Sherwood Alfred Cheney (August 24, 1873 – March 13, 1949) was an American

military engineer Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics ...

who served as a

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 ...

in the

US Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

during

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 as an aide to President Calvin Coolidge.

Early life and education

Born to industrialist John Sherwood Cheney and Ellen (Coates) Cheney on August 24, 1873, Sherwood Cheney was a member of the Cheney silk manufacturing dynasty of

Manchester, Connecticut Manchester is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 59,713. The urban center of the town is the Manchester (CDP), Connecticut, Manchester census- ...

, where he was born and raised. He graduated from

Hartford Public High School Hartford Public High School, in Hartford, Connecticut, was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States, after the Boston Latin School. It is part of the Hartford Public Schools district. Notable alumni ...

in 1892 and studied for one year at the

Sheffield Scientific School Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffiel ...

before transferring to the US Military Academy at

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

, from which he graduated as a member of the Class of 1897.

Military career

Cheney entered the US Army Corps of Engineers as a second lieutenant and saw combat in Cuba and the Philippines 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 = (cloc ...

and the Philippine–American War. His cousin, Lieutenant Ward Cheney, was killed in action during the latter conflict. He rose through the ranks, achieving captain in 1904, major in 1911, lieutenant colonel and colonel in 1917, and brigadier general in 1918. Reverting to colonel after the war, he retired a brigadier in 1937. During World War I, Cheney commanded the 110th Engineer Regiment at Fort Sill (August 1917 – April 1918) and in France (May–July 1918). He subsequently served at General Headquarters as assistant to the chief engineer of the

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...

from July to November 1918, helping organize the Corps and coordinate its efforts with the other service branches. In 1919, he served as director of the Army Transport Service, "achieving remarkable results in a task of great magnitude involving the expeditious return of many thousands of soldiers from the ports of France to the United States," according to his citation for the US Army Distinguished Service Medal. In addition to this American honor, France awarded him the Croix de Guerre and made him a Commandeur of the

Legion of Honour 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 ...

. Following World War I, Cheney served as military attaché to China and Siam from 1921 to 1924, commanded the Army Engineer School at Fort Humphreys from 1924 to 1925, and served as a chief military aide to President Calvin Coolidge from 1925 to 1928. He then held various district engineering commands around the country until he retired, including service as chief engineer of the

Port of Boston The Port of Boston ( AMS Seaport Code: 0401, UN/LOCODE: US BOS) is a major seaport located in Boston Harbor and adjacent to the City of Boston. It is the largest port in Massachusetts and one of the principal ports on the East Coast of the Unite ...

and head of the 9th Coast Artillery District in San Francisco.

Personal life and legacy

In 1921, Cheney married Louise Delano (1891–1923), a daughter of

Frederic Adrian Delano Frederic Adrian Delano II (September 10, 1863 – March 28, 1953) was an American railroad president who served as the first Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve from 1914 to 1916. After his term as vice chairman, Delano continued to serve as a membe ...

and cousin of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The couple had one daughter, Matilda. Following his first wife's death in China in 1923, Cheney married Charlotte S. Hopkins (1885–1978) of Bangor, Maine, in 1925. Returning to Manchester after retirement, Cheney built a summer home in Mystic and became an enthusiastic sailor. He was one of the founders of

Mystic Seaport Mystic Seaport Museum or Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic, Connecticut is the largest maritime museum in the United States. It is notable for its collection of sailing ships and boats and for the re-creation of the cra ...

. Cheney died at home in Manchester at the age of 75 and is buried in the Cheney family plot of Manchester's East Cemetery. The Cheney Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia, was named in his honor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheney, Sherwood 1873 births 1949 deaths People from Manchester, Connecticut United States Military Academy alumni American military engineers United States Army generals American military personnel of the Spanish–American War American military personnel of the Philippine–American War Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) United States Army generals of World War I Military personnel from Connecticut United States Army Corps of Engineers personnel