Walt Sehnert

Generals MacArthur: Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur Jr.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Gen. Arthur MacArthur, in a portrait displayed at Fort Robinson in northwest Nebraska.

For most of a century the name, MacArthur, was almost synonymous with the United States Army. Today we take a look at Arthur MacArthur, the father of Douglas MacArthur, one of the American heroes of World War II. There are certainly strong similarities between the two men. They were the first father and son generals in the US Army. They were both military governors in the far east. They both crossed swords with civilian authorities, with similar results.

Arthur MacArthur Jr. was born in Chicopee Falls (Springfield), Massachusetts in 1845. His father, Arthur MacArthur Sr. was a prominent attorney and judge, who became the fourth governor of Wisconsin (briefly). Though Arthur Jr. had a distinguished career in his own right, he is best known as the father of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and Arthur MacArthur III, a captain in the U.S. Navy, who awarded the Navy Cross during World War I.

Here in Nebraska, Arthur MacArthur Jr. is remembered as the first post commander of Camp Robinson (later Fort Robinson), in the northwest part of the state, in 1874. At that time Camp Robinson (named for Lt. Robinson, an early officer, killed by hostile Indians while on a work detail) was a mostly tent fortification, established to protect the Red Cloud Indian Agency.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Arthur was living with his family in Wisconsin. He immediately enlisted with the Wisconsin Volunteers. In 1862, though just 17 years old, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, and appointed adjutant of the Wisconsin 24thVolunteers. The Civil War was a busy time for Arthur, who saw action at Chickamauga, Stone's River, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, and Franklin. At the Battle of Missionary Ridge, during the Chattanooga Campaign, in 1863, 18 year old Arthur first gained prominence, when he seized the regimental colors and planted them on Missionary Ridge. It was a critical time in the battle and Arthur inspired his troops, shouting "On Wisconsin" (a battle cry we in Nebraska have heard way too much in recent years). For his heroic actions Arthur was awarded the Medal of Honor. The following year, still just 19, he was promoted to Colonel, giving rise to his nickname, "The Boy Colonel" of the Union Army.

The Battle of Franklin, in 1865, would be Arthur's last battle in the Civil War. In that battle he was wounded severely in the leg and in the chest, but recovered from those wounds. To be mustered out of the Army in 1865, with the rank of brevet colonel.

Following the Civil War Arthur decided that he would follow his father into the practice of Law. That lasted only a few months, until he decided that he was not suited for the Law. Instead, he re-enlisted into the Army, where he was commissioned a captain, and sent west to fight in the Indian Wars. He was destined to remain a captain for the next twenty years -- promotions were very slow in the small, peacetime Army.

Between 1866 and 1884, Arthur and his wife "Pinkie" (nee Mary Pinkney Hardy) served a number of assignments for the Army -- in Pennsylvania, New York, the Utah Territory, Louisiana, and Arkansas. During this time their three children were born -- Arthur III, b. 1876, died 1923, appendicitis, Malcolm, b. 1878, died 1883, measles, and Douglas, b. 1878, died 1964, broken heart.

At the outbreak of the Spanish American War, Arthur was acting as the adjutant general of the Third Army in Georgia. As a brigadier general Arthur became commander of a brigade in the 8th Army and led it to victory in the Battle of Manilla, in the Philippines. For this action Arthur was promoted to the rank of major general, in August of 1898.

When the Battle for the Philippines turned from conventional warfare to that of fighting guerillas, Arthur MacArthur commanded the Department of Luzon. In 1899 he became the acting military governor of the Philippines, along with his duties as commander of the 8th Army Corps. In his new role Arthur proved to be an aggressive leader. He authorized the attack that led to the capture of a key guerilla leader, Emillio Aquinaldo. Arthur was able to convince Aquinaldo to give up the fight and swear allegiance to the United States. This feat earned MacArthur a promotion to major general in the Regular Army, in 1901.

When papers were signed, ending the Spanish American War, President William McKinley appointed MacArthur Military Governor of all the Philippines. From all reports MacArthur did a commendable job in this capacity. However, a year later William Howard Taft was appointed as Civilian Governor of the Philippines. The duties of the two men overlapped, leading to frequent disagreements between the two administrators. The clashes increased in intensity, coming to a head in 1903, when MacArthur was relieved of his Philippine command and transferred to become Commander of the Pacific Division, with the rank of Lt. General.

When Arthur MacArthur returned to the United States, in the early years of the new century, he was assigned to various posts in the US, and in 1905 was asked, by the president, to act as the US Army's observer of the final negotiations of the Russo-Japanese War, and to be the military attache' in the US Embassy in Tokyo. In 1906 he resumed his position as the Commander of Pacific Division, a position he liked very much. However, that year the position of Army Chief of Staff opened up---a post Arthur aspired to even more. As a Lt. General (three stars), MacArthur was the highest ranking officer in the US Army, and it was assumed that MacArthur would be asked to fill that post---except for one thing. By this time MacArthur's old nemesis, William Howard Taft, was the US Secretary of War, and Taft held enough clout that MacArthur was passed over for Army Chief of Staff. This slight prevented MacArthur from achieving his dream of someday commanding the entire US Army.

In those days the Army had a mandatory requirement that called for officers to retire from the Army at age 64. In 1909 MacArthur reached age 64 and was put out to pasture. At the time of his retirement he was one of the last US officers who had served in the Civil War.

Arthur MacArthur received most of the awards that the Army issues, and in retirement was a popular speaker at various veterans groups around the country. In 1912, MacArthur was attending a reunion of his old Wisconsin Volunteer Civil War Unit when he suffered a heart attack and died.

He originally was buried in a Milwaukee cemetery, but in 1926 his body was removed to the military cemetery at Arlington, to be buried among family members who had served in the Civil War and later wars. (His son, Douglas chose to be buried in Norfolk, Virginia.)