Arthur Murray (general)

Arthur Murray (April 29, 1851 – May 12, 1925) was a major general in the United States Army. He was notable for his service as Chief of Artillery, Chief of the Coast Artillery Corps and commander of the Army's Western Department.

This article is about the U.S. Army Major General. For the U. S. Army Mine Planter Maj. Gen. Arthur Murray, see USCGC Yamacraw (WARC-333).
Arthur Murray
Major General Arthur Murray, first Chief of Coast Artillery
Born(1851-04-29)April 29, 1851
Bowling Green, Missouri
DiedMay 12, 1925(1925-05-12) (aged 74)
Washington, D.C.
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1878–1915
1917–1918
Rank Major General
Commands heldBattery L, 1st Field Artillery
Battery A, 1st Field Artillery
43rd Infantry Regiment
School of Submarine Defense
Field Artillery Corps
Coast Artillery Corps
Western Department
Battles/warsSpanish–American War
Philippine Insurrection
World War I
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Spouse(s)Sara Wetmore De Russy
RelationsBrigadier General René Edward De Russy (father in law)
Major General Henry Conger Pratt (son in law)
Major General Maxwell Murray (son)
Other workVice Chairman, Central Committee, American Red Cross
Clerk, U.S. House Committee on Military Affairs

Early life and start of career

Murray was born in Bowling Green, Missouri on April 29, 1851.[1] He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1874, and was ranked second in his class.[2] He served initially with the 1st Artillery Regiment in Florida, South Carolina, and Rhode Island, and served in Pennsylvania in the effort to end what became known as the Great Railroad Strike of 1877.[3] In 1880 he graduated first in his class at the Field Artillery School.[4]

Early career

He served at West Point as an instructor in natural and experimental philosophy, and in 1887 was assigned to the Judge Advocate's office for the Department of the Missouri.[5] He later served in the Judge Advocate's office for the Department of Dakota. Murray studied law in his Judge Advocate postings and was admitted to the bar.[6]

From 1891 to 1896 Murray commanded Battery L, 1st Artillery at Fort Wadsworth, New York.[7] He then served at Yale University as a professor of military science.[8]

Later career

Spanish–American War

During the Spanish–American War Murray again served with the 1st Artillery, this time as commander of Battery A.[9] He subsequently served as judge advocate for First Army Corps. After the war he held several positions in Cuba as part of the Army's occupation government.[10]

Philippine Insurrection

Murray was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1899 and assigned to command the 43rd Infantry Regiment, which he led in the Philippines during the Philippine Insurrection.[11]

School of Submarine Defense

From 1901 to 1906 Murray commanded the Army's School of Submarine Defense at Fort Totten, New York, which devised and implemented methods of defending harbors from attack by enemy ships, including the employment of underwater mines and torpedoes.[12] During Murray's tenure the school was relocated to Fort Monroe, which was also the home of the Artillery School.[13]

Career as general officer

In 1906 Murray was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as Chief of Artillery.[14]

In 1908 the Artillery Corps was divided into the Coast Artillery Corps the Field Artillery,[15] and tasked to use long range land-mounted cannons in defense of U.S. harbors.[16] Murray was named the first Chief of Coast Artillery, and he served until 1911.[17]

Murray received promotion to major general in 1911,[18] and commanded the Army's Western Department until retiring in 1915.[19] He served as vice chairman of the Central Committee of the American Red Cross from his retirement until his return to uniform for World War I.[20]

World War I

Murray requested recall to active duty for World War I. He returned to service as a major general in 1917, and again commanded the Western Department.[21] He retired again in December 1918, and received the Army Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his contributions to the war effort.[22]

Post-military career

In December 1918 Murray was appointed clerk of the U.S. House Committee on Military Affairs.[23]

Death and burial

Murray died in Washington, D.C. on May 12, 1925.[24] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Site 1844B.[25]

Family

In 1880 Murray married Sara Wetmore De Russy, the daughter of Brigadier General René Edward De Russy.[26] Their son Maxwell Murray was a career Army officer who attained the rank of major general.[27][28]

