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Walter Howe

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Walter Howe Veteran

Birth
Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana, USA
Death
8 Nov 1915 (aged 70)
District of Columbia, USA
Burial
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section 1, Grave Lot 693.
Memorial ID
View Source
Brigadier-General, U.S. Army (Ret.)
-----
s/o James Montgomery Allison Higgins Howe & Mary Frances (Graham) Howe

h/o Elizabeth Dunn, d/o Samuel Fowler & Margaret Anderson (Batterton) Dunn (m. September 21, 1869)

f/o Walter Dunn Howe, George Maxwell Howe, Alfred Graham Howe
-----
Obituary
New York (New York City, N.Y.) Times, November 10, 1915

GEN. WALTER HOWE DEAD.
Old Indian Fighter Who Commanded Volunteers in Philippines.

Brig. Gen. Walter Howe, U. S. A., retired, one of the old Indian fighters, died on Monday at his home, in Washington, D. C., in his seventieth year. He was born in Bloomington, Ind., and when the civil war began tried to enlist, but was refused on account of his youth. Later he was appointed to the Military Academy, from which he was graduated in 1867.

In 1868 he served in the Indian wars with Sheridan and Custer, and in the Powder River campaign commanded 200 friendly Indians under General Crook. During the Spanish-American war General Howe was in command of Fort Washington and Sheridan's Point, Md., and in September, 1898, was appointed chief mustering officer for Connecticut. In November, 1899, General Howe sailed for the Philippines in command of the Forty-seventh United States Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was in 354 engagements and in January, 1910, General Howe was appointed a Brigadier General.

In February of that year he was placed in temporary command of the Department of the East, with headquarters at Governors Island. General Howe was placed on the retired list on Dec. 31, 1910.

General Howe served for 37 years and at his retirement was one of the most prominent officers in the army...
=====
Timeline:
*1863 - Indiana University Attendant
*1867 - U.S. Military Academy, West Point Graduate
*1869 - Had charge of 4,440 Osage Indians in Southern Kansas (distributing rations to these Indians for a period of six months)
*1873 - Artillery School, Fort Monroe Graduate; Served in Indian campaigns against Modocs
*1876-1877 - Sioux Campaign (organized and rationed a company of 155 Indians in this campaign)
*Served two details as military professor, one at the State Agricultural College in Pennsylvania and the other at a denominational college in Mt Vernon, Iowa.
*1898 - Spanish-American War - Appointed Colonel of a volunteer regiment – Forty-seventh US Infantry – and served eighteen months in the Philippine Islands, in command of this regiment. During this command, he was the first man to open the hemp ports in the provinces of Sorsogon and Albay. He participated, with his regiment, in many engagements and in very trying situations.
*1909 - Appointed Brigadier-General (January 20, 1910); while serving as Brigadier-General, he was in command of the Department of Dakota, with its headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.
1910 - Military retirement - (December 31, 1910, according to the age limit)
1915 - (November 8, 1915) Death in Washington, D.C.; burial at Arlington National Cemetery under full military honors.
=====
Misc Newspaper Clippings:

1.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Courier, January 18, 1877, p. 3.

Lt. Walter Howe of the regular army is visiting his relatives in this city before going to Pennsylvania where he has been assigned as Professor of Civil Engineering. The lieutenant is fresh from an active campaign with the Indians and is the only surviving commissioned officer of his company. He is no feather bed soldier but has been where the Indians raise hair and where the mercury freezes up every night.

2.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, November 4, 1887, p. 1.

Lt. Walter Howe started Wednesday for New London, Connecticut, where he will be stationed the coming winter.

3.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, September 17, 1889, p. 1.

Lt. Walter Howe and family started yesterday for Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where (the) lieutenant takes charge of the military department of Cornell University.

4.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Republican Progress, June 17, 1891, p. 3

Lt. Walter Howe and family will spend the summer in Bloomington.

5.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, July 10, 1891, p. 1.

Lt. Walter Howe, who is now Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and is spending his vacation here, has just received his promotion to a Captaincy in the Artillery arm of the service. Capt. Howe is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Howe, South College Avenue, was a student of Indiana University before going to West Point, is a graduate of the Military Academy at that place, and still retains his residence and right to vote in Bloomington. The old home friends of Capt. Howe congratulate him on the promotion. He expects to return to Cornell in September.

6.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Republican Progress, June 15, 1892, p. 3.

