Edmund Wittenmyer (April 25, 1862 − July 5, 1937) was a career officer in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
. A veteran of the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
and
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, in addition to several other conflicts, he attained the rank of
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
and was most notable for his service as commander of 153rd Infantry Brigade,
77th Division and the
7th Division during World War I.
Early life
Edmund Wittenmyer was born in
Buford, Ohio
Buford is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in central Clay Township, Highland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 352 at the 2010 census. it once had a post office, with the ZIP code 45110. The current ZIP co ...
on April 25, 1862, a son of Daniel G. Wittenmyer and Rebecca Ann (Murphy) Wittenmyer. He was educated in the schools of
Highland County, Ohio
Highland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,317. Its county seat is Hillsboro. The county is named for the topography which is hilly and divides the watersheds of the Little Mia ...
and at age 15 he began teaching school in
West Union, Ohio
West Union is a village in Adams County, Ohio, United States, about southeast of Cincinnati. The population was 3,241 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Adams County. West Union is served by West Union High School, the Adams County ...
. In 1883 he was accepted to the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
. He graduated in 1887, ranked 55th in a class of 64. Among his fellow classmates included several
general officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...
s of the future, such as
Charles Gerhardt,
Charles S. Farnsworth,
Nathaniel Fish McClure
Nathaniel Fish McClure (July 21, 1865 – June 26, 1942) was a United States Army officer in the early 20th century who became a brigadier general. He served in several conflicts, including World War I.
Early life and education
Nathaniel Fish ...
,
Michael Joseph Lenihan
Brigadier General Michael Joseph Lenihan (May 2, 1865 – August 13, 1958) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He was involved in conflicts in the American Western Frontier, the Philippines, and World War I, where he commanded the 83r ...
,
Herman Hall
Herman Hall (June 6, 1864 – September 6, 1928) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in several conflicts, including World War I.
Biography
Hall was born on June 6, 1864, in Carthage, Illinois. H ...
,
William Weigel
Major General William Weigel (August 25, 1863 – March 4, 1936) was a United States Army officer who, throughout his long military career, served in numerous conflicts and wars, most notably towards the end of World War I, commanding the 56th Bri ...
,
Ernest Hinds
Ernest Hinds (August 18, 1864 - June 17, 1941) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and World War I, he attained the rank of major general and was notable for his ser ...
,
Mark L. Hersey
Mark Leslie Hersey (December 1, 1863 – January 22, 1934) was a major general in the United States Army who commanded the 4th Division during World War I.
Early life and education
Hersey was born in Maine on December 1, 1863, the son of George ...
,
James Theodore Dean
James Theodore Dean (May 12, 1865 – June 15, 1939) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Biography
Dean was born on May 12, 1865, in Ironton, Ohio. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1 ...
,
Frank Herman Albright
Frank Herman Albright (August 2, 1865 – July 21, 1940) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I, he attained the rank of brigadier general, and was most nota ...
,
Marcus Daniel Cronin
Marcus Daniel Cronin (9 January 1865 – 12 August 1936) was a United States military officer. He served in a number of conflicts, including the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War and World War I.
Early life and education
Cronin ...
,
George Owen Squier
Major General George Owen Squier (March 21, 1865 – March 24, 1934) was born in Dryden, Michigan, United States. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in the Class of 1887 and received a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1893 ...
,
Thomas Grafton Hanson
Brigadier General Thomas Grafton Hanson (May 1, 1865 – May 23, 1945) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in several conflicts, including World War I, during which he commanded the 89th Infantry ...
,
George Washington Gatchell
Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General George Washington Gatchell (February 22, 1865 – February 4, 1939) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in several conflicts, including the Sio ...
,
Alexander Lucian Dade
Alexander Lucian Dade (18 July 1863 – 8 January 1927) was a United States military officer. He took part in a number of U.S. military conflicts, including the Spanish–American War and Philippine–American War.
Early life and education
Dad ...
and
Ulysses G. McAlexander
Major General Ulysses Grant McAlexander (30 August 1864 – 18 September 1936) was an American officer who served in the United States Army. He was heavily decorated for valor, and is one of the iconic fighting men of the American Expeditionary Fo ...
.
Start of career
Witenmyer was commissioned a
second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
of
Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
and assigned to the
9th Infantry Regiment. He was posted to
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
Barracks,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, where he remained until 1891. In 1892, he was posted to
Fort Wingate
Fort Wingate was a military installation near Gallup, New Mexico. There were two other locations in New Mexico called Fort Wingate: Seboyeta, New Mexico (1849–1862) and San Rafael, New Mexico (1862–1868). The most recent Fort Wingate (186 ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
. In 1893, he was on duty at the
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordi ...
in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
.
