John F. Preston

John Fisher Preston Jr. (November 5, 1872July 1, 1960) was an American army officer who rose to the rank of Inspector General of the United States Army. His first conflict was the Spanish–American War serving in the 7th Infantry, and fighting in the Battle of San Juan Hill and Siege of Santiago. For his service in the war, Preston received the Silver Star. He then spent around a decade serving at various forts in the Philippines and across the United States. Preston was involved in the Quartermaster Corps and the Pay Department until the outbreak of World War I, serving a couple of years in France. He attended various Army schools until 1923, and had various leadership positions in the Army over the next fifteen years, culminating in appointment as Inspector General in 1931. After a four-year tenure and brief stationing at Fort Sam Houston, he retired from the army in 1936 and entered the banking industry in San Antonio. He died on July 1, 1960.

Biography

John Fisher Preston Jr., was born on November 5, 1872, in Baltimore, to a prominent lawyer. His grandfather was congressman Jacob A. Preston and his cousin was judge Walter W. Preston. He graduated from the Baltimore City College in 1890, and attended the United States Military Academy from June 17, 1890, until he graduated 21st in the class of 1894 on June 12. He was commissioned in the army as a second lieutenant of infantry in the 16th Infantry. Preston then served on garrison duty at Fort Douglas, Utah, from September 30, 1894, to October 10, 1896. On April 26, 1898, while at Fort Spokane in Washington, he was made a first lieutenant in the 7th Infantry on April 26, 1898. He remained at Spokane until June 1, 1898. Preston was them with the regiment in Tampa, Florida, until June 4, 1898, when he fought in the campaign against Santiago, and the Spanish–American War to August 1898. During that time he fought in the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1–3, and in the Siege of Santiago until July 17, 1898. For his service in the war, he received the Silver Star "for gallantry in action against Spanish forces at Santiago, Cuba, July 1, 1898."

Service in the Philippines

After the war his regiment was at Camp Wikoff in New York until he was transferred back to the 16th Infantry on September 16, 1898. From then until January 1890 Preston was on leave before being stationed with his regiment at Fort Crook, Nebraska, to May 24, 1899. His regiment was en route to the Philippines until June 26, 1899, and he was on duty in the field until January 1, 1901. Next Preston was stationed in Aparri, Cagayan Valley as a drill sergeant and battalion adjutant to June 5, 1901. While in Aparri, he was made a captain in the 26th Infantry on February 2, 1901.

On June 30, 1901, Preston joined the regiment at Nueva Caceres and later Daet, Camarines Norte and in the field, to September 12, 1901, when he returned to the United States. Preston was on leave until April 1, 1902, when he returned to the Columbus Barracks to April 15, 1902. On June 10, 1902, he rejoined his regiment in the Philippine Islands. The following day he was made regimental adjutant, serving in that capacity until June 10, 1906. Preston served with the 4th Separate Brigade, in Nueva Caceres, from July 10, 1902, until the discontinuance of the brigade around February 1903.

He returned to the United States with his regiment from July 14, 1903, to Aug. 9, 1903, and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, in Texas, until May 28, 1907. He was briefly an umpire at West Point in Kentucky, and Fort Riley, in Kansas, from September 26 to October 31, 1903. Preston was at Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis during July, 1904, and on duty at Fort Sill from August 1 to August 18, 1906. He was adjutant and statistical officer of the Southwestern Division Rifle and Pistol Competitions and in command of Fort Brown, Texas, from August 21, 1906, until September 25, 1906, when the post was abandoned. He returned to the Philippines with his regiment from May 28, 1907, to July 3, 1907, and was stationed at Camp Daraga in Albay