James Lawton Collins
Encyclopedia
James Lawton Collins was a Major General
of the U.S. Army. He was the father of astronaut and Major General Michael Collins
and Brigadier General James Lawton Collins Jr.. Collins was born into a large Irish Catholic family in Algiers, Louisiana
, across the Mississippi River
from New Orleans
.
as a young boy to join the rest of the family in Cincinnati, Ohio
. Family legend has it that he served as a drummer boy in the Civil War
, and at the age of 16, helped to drive a herd of horses into Texas
to replace the cavalry mounts that had been lost to the war. He made his way to New Orleans, where he worked for James Lawton, a grocer. Jeremiah worked his way up to running the stables for the delivery wagons, and eventually married Kate Lawton, his employer's daughter. They moved across the river to Algiers, near the terminus and rail repair shops of the Southern Pacific Railroad
, which employed many workers of Irish descent. There, they established a dry goods store, with a pub in the back. Jeremiah and Kate's eleven children would work there, serving beer and food to thirsty railroad men. The first born son was named for Kate's father: James Lawton Collins.
James was not tall, about 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), but he was agile, athletic, and great with horses. Later in life, he would come to the attention of General John J. Pershing
for his aggressive and successful polo
playing, and as an excellent judge of horses. There is a letter in the Library of Congress
in the Pershing correspondence asking James to go out to the remount station in the Shenandoah Valley
and pick out a new horse for the general to ride.
, but his mother's uncle, who was the Mayor of New Orleans, was asked by a local member of Congress if there was a bright young man who could "stay the course" at West Point. They called up James at Tulane and offered him the next appointment. He accepted.
Collins served in the 8th Cavalry during the Philippine–American War.
He served as aide-de-camp to General Pershing in the Philippines, during the Mexican Punitive Expedition
and in France
during World War I
.
Later in World War I, Collins commanded a battalion
of the 1st Infantry Division's 7th Field Artillery
.
During World War II
he commanded the Puerto Rico Department and the 5th Service Command at Columbus, Ohio
.
Collins retired as a Major General in 1946.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
of the U.S. Army. He was the father of astronaut and Major General Michael Collins
Michael Collins (astronaut)
Michael Collins is a former American astronaut and test pilot. Selected as part of the third group of fourteen astronauts in 1963, he flew in space twice. His first spaceflight was Gemini 10, in which he and command pilot John Young performed two rendezvous with different spacecraft and Collins...
and Brigadier General James Lawton Collins Jr.. Collins was born into a large Irish Catholic family in Algiers, Louisiana
Algiers, Louisiana
Algiers is a neighborhood within the city of New Orleans. It is the portion of Orleans Parish on the West Bank of the Mississippi River.Algiers is also known as the 15th Ward, one of the 17 Wards of New Orleans.-History:...
, across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
from New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Family and early life
His father, Jeremiah Bernard Collins, had left IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as a young boy to join the rest of the family in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Family legend has it that he served as a drummer boy in the 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 at the age of 16, helped to drive a herd of horses into 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...
to replace the cavalry mounts that had been lost to the war. He made his way to New Orleans, where he worked for James Lawton, a grocer. Jeremiah worked his way up to running the stables for the delivery wagons, and eventually married Kate Lawton, his employer's daughter. They moved across the river to Algiers, near the terminus and rail repair shops of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
, which employed many workers of Irish descent. There, they established a dry goods store, with a pub in the back. Jeremiah and Kate's eleven children would work there, serving beer and food to thirsty railroad men. The first born son was named for Kate's father: James Lawton Collins.
James was not tall, about 5 ft 6 in (168 cm), but he was agile, athletic, and great with horses. Later in life, he would come to the attention of General John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
for his aggressive and successful polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
playing, and as an excellent judge of horses. There is a letter in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
in the Pershing correspondence asking James to go out to the remount station in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
and pick out a new horse for the general to ride.
Military career
James started out at Tulane UniversityTulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
, but his mother's uncle, who was the Mayor of New Orleans, was asked by a local member of Congress if there was a bright young man who could "stay the course" at West Point. They called up James at Tulane and offered him the next appointment. He accepted.
Collins served in the 8th Cavalry during the Philippine–American War.
He served as aide-de-camp to General Pershing in the Philippines, during the Mexican Punitive Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Later in World War I, Collins commanded a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the 1st Infantry Division's 7th Field Artillery
7th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)
The 7th Field Artillery Regiment is a United States Army field artillery regiment, whose lineage traces back to the early 20th century.-World War I:...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he commanded the Puerto Rico Department and the 5th Service Command at Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Collins retired as a Major General in 1946.