Sadie Murray, the daughter of Arthur and Sara Murray, was the wife of Major General Henry Conger Pratt.[29]

Their daughter Carolyn was married to Ord Preston, a prominent Washington, D.C. businessman who served as president of the Washington Gas Light Company and the Union Trust Company, and was a major in the Army during World War I.[30][31]

Awards
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References
  1. Herringshaw, Thomas William (1915). Herringshaw's American Blue Book Of Biography. Chicago, IL: American Publishers' Association. p. 881.
  2. Cullum, George W.; Braden, Charles (1910). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. V. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. p. 213.
  3. Cullum, George W.; Holden, Edward S. (1891). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. III. Cambridge, MA: Riverside Press. p. 223.
  4. U.S. Army Adjutant General (1890). U.S. Army Register. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 393.
  5. Cullum, Holden, Biographical Register, Vol. III, p. 223.
  6. "News Notes from the Nation's Capital: Changes Among High Officers of Army will be Made Monday". Palestine Daily Herald. Palestine, TX. September 29, 1906. p. 2.
  7. Cullum, George W.; Holden, Edward S. (1901). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy. IV. Cambridge, MA: Riverside Press. p. 241.
  8. Yale University (1896). Catalogue of the Officers and Graduates of Yale University. New Haven, CT: Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Press. p. 39.
  9. Jenks, J. E. (March 11, 1911). "The New General Officers of the Army". Army-Navy Register. Washington, DC: rmy and Navy Publishing Company: 1.
  10. Cullum, George W.; Holden, Edward S. (1901). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. IV. Cambridge, MA: Riverside Press. p. 241.
  11. Cullum, Braden, Biographical Register, Vol. V, p. 213
  12. United States Secretary of War (1902). Annual Reports of the Secretary of War. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 126. arthur murray school fort totten.
  13. Taylor, Andrews Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Chiefs of Arms, p. 8
  14. Taylor, John E.; Andrews, Patricia (1962). Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Chiefs of Arms: Record Group 177. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration. p. 2.
  15. United States Secretary of War (1908). Annual Report of the Secretary of War. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. p. 365.
  16. Barnes, H. C. (December 1, 1922). "The Mission of the Coast Artillery Corps". The Coast Artillery Journal. Fortress Monroe, VA: Coast Artillery Training Center. 57 (6): 479.
  17. Taylor, Andrews Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Chiefs of Arms, p. 2
  18. "Gen Murray is Promoted". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, KY. March 14, 1911. p. 6.
  19. Cullum, George W.; Holden, Edward Singleton (1920). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. VI–a. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. p. 189.
  20. Cunningham, Austin (January 1, 1916). "Editorial Comment: Gen. Murray's Career is Varied and Notable". The Red Cross Magazine. Washington, DC: American Red Cross: 33.
  21. Rinaldi, Richard A. (2004). The US Army in World War I - Orders of Battle - Ground Units, 1917-1919. Takoma Park, MD: General Data LLC. p. 209. ISBN 978-0-9720296-4-3.
  22. "Awards and Citations, Arthur Murray". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  23. Jenks, J. E. (February 8, 1919). "In Congress: Gen. Murray, Committee Clerk". Army and Navy Register. Washington, DC: Army and Navy Publishing Co.: 172.
  24. "General Murray Dies at Capital". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, CA. May 12, 1925. p. 1.
  25. "U.S. National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962, entry for Arthur Murray". Ancestry.com. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com LLC. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  26. Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy (1912). Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Reunion of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. pp. 152–153.
  27. Cullum, George W.; Braden, Charles (1910). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S Military Academy at West Point, New York. V. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. p. 795.
  28. "Maxwell Murray, Major General, United States Army". Arlington Cemetery.net. Michael Robert Patterson. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  29. "Memorial, Henry C. Pratt (1904)". Memorials, West Point Association of Graduates. West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  30. Chapple, Joe Mitchell (January 1, 1913). "Affairs at Washington: Miss Carolyn Murray". National Magazine. Boston, MA: Chapple Publishing Company, Limited: 651.
  31. "Ord Preston, Major, United States Army". Arlington Cemetery.net. Michael Robert Patterson. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
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