Adna Chaffee
Encyclopedia
Adna Romanza Chaffee (April 14, 1842 – November 1, 1914) was a General in the United States Army
. Chaffee took part in the American Civil War
and Indian Wars
, played a key role in the Spanish-American War
, and was instrumental in crushing the Boxer Rebellion
in China
. He was the Army Chief of Staff
from 1904 to 1906, overseeing far-reaching transformation of organization and doctrine in the Army.
, Ohio
. When the American Civil War
broke out in July 1861, Chaffee enlisted in the Union Army
as a Private
in the U.S. 6th Cavalry Regiment
. In 1862, Chaffee was promoted to sergeant and took part in the Peninsular Campaign and the Battle of Antietam
. In September of that year he was made the First Sergeant
of Company K. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in May 1863. His 6th Cavalry on detached service from General John Buford's 1st Union Cavalry Division, though outnumbered attacked a Confederate Cavalry regiment at Fairfield, Maryland, just outside of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. (source, Wittenberg, Eric: Gettysburg: Forgotten Cavalry Actions)In the ensuing action he was wounded and briefly held a prisoner of the Condederates. He served with the 6th Cavalry for the remainder of the war, being twice wounded. In February 1865, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. For his "gallant and meritorious" actions in the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
he was brevetted
Captain.
in October 1867. For the next thirty years he served in the Indian Wars
, fighting the Central Plains and Southwestern tribes. In 1868, he was brevetted major
for his actions at Paint Creek
, Texas
. In the following years he engaged the Indians many times, most notably at Red River
, Texas
in 1874, and Big Dry Wash
, Arizona
in 1882, for which he was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel
. In July 1888 he was promoted to Major and transferred to the 9th Cavalry. From 1894 to 1896, he was an instructor of tactics at the Army’s Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
. In June 1897 he was promoted to Colonel
and transferred to the 3rd Cavalry, where he served as commandant of the Cavalry School at Fort Riley
until 1898.
in 1898, he was assigned a brigade and was promoted to Brigadier General
of volunteers in May of that year, and in July after the victory at El Caney
, to Major General
of volunteers. From late 1898 to May 1900, he served as the chief of staff to the military governor of Cuba, General Leonard Wood
, being promoted to Colonel of regulars in May 1899.
broke out in China
. Chaffee was sent to China in July as the commander of the U.S. Army’s China Relief Expedition
. The Expedition was a part of the international force sent to rescue Western citizens and put down the rebellion. Chaffee played a key role in the rapid advance to the imperial capital of Beijing
and its subsequent capture on August 14, 1900, which relieved the beleaguered embassy staffs and other Western nationals.
. This included the beginning of the second phase of the Philippine Insurrection. In October 1902, he became commander of the Department of the East
, a position he held until October 1903.
In January 1904, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and, from January 9, 1904 until January 14, 1906, served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army
. At his own request, he was retired on February 1, 1906.
In his retirement, he moved to Los Angeles
, where he was appointed President of the Board of Public Works for the city of Los Angeles
.
Chaffee was married twice: in 1868, he married Kate Haynie Reynolds, who died the following year; in 1875, he married his second wife, Annie Frances Rockwell. His son Adna Chaffee, Jr. also became a general and was one of the fathers of U.S. Army’s armored forces.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Chaffee took part in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and Indian Wars
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
, played a key role in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, and was instrumental in crushing the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He was the Army Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
from 1904 to 1906, overseeing far-reaching transformation of organization and doctrine in the Army.
Civil War
Chaffee was born in OrwellOrwell, Ohio
Orwell is a village in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,519 at the 2000 census. It is the birthplace of General Adna Chaffee, and of Russell Allen, as of 2006 the oldest living American Olympic cyclist....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. When the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
broke out in July 1861, Chaffee enlisted in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the U.S. 6th Cavalry Regiment
U.S. 6th Cavalry Regiment
The 6th Cavalry is a historic regiment of the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry in the American Civil War. It currently is organized into aviation squadrons that are assigned to several different combat aviation brigades.-Civil War:The 6th U.S...