Wittenmyer was a student at the
Infantry and Cavalry School from 1893 to 1895, and was promoted to
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
in 1894. He then served with the
15th Infantry at
Fort Sheridan, Illinois
Fort Sheridan is a residential neighborhood within the cities of Lake Forest, Illinois, Lake Forest, Highwood, Illinois, Highwood, and Highland Park, Illinois, Highland Park in Lake County, Illinois, Lake County, Illinois, United States. It was or ...
and
Fort Bayard, New Mexico
Fort Bayard is an unincorporated community, in Grant County, New Mexico, United States.
History
In 1888, Kentuckian chaplain Allen Allensworth moved with his regiment to Fort Bayard, becoming a military educator. In 1889, Allensworth published ...
. While at Fort Bayard he served first as regimental
quartermaster
Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In m ...
, and then as regimental
adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
.
During the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
, he was first posted to
Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County in southeast Arizona, appr ...
,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, where his regiment conducted security patrols on the
Mexico–United States border
The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traver ...
. In November 1898, he was in
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...
with his regiment awaiting transport to
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. In January 1899, he was assigned to duty in
Puerto Principe
Port-au-Prince ( , ; ht, Pòtoprens ) is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,311 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is defin ...
. In March, 1899 he was promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
.
In July 1899, Wittenmyer returned to the United States with the 15th Infantry. Again assigned as regimental
adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
, Wittenmyer was with the 15th Infantry in the autumn of 1899, when it participated in the
China Relief Expedition
The China Relief Expedition was an expedition in China undertaken by the United States Armed Forces to rescue United States citizens, European nationals, and other foreign nationals during the latter years of the Boxer Rebellion, which lasted f ...
. When the Army organized forces in China into brigades, Wittenmyer was appointed adjutant of the Second Brigade. He was then appointed to command of
Company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
D, 15th Infantry, which was assigned to
Legaspi, Cagdianao during the
Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. He participated in several expeditions against Filipino insurgents until February 1902, when he was assigned to temporary paymaster duty in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
. He returned to the United States in April 1903 and performed paymaster duties in the
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
office of the
Paymaster General
His Majesty's Paymaster General or HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The incumbent Paymaster General is Jeremy Quin MP.
History
The post was created in 1836 by the merger of the posit ...
.
Continued career
In March 1906, Wittenmyer was assigned to the
5th Infantry at
Plattsburgh Barracks
The "Old Stone Barracks" is the last remaining structure of a proposed quadrangle of early U.S. Army barracks built at Plattsburgh, New York in 1838. Of the four main buildings initially planned for the Plattsburgh post, only two were ever con ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. In October 1906, his regiment deployed as part of the Army of Cuban Pacification during the
Second Occupation of Cuba
The Provisional Government of Cuba lasted from September 1906 to February 1909. This period was also referred to as the Second Occupation of Cuba.
When the government of Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma collapsed, U.S. President Theodore R ...
, and he served there until 1908. Upon returning to the United States, Wittenmyer was assigned as the 5th Infantry's adjutant, a post he held until January 1910.
Wittenmyer served on the Army General Staff from January 1910 to March 1911. In February 1911, he was promoted to
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
. In April 1911, he was a member of an Army board that considered locations for Army and National Guard training sites. After serving on the War College staff, Wittenmyer was assigned to the
27th Infantry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. In February 1913, he was with the 27th Infantry when it was posted to
Texas City, Texas
Texas City is a city in Galveston County, Texas, Galveston County in the U.S. state of Texas. Located on the southwest shoreline of Galveston Bay, Texas City is a busy deepwater port on Texas's Gulf Coast, as well as a petroleum-refining and pe ...
for border security during the
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
.
In July 1913, Wittenmyer was assigned as U.S. military
attaché
In diplomacy, an attaché is a person who is assigned ("to be attached") to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency. Although a loanword from French, in English the word is not modified accor ...
in
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. , Cuba and military advisor to the
president of Cuba
The president of Cuba ( es, Presidente de Cuba), officially the president of the Republic of Cuba ( es, Presidente de la República de Cuba), is the head of state of Cuba. The office in its current form was established under the Constitution of ...
. He remained in this post until the summer of 1917, and was promoted to
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
in July 1916 and
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in May 1917, a month after the
American entry into World War I
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry
...
.
World War I
In August 1917, Wittenmyer was promoted to temporary
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
for
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and assigned to command of the 153rd Infantry Brigade, a unit of the
77th Division. The brigade served in France beginning in April 1918, including completing its training in the
Calais
Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...
Sector before relieving the
42nd Division on the front lines of the
Baccarat
Baccarat or baccara (; ) is a card game played at casinos. It is a comparing card game played between two hands, the "player" and the "banker". Each baccarat coup (round of play) has three possible outcomes: "player" (player has the higher score ...
Sector in June 1918.