After completing a course in law at the Boston University, Walter Howe has returned to Bloomington to spend the summer.

7.) Bloomington Weekly Telephone, August 16, 1892, p. 1

Walter Howe has gone to Knoxville, Tenn., where he will enter the law office of his uncle, Alfred Howe, with the expectation of making that his future location. Walter has many friends in Bloomington who have no doubt of his success.

8.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Daily Telephone, December 31, 1909, pg. 1

Walter Howe, of Bloomington, is now a Brigadier General in the United States army. His promotion from colonel to the next high rank went into effect Wednesday and he took up his new duties. He is now at Washington, but as yet does not know just where he is to be located. For some time he has been at Ft. Hancock, N.J.

9.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Daily Telephone, December 16, 1909, p. 1.

BRIG-GEN. HOWE; DESERVED HONOR
Home Man Reaches Highest Military Position, Save One, After 46 Years of Service

Sketch of Distinguished Soldier and Many Congratulations

A distinguished honor comes to Col. Walter Howe, also to his native Bloomington home, in his promotion to brigaier general which is announced from Washington today.

It is an honor well bestowed because of long and meritorious service and has been expected by his many friends. However, no where in all his travels of 40 years and more will he receive more hearty and sincere congratulations than from the friends and acquaintance of his nativity, and who have known him from a boy and watched with increasing interest, step by step, his promotions from the time in 1863 when he left West Point as a lieutenant until now that he is not only one of the highest officers but a central figure in the U. S. Army.

Gen. Howe was born west of Bloomington and is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Howe, and was raised in the old home on South College Avenue. He is a brother of Alfred and John Howe, and of J. O. Howe who died a year ago, also of Miss Lillie Howe of this city, and Mrs. Frank Hunter of El Paso, Texas, Mrs. Edward Frazer (?Frazier) of Atlanta, and Mrs. W. L. Polk of Vicksburg. His parents, honored and pioneer citizens, are both dead. The wife of Gen. Howe is a daughter of Mrs. Margaret Dunn, corner of 3rd and Henderson streets, and has been a guest of her mother for an extended visit until a few weeks ago. She is a most estimable lady, and with the three sons will receive many congratulations. The sons are Walter, who is practicing law at El Paso; George, a professor of German in the University of Colorado, and Alfred, who is a lieutenant in the navy. Both Walter and George graduated in Indiana University.

General Howe has had a remarkably long and active military career. Since his graduation in 1863, he has been a busy man often not taking time allowed him for his vacations... His appointment as a cadet at West Point was made from New Mexico when Judge Watts, who was an uncle, represented the territory in Congress. Since has has served in his country on the frontier, on the coast, at Washington and in the Philippines. He was in the command that forced Sitting Bull to leave the West and go into Canada, and from time to time he has been transferred from fort to fort, in the meantime promotions coming for faithful service. When war was declared with Spain, he was ordered to the Philippines and there had a command for two years and his promotion to a colonelcy resulted. Since that time Gen. Howe has been from Key West to New York in charge of the coast defense. He is an expert in heavy artillery manipulation and had especial charge of the large guns. The years past, Gen. Howe conducted the test or try-out of officers that President Roosevelt made so famous by demanding a 90-mile horseback ride. It may be presumed that Gen. Howe was not quite so severe.
--------------
A Washington dispatch says: "Col. Walter Howe of Bloomington, a native of Indiana, serving in the coast artillery at Ft. Hancock, N. J., will be made a brigadier general to succeed Gen. Winfield F. Edgerly, who retires Dec. 29 after a service of 30 years.

"Col Howe was born Dec. 31, 1846, and entered a military academy in 1863. At his graduation he became second lieutenant of the Fourth Artillery in 1867, stationed in New Mexico. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1872 and became captain of the corps in 1891. In 1901 he was promoted to major of the artillery corps and became lieutenant colonel one year later. He was given the commission of colonel in 1906 and is now in line for one of the highest honors army officials can confer upon him."
=====
Other Sources"
1.) Censuses
a.) "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MHJY-31X, Walter Howe in household of James M Howe, Bloomington town, Monroe, Indiana, United States; citing dwelling 37, family 37, NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 161.
b.) "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4FR-YBZ, Walter Howe, , Monroe, Indiana; citing p. 111, family 767; NARA microfilm publication M653, FHL microfilm 803282.
Brigadier-General, U.S. Army (Ret.)
-----
s/o James Montgomery Allison Higgins Howe & Mary Frances (Graham) Howe

h/o Elizabeth Dunn, d/o Samuel Fowler & Margaret Anderson (Batterton) Dunn (m. September 21, 1869)

f/o Walter Dunn Howe, George Maxwell Howe, Alfred Graham Howe
-----
Obituary
New York (New York City, N.Y.) Times, November 10, 1915

GEN. WALTER HOWE DEAD.
Old Indian Fighter Who Commanded Volunteers in Philippines.

