Evening star., 1931-12-21
GEN. NICHOLSON, Is,
DIES At HOME HERE
Commander Who Served
With Distinction in War Sue
cumbs to Long Illness.

commander of the 157th Brigade of the
10th Division, composed of Baltimore
and Pennsylvania regiments, died yes
terday at his home in the Connecticut
Apartments after a long illness. He
would have been 76 years old next
month.
During the past Summer, in Colorado
Gen. Nicholson suffered a stroke OF
paralysis. For the last four months
/, recovery. Up to the time he was
stricken the veteran campaigner had
been in excellent health.
Gen. Nicholson was descended from a
Washington family that had been
prominent in every war of the United
States. He retired from the Army in
1920 after a distinguished career of AZ
years, during which he took part in
early Indian campaigns with the famous
7th Cavalry, the SpanishAmerican
War and eliminated his service in
France. For gallantry in action he was
decorated both by this country and
France.
Last Rites Tomorrow.
He will be buried in Arlington Ma
.ional Cemetery tomorrow with full mill
tary hOnors. Services will be held at
theW's Church. with Right Rev. Mgr.
Edward L. Buckley the pastor, officiating,
The honorary pallbearers were an
nounced today as follows: Representa-
tive Royal C. johnson CT South Dakota,
Maj. Gen. E. L. King, c. Phillips HILL
Col Robert M Beck, Maj. Gen. Guy D.
Henry, Col Charles B. Moore, Ben Mil
ler. Col. John Herr. Col c. B. Sweevy,
Brig. Gen. Charles D. Drake, Col. Nell
son Jackson and Maj. Gen. David G.
ShankS.
Scion of Old Family.
Gen. Nicholson, who was born here
January Is, 1856. was a descendant Of
two of Washington'S oldest families.
His father was Commodore Somer-
vile Nicholson, l. S. N, and his
mother was the daughter Of DR.. Will
liam Jones. a medical officer at the
Battle of Bladensburg during the War
OF 1912 and three times postmaster of
Washington DR.. Jones also was one
citation of Oldest Inhabitants
Gen. Nlcholson's grandfather was
MAJ. Augustus Nicholson. the first
quartermaSter of the United States
Marine Corps. and great grandfather
on his fathers side was Leonard Lis
penard of New York. who married a
Helen Roosevelt, relative of the fam
lily Of Theodore Roosevelt of New York.
Through his mothers branch, Gen.
Nicholson was connected with the Cor
Coran family in Washington. His
grandfather, Capt. Thomas Cor
cOran, formerly a mayor of old George
town, was the father of William w.
COrcoran, one of Washington's most
distinguished citizens and founder of
the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Gen. Nicholson, a Catholic. attended
school in Washington taught by the
Christian fathers, and in 1919 was made
an honorary doctor of laws of George
town University with which institution
he had close relations because of his
activities in the church and by reason
Of family connections. In 186768 he
had attended the Georgetown Prepara-
tary School
In choosing a military career he fol-
lowed the example Of his ancestors
since the foundation of the Republic
There has not been war in which
some member of the Nicholson family
has not fought. His brother. Rear Ad-
riral Reginald Fairfax Nicholson. re-
tired. has had q lcng and distinguished
career in the Navy.
Grant Gave Commission.
It was August IS. 1876. that he re-
ceived his commission from Gen. Grant
as second lieutenant and was as
signed to the famous 7th Cavalry
shortly after the massacre of Gen.
Custer its commander and the troops
under him.
He served with this fighting outfit
81 years, a record which, it is believed,
never has been equaled in the
Army, and rose to the rank of colonel
Of regiment, which he attained August
"a. 1912.
During these years with the 7th Cav
airy, Gen. Nicholson fought in the
Apache, Nez Perez and Sioux cam
paigns and took part in the battle of
Wounded Knee, in 1889. He often
when he pictured every rock and other
obstruction at night as "redskin"
AfterWard he commanded the I'd
Cavalry and later the 18th Cavalry
He was in command of the latter regi-
ment in the Mexican punitive expedi-
ton, under Gen. John j. Pershing, who
later was to become his commander
In chief in France. During the Span
ish-American War he had been men,
Der of Gen. Sangers staff in Cuba
After the outbreak of the World War
when a wave of preparedness swept
this country, Gen. Nicholson. in 1915
then still a colonel, commanded the
first training camp for business men
at Fort Sheridan. When the United
States entered the war he was ap-
pointed a brigadier general Of the Ma
tional Army August 5, 1917. He went
back to Fort Sheridan to command tor
a while the first citizens training camp
there
Camp Meade Commander.
Later, in 1917. he was commanding
officer at Camp Meade. and many
Washington men who trained there re-
member him we'll. Early in 1918 he
was in command at Camp Upton. In
these two periods thousands of citizen
soldiers were trained under his capa-
BILE leadership for overseas duty.
But Gen. Nicholson was too valuable
and experienced a soldier to be kept on
this side when there was fighting to do
AS commander of the 157th Brigade
composed Of Pennsylvania troops and
the 3l3th Regiment Baltimores Own
Gen. Nicholson served valiantly in
France with the 18th Division. He par
ticipated in the Avecourt Sector, The
se-Argonnne offensive and the BoiS
Belleu-Cote $50 Sector, November tc
IL, when the armistice ended hostiltieS
His most notable achievement was in
connection with the capture of Mont
faucon in the Argonne in which his
command played the leading part.
For his conduct overseas, Gen. Nichol-
son received the Distinguished Service
Medal for exceptionally meritorious
and distinguished services and the Dis
tinguished Service Cross for "distin-
guiShed and exceptional gallantry
at Bois de Bouge on September
30, 1918" He was also made an Of
flcer of the French Legion of Honor.
Familiarly known as old Mich" he
was the idol of the men who fought
under him. Tall thin, wiry, his hair anc
muStach white, always carrying rid.
ing crop and always affable, yet never
losing the poise of a commander, Gen
Nicholson was born soldier.
On .JanIarV r1Jh1jf