Evening star., 1943-05-09
Army Daughters President Recalls Stories
Of Sherman, Reed, Gorgus and Goethals

here at Washington Barracks when
he recommended that the troops be
sent to Gatthersburg in the sum-
mer to get away from what they then F..
called the bad river air. which
was really malaria"
Describing the Army's famous
doctor, who contributed SO much to
medical science by his discovery OF
the yellow fever mosquito. as a
lovable character, Mrs. Sew
all told an amusing incident which
occurred at West Point many years
ago.
"Diptheria had broken out" she
said, land fearing 1t might spread
to the corps Of cadets. the authori-
ties sent for DR.. Reed who was al
ready known as the Armys FORE
most biologist. He visited our home
and as he came out Of the house
one day, my brother, Walter, a very
small boy, was scrutinizing some
ants. He looked up at the doctor and
said I'm studyin' the little bugs
Or. Reed looked at him seriously and
replied, That's right. Walter. you
study bugs-one of the finest things
you can do Is to study bugs"
incidentally, Walter. instead Of
studying bugs, went to West Point
and became an Army flyer. He is
now Maj. Gen. Walter r. Weaver,
chief Of all technical training Of the
Army Air Forces.
rIoSA - u>s Eo<k>.
Mrs Sewall, the oldest Of two girls,
was close friend Of her father
and when he returned from his
office, he frequently discussed hap
penings during his busy days at the
War Department. She vividly re-
members his account of a visit one
day from Gen. George Goethals, who
had been summoned to Washington
oy President Theodore Roosevelt.
my father said that Gen. Goe-
thals came to his Office and, obviously
deeply stirred. asked If he might
talk to him. Father who had known
him since they had been cadets at
West Point. said, Certainly, George,
what can do for you?'
Gen. Goethas looked at father
and said, Weaver, I've Just left the
President and he's assigned me to
build the Panama Canal
Gen. Goethals, who was a very
reserved, quiet man, had been so
overcome by the tribute paid his
ability as an engineer that he was
upset emotionally and came to father
as the 'one man he could talk to at
that moment" Mrs. Sewall ex-
planned.
Recalls Gen. Wood.
| Other famous Army men. whose
memories are cherished by Mrs.
Sewall are, the late Gen. Leonard
Wood. Chief of Staff of the Army and
personal friend of Theodore Roose-
welt; Gen. William Gorgas, the
Army medical man in charge of
medical supervision and sanitation
during the building of the Panama
Canal, and Gen. John NJ Wilson,
at one time superintendent of the
Military Academy, whom she de-
scribed as q remarkable old man.
He would vault over a table every
year on his birthday" she laughed.
and declared that as long as he
could do that he would never grow
old"
Although an Army daughter"
who grew up surrounded by young
officers. Mrs. Sewalls two husbands
have been civilians. Her early en-
vironment among military leaders
left strong impression which car
ried over into civilian life, where
she soon became active in civic and
political circles in her first home,
Waltham, Mass. She was one OF
the most active participants in the
move for suffrage and campaigned
throughout the State of Massachu-
sets for the cause until it was
adopted into the Constitution.
Mrs. Sewall has one daughter
by her first marriage, now Mrs.
Bruce Hibbard Rowland of Toronto,
Canada. who is proving credit to
her distinguished heritage through
her contribution to the war effort
in her adopted country. She also
is member of the Society Daugh-
tiers of the United States Army,
which her mother heads as presi-
dent