Edwin Forbes Glenn[a] (January 10, 1857 – August 5, 1926) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in World War I among other capacities.

Edwin Glenn
Major general Glenn as commander of the 83rd division, Langres, June 1918
Born(1857-01-10)January 10, 1857
Greensboro, North Carolina
DiedAugust 5, 1926(1926-08-05) (aged 69)
Glendon, Moore County, North Carolina
Allegiance United States
Service / branchUnited States Army seal United States Army
Years of service1877–1919
Rank Major General
Service number0-13126
Battles / warsAmerican Indian Wars
Spanish–American War
Philippine–American War
World War I
Spouse(s)Louise Smythe[1]

Biography

edit

Glenn was born near Greensboro, North Carolina, on January 10, 1857. After attending a private boys school in North Carolina and a preparatory school in New York, he entered the United States Military Academy, graduating in 1877.[1][3]

Glenn was commissioned into the 25th Infantry Regiment, and he did frontier duty from 1877 to 1888. In 1888, he joined the University of Minnesota, working as its first professor of Military Science and Tactics in addition to teaching mathematics. During this time, Glenn studied law and received a degree, joining the Minnesota Bar. He served as the judge advocate of the Department of the Dakota and later of the Department of the Columbia. Starting in 1898, he commanded military expeditions in the District of Alaska, and was among the first non-natives to cross Isabel Pass.[4] Once his exploration missions ceased, he became a judge advocate in the Philippines in 1900. While in the Philippines, he and his subordinates, including Arthur L. Conger, were accused of subjecting Filipinos to torture by water cure; Glenn was convicted at court-martial and sentenced to suspension from command for a month and a fine of fifty dollars.[5] The other soldiers under Glenn's command were not charged.[6] the Columbus Barracks from 1905 to 1907, and he subsequently returned to the Philippines with the 32nd Infantry Regiment, remaining there until 1913. Glenn entered the United States Army War College in 1913, and after he graduated, he became the Chief of Staff of the Department of the East. From 1916 to 1917, he commanded the 18th Infantry Regiment and the First Separate Brigade at Camp Cody.[1][3]

Glenn was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on May 15, 1917, and subsequently to major general on August 5, 1917,[7] and he subsequently organized and commanded the 83rd Infantry Division, commanding it from August 25, 1917, to January 13, 1918. He received the Legion of Honour. During demobilization in 1919, Glenn commanded Camp Sherman in Ohio. He retired as a brigadier general in December 1919.[1][3]

In addition to his military service, Glenn served as "one of the earlier presidents" of the predecessor of the Association of the United States Army, serving from 1913 to 1920. He also wrote two books, the first being Glenn's International Law in 1895 and the second being Rules of Land Warfare in 1914.[1][3]

In retirement, Glenn lived in Glendon, in Moore County, North Carolina. He died on August 5, 1926. Congress restored his rank of major general in June 1930.[1][3]

Personal life

edit

In 1886, Glenn married Louise Smythe of Saint Paul, Minnesota.[1][8] They were the parents of three daughters: Louise (Mrs. Otis R. Cole); Edwina (Mrs. James A. Garfield)[b]; and Elizabeth (Mrs. Harold R. Tyler).[8]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ His middle name appears in some records as "Forbis".[2]
  2. ^ James A. Garfield (1894–1969) was the son of James Rudolph Garfield and grandson of President James A. Garfield.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Davis 1998, p. 148.
  2. ^ Garfield, Edwina Glenn (1929). "Obituary, Edwin Forbis Glenn". Fifty-seventh Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. pp. 67–70 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c d e Marquis Who's Who 1975, p. 207.
  4. ^ Fred H. Moffit (1954). Geology of the eastern part of the Alaska Range and adjacent area (PDF) (Report). US Department of the Interior, Geological Survey. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  5. ^ Immerwahr, Daniel, 1980- (30 January 2020). How to hide an empire: a short history of the greater United States. London. pp. 99–101. ISBN 978-1-78470-391-2. OCLC 1102799136.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Vestal, Allan W. (January 2017). "The First Wartime Water Torture by Americans By Americans". Maine Law Review. Portland, ME: University of Maine School of Law. pp. 42, 46.
  7. ^ "Edwin F. Glenn". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Obituary, Edwin Forbis Glenn", p. 67.

Bibliography

edit