Brig. Gen. Walter Howe, U. S. A., retired, one of the old Indian fighters, died on Monday at his home, in Washington, D. C., in his seventieth year. He was born in Bloomington, Ind., and when the civil war began tried to enlist, but was refused on account of his youth. Later he was appointed to the Military Academy, from which he was graduated in 1867.

In 1868 he served in the Indian wars with Sheridan and Custer, and in the Powder River campaign commanded 200 friendly Indians under General Crook. During the Spanish-American war General Howe was in command of Fort Washington and Sheridan's Point, Md., and in September, 1898, was appointed chief mustering officer for Connecticut. In November, 1899, General Howe sailed for the Philippines in command of the Forty-seventh United States Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was in 354 engagements and in January, 1910, General Howe was appointed a Brigadier General.

In February of that year he was placed in temporary command of the Department of the East, with headquarters at Governors Island. General Howe was placed on the retired list on Dec. 31, 1910.

General Howe served for 37 years and at his retirement was one of the most prominent officers in the army...
=====
Timeline:
*1863 - Indiana University Attendant
*1867 - U.S. Military Academy, West Point Graduate
*1869 - Had charge of 4,440 Osage Indians in Southern Kansas (distributing rations to these Indians for a period of six months)
*1873 - Artillery School, Fort Monroe Graduate; Served in Indian campaigns against Modocs
*1876-1877 - Sioux Campaign (organized and rationed a company of 155 Indians in this campaign)
*Served two details as military professor, one at the State Agricultural College in Pennsylvania and the other at a denominational college in Mt Vernon, Iowa.
*1898 - Spanish-American War - Appointed Colonel of a volunteer regiment – Forty-seventh US Infantry – and served eighteen months in the Philippine Islands, in command of this regiment. During this command, he was the first man to open the hemp ports in the provinces of Sorsogon and Albay. He participated, with his regiment, in many engagements and in very trying situations.
*1909 - Appointed Brigadier-General (January 20, 1910); while serving as Brigadier-General, he was in command of the Department of Dakota, with its headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.
1910 - Military retirement - (December 31, 1910, according to the age limit)
1915 - (November 8, 1915) Death in Washington, D.C.; burial at Arlington National Cemetery under full military honors.
=====
Misc Newspaper Clippings:

1.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Courier, January 18, 1877, p. 3.

Lt. Walter Howe of the regular army is visiting his relatives in this city before going to Pennsylvania where he has been assigned as Professor of Civil Engineering. The lieutenant is fresh from an active campaign with the Indians and is the only surviving commissioned officer of his company. He is no feather bed soldier but has been where the Indians raise hair and where the mercury freezes up every night.

2.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, November 4, 1887, p. 1.

Lt. Walter Howe started Wednesday for New London, Connecticut, where he will be stationed the coming winter.

3.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, September 17, 1889, p. 1.

Lt. Walter Howe and family started yesterday for Mt. Vernon, Iowa, where (the) lieutenant takes charge of the military department of Cornell University.

4.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Republican Progress, June 17, 1891, p. 3

Lt. Walter Howe and family will spend the summer in Bloomington.

5.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Telephone, July 10, 1891, p. 1.

Lt. Walter Howe, who is now Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and is spending his vacation here, has just received his promotion to a Captaincy in the Artillery arm of the service. Capt. Howe is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Howe, South College Avenue, was a student of Indiana University before going to West Point, is a graduate of the Military Academy at that place, and still retains his residence and right to vote in Bloomington. The old home friends of Capt. Howe congratulate him on the promotion. He expects to return to Cornell in September.

6.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Republican Progress, June 15, 1892, p. 3.

After completing a course in law at the Boston University, Walter Howe has returned to Bloomington to spend the summer.

7.) Bloomington Weekly Telephone, August 16, 1892, p. 1

Walter Howe has gone to Knoxville, Tenn., where he will enter the law office of his uncle, Alfred Howe, with the expectation of making that his future location. Walter has many friends in Bloomington who have no doubt of his success.