On August 3, 1918, Wittenmyer's brigade transferred to the
Vesle
The Vesle () is the river on which the city of Reims stands. It is a fourth order river of France and a left-bank tributary of the Aisne. It is long, and rises in the ''département'' of Marne through which it flows most of its course.
Geography ...
Sector with the 77th Division, where it remained until August 13, when it took part in offensive operations to cross the Vesle River and advance to the
Aisne River
The Aisne ( , , ) is a river in northeastern France. It is a left tributary of the Oise. It gave its name to the French department of Aisne. It was known in the Roman period as Axona.
The river rises in the forest of Argonne, at Rembercour ...
. The 77th Division then marched to the
Argonne Sector, where it occupied defensive positions until September 25, when it took part in the
Meuse–Argonne offensive
The Meuse–Argonne offensive (also known as the Meuse River–Argonne Forest offensive, the Battles of the Meuse–Argonne, and the Meuse–Argonne campaign) was a major part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along th ...
.
Wittenmyer was promoted to
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
with an effective date of October 1, 1918. The 153rd Brigade remained on the offensive until October 15, including the capture of
Saint-Juvin
Saint-Juvin () is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Ardennes department
The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France.
The communes coopera ...
from the
Germans
, native_name_lang = de
, region1 =
, pop1 = 72,650,269
, region2 =
, pop2 = 534,000
, region3 =
, pop3 = 157,000
3,322,405
, region4 =
, pop4 = ...
. On October 24, Wittenmyer assumed command of the
7th Division, which took part in the final offensive of the war as part of
Second United States Army
Second Army was most recently located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as a Direct Reporting Unit to Headquarters U.S. Army, Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6. Under the CIO/G-6, Second Army served as the single point of contact for Army missions an ...
. After
the armistice ended the war, Wittenmyer remained in command of the 7th Division as it occupied positions near
Toul
Toul () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.
It is a sub-prefecture of the department.
Geography
Toul is between Commercy and Nancy, and the river Moselle and Canal de la Marne au Rhin.
Climate
Toul h ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
For his World War I service, Wittenmyer received the
Army Distinguished Service Medal
The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...
. In addition, he was awarded France's
Legion of Honor
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
(Commander) and
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
with Palm.
Army Distinguished Service Medal citation
Post-World War I
Wittenmyer took part in the post-war
occupation of Germany
Germany was already de facto occupied by the Allies from the real fall of Nazi Germany in World War II on 8 May 1945 to the establishment of the East Germany on 7 October 1949. The Allies (United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and France ...
. He remained in command of the 7th Division, except for brief periods of leave, until it returned to the United States. The 7th Division was demobilized on June 20, 1919.
After the war, Wittenmyer was reduced to his permanent rank of colonel and assigned as chief of staff for the
Ninth Corps Area
A Corps area was a geographically-based organizational structure (military district) of the United States Army used to accomplish administrative, training and tactical tasks from 1920 to 1942. Each corps area included divisions of the Regular Army ...
. In 1922, he was promoted to permanent brigadier general and assigned as commander of
Fort D. A. Russell,
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
. He remained in command until he retired in August 1923.
Retirement and death
Wittenmyer never married, and had no children. In retirement, he lived with a sister in law and her family near
Peebles, Ohio
Peebles is a village in Meigs Township, Adams County, Ohio, United States. It is sixty-four miles east of Cincinnati. The population was 1,782 at the 2010 census.
History
Peebles was founded in 1881 with the building of the railroad through t ...
and operated a farm in nearby Lawshe,
Meigs Township. In 1930, Congress enacted legislation allowing general officers from World War I to retire at the highest rank they had held, and Wittenmyer was promoted to major general on the retired list.
In 1936, Wittenmyer became ill after an auto accident, and sought treatment at the
military hospital
A military hospital is a hospital owned and operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a ...
in
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is a resort city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Garland County. The city is located in the Ouachita Mountains among the U.S. Interior Highlands, and is set among several natural hot springs for which the city is n ...
. He was diagnosed with cancer, and his left arm was amputated in an effort to halt the spread.
Wittenmyer's health did not improve after the amputation, and he died at
Walter Reed Hospital on July 5, 1937. He was buried at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
.
Photos
References
Sources
Books
*
*
*
*
*
*
Internet
*
External links
Arlington National Cemetery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wittenmyer, Edmund
1862 births
1937 deaths
United States Army Infantry Branch personnel
People from Highland County, Ohio
People from Adams County, Ohio
United States Military Academy alumni
United States Army generals of World War I
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
United States Army generals
United States Army War College faculty
Military personnel from Ohio
United States military attachés
American military personnel of the Boxer Rebellion
American amputees
American military personnel of the Spanish–American War
American military personnel of the Philippine–American War
United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni