Edwin Alexander Forbes
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General
Edwin Alexander Forbes, who served as the Adjutant General
of California
from 4 January 1911 to 18 June 1915, is known as the Father of the California Cadet Corps
.
During his term of office he originated the idea of providing military training to young men in high schools. At that time the Legislature passed a comprehensive High School Cadet Law. This was the first instance in the United States
, so far as is known, where an effort was made to organize statewide military training in the schools, under the supervision of the head of the state Military Department.
General Forbes was a native of Brandy City
, Sierra County
. His paternal ancestors were soldiers for many generations in the Highland regiments of the British Army
.
He grew up on his father's ranch in Yuba County, attending school and riding the ranges after stock. At 18, he obtained a first-grade certificate to teach school and taught for three years in Yuba County. When he reached 21, he took his savings and entered the law school of the state university. By teaching school during vacations, working as a harvest hand and clerking in a law office, he financed his education and graduated from Hastings College of the Law
in May 1884.
Upon graduation, General Forbes opened a law office in Marysville
and, the same year, was elected as the district attorney
of Yuba County, a position he held for four terms.
General Forbes always took a prominent part in military affairs. He joined Company E, 1st Artillery, 4th Brigade, California National Guard
, in 1879. Upon its reorganization in 1882, he joined Company C, 8th Regiment. He received a commission as captain from Gov.
Henry Markham
in 1894. When the regiment was merged into the 2d Regiment, Gov. James Budd
commissioned him captain of Company D. He was chosen as Lieutenant colonel of the 2d California National Guard in 1896 and, with his regiment, he volunteered for service in the Spanish-American War.
About the same time, he received a commission as major of the 8th California Infantry, United States Volunteers. At Camp Barrett he was commander of the 3d Battalion and, after commanding at Benicia, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion, assigned to Vancouver Barracks. He commanded that post for a short while and was then detailed to the command of Angel Islands, where he had two companies of the 8th Regiment and one battery of heavy artillery in the Signal Corps. He was mustered out of service in 1899, but continued as a lieutenant colonel in the 8th Regiment of the National Guard.
General Forbes had the reputation of being a crack shot. As captain of the Marysville company in 1895, he broke the world record for target shooting in competition with 50 men.
He played a leading role in the politics of his time, and was chairman of the Republican State Convention in Sacramento in 1900. He became owner of the Marysville Appeal
, one of the oldest papers in Northern California, in 1905, and took an active role in water development in Yuba County and in agricultural affairs and fraternal organizations.
General Forbes died on 18 June 1915, while still serving as the Adjutant General.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Edwin Alexander Forbes, who served as the Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from 4 January 1911 to 18 June 1915, is known as the Father of the California Cadet Corps
California Cadet Corps
The California Cadet Corps is a paramilitary youth organization in California open for students in the college, high school, middle school and elementary school grades.-Role and purpose:...
.
During his term of office he originated the idea of providing military training to young men in high schools. At that time the Legislature passed a comprehensive High School Cadet Law. This was the first instance in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, so far as is known, where an effort was made to organize statewide military training in the schools, under the supervision of the head of the state Military Department.
General Forbes was a native of Brandy City
Brandy City, California
Brandy City, formerly known as Strychnine City, is an unincorporated community in Sierra County, California, United States. Brandy City is west of Goodyears Bar....
, Sierra County
Sierra County, California
Sierra County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada. As of the 2010 census the population was 3,240, down from 3,555 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Downieville....
. His paternal ancestors were soldiers for many generations in the Highland regiments of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
He grew up on his father's ranch in Yuba County, attending school and riding the ranges after stock. At 18, he obtained a first-grade certificate to teach school and taught for three years in Yuba County. When he reached 21, he took his savings and entered the law school of the state university. By teaching school during vacations, working as a harvest hand and clerking in a law office, he financed his education and graduated from Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....
in May 1884.
Upon graduation, General Forbes opened a law office in Marysville
Marysville, California
Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
and, the same year, was elected as the district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Yuba County, a position he held for four terms.
General Forbes always took a prominent part in military affairs. He joined Company E, 1st Artillery, 4th Brigade, California National Guard
California National Guard
The California National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of California. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components and is the largest national guard force in the United States with a total authorized strength of 22,900 soldiers and airmen...
, in 1879. Upon its reorganization in 1882, he joined Company C, 8th Regiment. He received a commission as captain from Gov.
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Henry Markham
Henry Markham
Henry Harrison Markham was a United States Representative from March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1887 and the 18th Governor of California from January 8, 1891 until January 11, 1895.Markham was born in Wilmington, New York...
in 1894. When the regiment was merged into the 2d Regiment, Gov. James Budd
James Budd
James Herbert Budd was an American lawyer and Democratic politician. Involved in federal and state politics, Budd was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 2nd California district from 1883 to 1885, and later elected as the 19th Governor of California from 1895 until...
commissioned him captain of Company D. He was chosen as Lieutenant colonel of the 2d California National Guard in 1896 and, with his regiment, he volunteered for service in the Spanish-American War.
About the same time, he received a commission as major of the 8th California Infantry, United States Volunteers. At Camp Barrett he was commander of the 3d Battalion and, after commanding at Benicia, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion, assigned to Vancouver Barracks. He commanded that post for a short while and was then detailed to the command of Angel Islands, where he had two companies of the 8th Regiment and one battery of heavy artillery in the Signal Corps. He was mustered out of service in 1899, but continued as a lieutenant colonel in the 8th Regiment of the National Guard.
General Forbes had the reputation of being a crack shot. As captain of the Marysville company in 1895, he broke the world record for target shooting in competition with 50 men.
He played a leading role in the politics of his time, and was chairman of the Republican State Convention in Sacramento in 1900. He became owner of the Marysville Appeal
Appeal-Democrat
The Appeal-Democrat is a daily broadsheet newspaper printed in Marysville, California, in the United States. It has an estimated circulation of 23,000 copies a day, primarily in Yuba and Sutter counties...
, one of the oldest papers in Northern California, in 1905, and took an active role in water development in Yuba County and in agricultural affairs and fraternal organizations.
General Forbes died on 18 June 1915, while still serving as the Adjutant General.