8.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Daily Telephone, December 31, 1909, pg. 1

Walter Howe, of Bloomington, is now a Brigadier General in the United States army. His promotion from colonel to the next high rank went into effect Wednesday and he took up his new duties. He is now at Washington, but as yet does not know just where he is to be located. For some time he has been at Ft. Hancock, N.J.

9.) Bloomington (Monroe County, Indiana) Daily Telephone, December 16, 1909, p. 1.

BRIG-GEN. HOWE; DESERVED HONOR
Home Man Reaches Highest Military Position, Save One, After 46 Years of Service

Sketch of Distinguished Soldier and Many Congratulations

A distinguished honor comes to Col. Walter Howe, also to his native Bloomington home, in his promotion to brigaier general which is announced from Washington today.

It is an honor well bestowed because of long and meritorious service and has been expected by his many friends. However, no where in all his travels of 40 years and more will he receive more hearty and sincere congratulations than from the friends and acquaintance of his nativity, and who have known him from a boy and watched with increasing interest, step by step, his promotions from the time in 1863 when he left West Point as a lieutenant until now that he is not only one of the highest officers but a central figure in the U. S. Army.

Gen. Howe was born west of Bloomington and is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Howe, and was raised in the old home on South College Avenue. He is a brother of Alfred and John Howe, and of J. O. Howe who died a year ago, also of Miss Lillie Howe of this city, and Mrs. Frank Hunter of El Paso, Texas, Mrs. Edward Frazer (?Frazier) of Atlanta, and Mrs. W. L. Polk of Vicksburg. His parents, honored and pioneer citizens, are both dead. The wife of Gen. Howe is a daughter of Mrs. Margaret Dunn, corner of 3rd and Henderson streets, and has been a guest of her mother for an extended visit until a few weeks ago. She is a most estimable lady, and with the three sons will receive many congratulations. The sons are Walter, who is practicing law at El Paso; George, a professor of German in the University of Colorado, and Alfred, who is a lieutenant in the navy. Both Walter and George graduated in Indiana University.

General Howe has had a remarkably long and active military career. Since his graduation in 1863, he has been a busy man often not taking time allowed him for his vacations... His appointment as a cadet at West Point was made from New Mexico when Judge Watts, who was an uncle, represented the territory in Congress. Since has has served in his country on the frontier, on the coast, at Washington and in the Philippines. He was in the command that forced Sitting Bull to leave the West and go into Canada, and from time to time he has been transferred from fort to fort, in the meantime promotions coming for faithful service. When war was declared with Spain, he was ordered to the Philippines and there had a command for two years and his promotion to a colonelcy resulted. Since that time Gen. Howe has been from Key West to New York in charge of the coast defense. He is an expert in heavy artillery manipulation and had especial charge of the large guns. The years past, Gen. Howe conducted the test or try-out of officers that President Roosevelt made so famous by demanding a 90-mile horseback ride. It may be presumed that Gen. Howe was not quite so severe.
--------------
A Washington dispatch says: "Col. Walter Howe of Bloomington, a native of Indiana, serving in the coast artillery at Ft. Hancock, N. J., will be made a brigadier general to succeed Gen. Winfield F. Edgerly, who retires Dec. 29 after a service of 30 years.

"Col Howe was born Dec. 31, 1846, and entered a military academy in 1863. At his graduation he became second lieutenant of the Fourth Artillery in 1867, stationed in New Mexico. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1872 and became captain of the corps in 1891. In 1901 he was promoted to major of the artillery corps and became lieutenant colonel one year later. He was given the commission of colonel in 1906 and is now in line for one of the highest honors army officials can confer upon him."
=====
Other Sources"
1.) Censuses
a.) "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MHJY-31X, Walter Howe in household of James M Howe, Bloomington town, Monroe, Indiana, United States; citing dwelling 37, family 37, NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 161.
b.) "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4FR-YBZ, Walter Howe, , Monroe, Indiana; citing p. 111, family 767; NARA microfilm publication M653, FHL microfilm 803282.

Inscription

Brigadier General US Army



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  • Maintained by: genealogyfever
  • Originally Created by: Buddy
  • Added: Jan 24, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47057766/walter-howe: accessed ), memorial page for Walter Howe (17 Jun 1845–8 Nov 1915), Find a Grave Memorial ID 47057766, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by genealogyfever (contributor 46554566).