giles Fl. Carter,
II years old. u. $. A.. retired, who
served on the first board of the Army
War College. and on the first general
staff, died at his home, 2l25 Ban
croft place last night. Death was
due TO heart disease
Born near Nashville. Tenn, Novem-
her 10. 1851, Gen. Carter had the dis
tinction of entering the service of the
Union Army in the Department of
Cumberland, as a mounted dispatch
carrier, when only II years old. He
was appointed a cadet at West Point
when Is years old. and upon gradua-
ton in 1873, was assigned TO duty on
the Western frontier. where he con-
tinued in active service for "a years,
participating in many Indian cam
paigns. He was several times recon-
mended for brevet promotions. and
was awarded Medal of Honor by
Congress, and later awarded a Dis
tinguished Service medal.
While still in the grade of lieuten-
ant he was the subject in an order
from the headquarters of his regi-
ment, the 9Th Cavalry. from which
the following extracts are taken:
The colonel of the regiment takes
this opportunity TO bear testimony to
the many sterling qualities of Lieut.
Carter as an officer and gentleman"
GaIIantry i'm 1881.
He was adjutant as we'll as quarter
master during the Summer of 1881
and displayed distinguished gallantry
at both the battles of Cibicu and OF
Fort Apache in August and Septem-
Der. respectively. of that year.
Gen. Carter commanded his troop as
a captain of cavalry in the last cam
palgn on the plains and participated
in the last Indian fight, January !,
1891, near the mouth of Wounded
Knee Creek, S. D. In 1893, he was de-
tailed as an instructor in the Cavalry
Department of the Infantry and Cav
airy School for Officers. In 1897 he
was selected from the list of captains
by President Cleveland and promoted
10 major and ordered to serve in the
adjutant generals department. When
he reached the grade of colonel he was
selected by President Roosevelt as
brigadier general. \ few days after
the latter promotion he received a
special order to act as adjutant gen.
eral of the Army during any absence
of the adjutant general up to Novem-
Der l. 1902
While serving as assistant chief of
stall Gen. Carter was sent to Engla nd
and France to study systems of sup
plying horses to the armies of those
countries. Upon completion of this
duty he WIS ASST rned to comma nd the
Department of the ViSavaS in the
Philippine Islands. aand while there
was in charge of a brigade quelling an
tnSurrection in the Island of Sanar
After circumnavigating the globe he
returned 70 the United States and was
assigned to command the Department
of the Great Lakes. While serving in
that department he comma nded the
Joint manenver camps of the Regular
Army and National Guard in 1906 and
1908. In December. 1903, he was as
signed to command the Department. cf
Missouri with headouarters at Omaha
and was relieved early in the following
year and ordered to duty in the Philip
pine Islands.
Gen. Carter was ordered by the
former Secretary of War. Elihu Root,
to devise reorganization of the
Army and his services in bringing
ahout a reorganiZa ton of the general
staff were praised by the Secretary
of War in his annual report in the
following language:
Special credit is due Brig. Gen.
William II. Carter for the eXcep-
tional ability and Intiring industry
which he has contributed to the work
of devisinG, bringing about and put
ting into operation the general staff
law. He brought thorough and pa
tient historical research and wide ex-
perienCe. both in the line and the
staff. to the aid of long continued
anxious and concentrated thought
upon tho problem of improving mill
tary administration, and if the new
system shall prove an Improvement
the gain To the country will have
been due largely 10 him"
Literary Work Extensive.
Gen. Carter is the author of
Horses. Saddles and Brides" book
adopted by the War Department for
use of the Army and at the Military
Academy at West Point; From York
town to Santiago: "Old Army
Sketches and other books. as we'll
as numerous professional and literary
articles in ma agaZines.
He is survived BY his widow, Mrs
William II. Carter: son. Maj. Will
liam V. Carter of the adjutant gen
erals office. stationed at the Preside,
Calf; a brother. NaulX Carter. and a
sister. Mrs. Laura LanGford, both of
Canaan, \. Y.
Funeral arrangements have not
been completed, but it is announced
that services will he conducted at St.
Johns Episcopal Church, and inter
ment will be in Arlington Cemetery,
with full military hOnOrS