. In 1862, Chaffee was promoted to sergeant and took part in the Peninsular Campaign and the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
. In September of that year he was made the First Sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
of Company K. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in May 1863. His 6th Cavalry on detached service from General John Buford's 1st Union Cavalry Division, though outnumbered attacked a Confederate Cavalry regiment at Fairfield, Maryland, just outside of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. (source, Wittenberg, Eric: Gettysburg: Forgotten Cavalry Actions)In the ensuing action he was wounded and briefly held a prisoner of the Condederates. He served with the 6th Cavalry for the remainder of the war, being twice wounded. In February 1865, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. For his "gallant and meritorious" actions in the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House was a minor engagement in the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War that was the immediate prelude to the decisive Battle of Five Forks. On March 29, 1865, with the Cavalry Corps and the II and V Corps of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan...
he was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Captain.
Indian Wars
Chaffee decided to remain with the Army after the war. He was posted to the western frontier, and was promoted to Captain of RegularsRegular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
in October 1867. For the next thirty years he served in the Indian Wars
Indian Wars
American Indian Wars is the name used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between American settlers or the federal government and the native peoples of North America before and after the American Revolutionary War. The wars resulted from the arrival of European colonizers who...
, fighting the Central Plains and Southwestern tribes. In 1868, he was brevetted major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
for his actions at Paint Creek
Paint Creek, Texas
Paint Creek is an unincorporated community in southeast Haskell County, Texas, United States, in north central Texas.It is named after the nearby stream, which Stamford Dam impounds 8 miles to the east of the community to form Lake Stamford. In 2011, press reports indicated Haskell County had a...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In the following years he engaged the Indians many times, most notably at Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1874, and Big Dry Wash
Battle of Big Dry Wash
The Battle of Big Dry Wash was fought on July 17, 1882, between troops of the United States Army's 3rd Cavalry Regiment and 6th Cavalry Regiment and members of the White Mountain Apache tribe...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in 1882, for which he was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. In July 1888 he was promoted to Major and transferred to the 9th Cavalry. From 1894 to 1896, he was an instructor of tactics at the Army’s Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
. In June 1897 he was promoted to Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
and transferred to the 3rd Cavalry, where he served as commandant of the Cavalry School at Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
until 1898.
Spanish-American War
With the outbreak of the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
in 1898, he was assigned a brigade and was promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers in May of that year, and in July after the victory at El Caney
El Caney
El Caney is a small village 4 miles to the northeast of Santiago, Cuba. "Caney" means longhouse in Taíno.It was known in centuries past as the site where Hernán Cortés received a vision supposedly ordering him to Christianize Mexico. The settlement was host to the Battle of El Caney on July 1,...
, to Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
of volunteers. From late 1898 to May 1900, he served as the chief of staff to the military governor of Cuba, General Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba and Governor General of the Philippines. Early in his military career, he received the Medal of Honor. Wood also holds officer service #2 in the Regular Army...
, being promoted to Colonel of regulars in May 1899.
Boxer Rebellion
In June 1900, the Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
broke out in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Chaffee was sent to China in July as the commander of the U.S. Army’s China Relief Expedition
China Relief Expedition
The China Relief Expedition was the name of an expedition in China undertaken by the United States Armed Forces to the rescue of United States citizens, European nationals, and other foreign nationals during the latter years of the Boxer Rebellion, which lasted from between 1898 and 1901...
. The Expedition was a part of the international force sent to rescue Western citizens and put down the rebellion. Chaffee played a key role in the rapid advance to the imperial capital of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and its subsequent capture on August 14, 1900, which relieved the beleaguered embassy staffs and other Western nationals.
Later Military Service
In February 1901, he became a Major General in the regular army. From July of that year until October 1902, he served as the military governor of the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. This included the beginning of the second phase of the Philippine Insurrection. In October 1902, he became commander of the Department of the East
Department of the East
The Department of the East was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing all the states east of the Mississippi River...
, a position he held until October 1903.
In January 1904, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and, from January 9, 1904 until January 14, 1906, served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
. At his own request, he was retired on February 1, 1906.
In his retirement, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where he was appointed President of the Board of Public Works for the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Family
Tributes
A historical marker documenting Chaffee's birthplace stands in Orwell, Ohio. As well, the city of Chaffee, Missouri was named in his honor when founded in 1905.See also
- Major General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr.Adna R. Chaffee, Jr.Adna Romanza Chaffee, Jr. was a major general in the United States Army, called the "Father of the Armored Force" for his role in developing the U.S. Army's tank forces.-Early years:...
; his son
External links
- Men of Mark in America Biography & Portrait