<P> After the cavalry charged, the infantry, with fixed bayonets and tear gas (adamsite, an arsenical vomiting agent) entered the camps, evicting veterans, families, and camp followers . The veterans fled across the Anacostia River to their largest camp, and Hoover ordered the assault stopped . MacArthur chose to ignore the president and ordered a new attack, claiming that the Bonus March was an attempt to overthrow the US government; 55 veterans were injured and 135 arrested . A veteran's wife miscarried . When 12 - week - old Bernard Myers died in the hospital after being caught in the tear gas attack, a government investigation reported he died of enteritis, and a hospital spokesman said the tear gas "didn't do it any good ." </P> <P> During the military operation, Major Dwight D. Eisenhower, later the 34th president of the United States, served as one of MacArthur's junior aides . Believing it wrong for the Army's highest - ranking officer to lead an action against fellow American war veterans, he strongly advised MacArthur against taking any public role: "I told that dumb son - of - a-bitch not to go down there," he said later . "I told him it was no place for the Chief of Staff ." Despite his misgivings, Eisenhower later wrote the Army's official incident report that endorsed MacArthur's conduct . </P> <P> Joe Angelo, a decorated hero from the war who had saved Patton's life during the Meuse - Argonne offensive on September 26, 1918, approached him the day after to sway him . Patton, however, dismissed him quickly . This episode was said to represent the proverbial essence of the Bonus Army, each man the face of each side; Angelo the dejected loyal soldier, Patton the unmoved government instrument unconcerned with past duties . </P> <P> Though the Bonus Army incident did not derail the careers of the military officers involved, it proved politically disastrous for Hoover, and is considered to be a contributing factor leading to him losing the 1932 election in a landslide to Franklin D. Roosevelt . </P>

Who led army troops against protesters in washington dc during the summer of 1932