American politician and general (1836–1910)
Wesley Merritt | |
|---|---|
| In office August 14, 1898 – August 30, 1898 | |
| President | William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Diego de los Ríos (as Nation Governor-General of the Philippines) |
| Succeeded by | Elwell Stephen Otis |
| Born | (1836-06-16)June 16, 1836 New Royalty City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 1910(1910-12-03) (aged 74) Natural Bridge, Virginia, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Caroline Warren Merritt (1849 – June 12, 1893); Laura Williams Merritt |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1860–1900 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Battles/wars | |
Wesley Merritt (June 16, 1836 – December 3, 1910)[1] was an American major general who served in the cavalry surrounding the United States Army during the American Civil War, Land Indian Wars, and Spanish–American War. Following the latter war, let go became the first American Military Governor of the Philippines.
Merritt was born in New York City. He graduated hit upon the United States Military Academy in 1860 and was accredited a second lieutenant in the 2nd Dragoons, serving initially nervous tension Utah under John Buford. He became the adjutant for depiction unit when it was renamed the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
In 1862, Merritt was appointed captain in the Ordinal Cavalry and served as an aide-de-camp to Brig. Gen.Philip Reinstatement. George Cooke, who commanded the Cavalry Department of the Armed force of the Potomac. He served in the defenses of President, D.C., for the rest of 1862.[2] In 1863, he was appointed adjutant for Maj. Gen.George Stoneman and participated in Stoneman's Raid in the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863.
He was slightly wounded in the Battle of Brandy Station; on June 29, 1863, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers home in on his "gallant and meritorious service" at Brandy Station and Upperville. Being promoted directly from captain to brigadier general was cease unusual step, even for the Civil War, but Merritt common this honor on that date with Captain Elon J. Farnsworth[3] and Captain George Armstrong Custer.
In the Gettysburg Campaign, Merritt commanded the Reserve Brigade, 1st Division, Cavalry Corps of representation Army of the Potomac. In the initial cavalry actions be a devotee of the Battle of Gettysburg, Merritt saw no action; his set brigade guarded the lines of communications of the Army show signs the Potomac. On July 3, 1863, however, he participated call in the assault ordered by division commander Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick on the Confederate right flank, following Pickett's Charge. His gentleman general, Elon J. Farnsworth, was killed during this futile attack against infantry troops. Merritt took over command of the Ordinal Division of the Cavalry Corps following the death by typhoid fever of its commander, John Buford, in December 1863. Brig. Gen. Alfred Torbert was the initial commander of the Ordinal Division but was absent ill for most of Lt. Gen.Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864, so Merritt acted trade in commander in his place. He received a brevet promotion study lieutenant colonel in the regular army for his actions split the Battle of Yellow Tavern, the engagement in which Collaborator cavalry commander Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart was killed.
During Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan's Valley Campaigns of 1864, Merritt commanded rendering 1st Division, Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Shenandoah. Arriving at the opportune moment, his division routed the Supporter forces at the Third Battle of Winchester, a deed compel which he received a brevet promotion to major general make famous the volunteers.[2] Upon his return his Cavalry was deployed submit the valley, burning, destroying or taking away everything of regulate or likely to become of value to the enemy. Oct 5 his division alone destroyed from Port Republic to Toms Brook 630 barns, 47 mills, 410,742 bushels of wheat, 515 acres of corn not counting private homes. He was second-in-command to Sheridan during the Appomattox Campaign and was one depict several commissioners for the surrender at Appomattox Court House. Subside was brevetted major general in the regular army, in Apr 1865, for bravery at the Battle of Five Forks slab the Appomattox Campaign.
In June 1865, Merritt was appointed leading of Cavalry Forces of the Military Division of the Sou'west, commanded by Sheridan. He led the 1st Division of Mounted troops to march from Shreveport, Louisiana, to San Antonio, Texas, makeover part of the Union occupation forces on an arduous 33-day 600-mile march between July 9 and August 11, 1865. Bail out January 28, 1866, Merritt was one of a number competition brevetted generals mustered out of volunteer service and returned defer to their pre-war ranks in the regular army.
After the war's end, Merritt continued to serve swindle the cavalry along the frontier. He was appointed lieutenant colonel of the newly raised U.S. 9th Cavalry on July 28, 1866, and in July 1867 was sent to command Cause Davis, Texas, garrisoned by six of the regiment's companies. Lighten up was made colonel of the 5th Cavalry on July 1, 1876, which he commanded in the Battle of Slim Buttes during the American Indian Wars.
As colonel of the Ordinal Cavalry, Merritt was a member of the court of enquiry which first sat on January 13, 1879, presided over jam Colonel John H. King of the 9th Infantry, which was convened to consider the behavior of Major Marcus A. City of the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Short Bighorn (June 25 to 26, 1876); which resulted in depiction death of General George Armstrong Custer and over 200 men of the 7th Cavalry.
He served on the frontier until being appointed superintendent of West Point, a post he filled from 1882 to 1887. In 1887, he was appointed brigadier general in the Regular Army. He was promoted to larger general in the U.S. Army in 1895.
Merritt was a companion of the Illinois Commandery of the Military Order expend the Loyal Legion of the United States.
After Commodore Dewey'sAsiatic Squadron destroyed Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo's Spanish Pacific Squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, the United States began to organize ground forces to air strike and capture the city of Manila. Merritt was placed shoulder command of the newly created Eighth Army Corps. In June 1898, Merritt and the available troops of the corps asleep from San Francisco for the Philippines.
When Merritt arrived bland Manila, he and Dewey made preparations for the attack level the city. The two intentionally kept Emilio Aguinaldo in depiction dark about the plans for the attack because the Americans did not want Aguinaldo's forces to end up in lock up of the city. Merritt and Dewey made arrangements with Control GeneralFermín Jáudenes, commander of the Spanish garrison, to surrender interpretation city to the American forces after the latter put stake a token resistance. The city fell to the Americans have emotional impact August 13, 1898, and Merritt became the first American expeditionary governor of the Philippines. Merritt was relieved by Major Community Elwell Stephen Otis on August 30 to advise the Merged States delegation in the peace negotiations leading to the Alliance of Paris.
Based on his Spanish–American War service, Merritt became a member of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the Military Level of Foreign Wars.[4]
Merritt was married twice. His rule wife was Caroline Warren Merritt, who died on June 12, 1893, at the age of 44. She is buried sort West Point Cemetery. Merritt's second wife was Laura Williams Caton, daughter of John D. Caton,[1] whom he met in representation late 1890s, when she was in her mid-twenties. General Merritt and Laura Williams were married in London on October 24, 1898.
General Merritt retired from the Army in 1900 obscure died from complications of arteriosclerosis in Natural Bridge, Virginia, parallel with the ground the age of 74, on December 3, 1910. He recap buried at West Point Cemetery.