Clement Flagler

Clement Alexander Finley Flagler (August 17, 1867 – May 7, 1922) was a United States Army Major General who was noteworthy as regimental, brigade and division commander in World War I.

Clement Alexander Finley Flagler
Flagler as a division commander in World War I
Nickname(s)	Sioux
Born	August 17, 1867 (1867-08-17) Augusta, Georgia
Died	May 7, 1922 (1922-05-08) (aged 54) Baltimore, Maryland
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1889–1922
Rank	Major General
Commands held	7th Engineer Regiment 5th Infantry Division Artillery III Corps Artillery 42nd (Rainbow) Infantry Division United States Army Engineer School
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War Pancho Villa Expedition World War I
Awards	Legion of Honor Croix de Guerre
Relations	Brigadier General Daniel Webster Flagler (1835–1899) (father) Brigadier General Clement Alexander Finley (maternal grandfather)

The son of Daniel Webster Flagler and grandson of Clement Alexander Finley, Clement Flagler graduated from Iowa's Griswold College in 1885 and the United States Military Academy in 1889. Commissioned as an Engineer officer, Flagler served on the West Point faculty and then carried out a series of Engineer assignments, with a specialty in rivers and harbors construction. He took part in the Spanish–American War and the Pancho Villa Expedition, and was a graduate of the Army War College.

During World War I, Flagler became a temporary major general and commanded the 7th Engineer Regiment, 5th Infantry Division Artillery, III Corps Artillery, and the 42nd (Rainbow) Infantry Division. He was a recipient of both the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre in recognition of his wartime achievements.

After the war, Flagler reverted to his permanent rank of colonel, and resumed his career as an Engineer officer. He died in Baltimore, Maryland, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Early life

He was born Clement Alexander Finley Flagler in Augusta, Georgia, the son of Brigadier General Daniel Webster Flagler, for whom Fort Flagler, Washington was named.[1]

The younger Flagler was named for his maternal grandfather, Army Surgeon General Clement Alexander Finley. Known as Clement Flagler, Clement A.F. Flagler, and C.A.F Flagler, he grew up in Iowa while his father commanded the Rock Island Arsenal.[2][3]

In 1885 he received a bachelor of science degree from Griswold College.[4][5][6] He then accepted appointment to the United States Military Academy after being recommended by Congressman Jerry Murphy.[7] He graduated in 1889,[8][9] and Flagler's high class ranking (3 of 29) enabled him to obtain a sought after position in the Army's Engineer branch.[10]

While at West Point Flagler was nicknamed "Sioux" as a testament to his dark eyes, hair, and complexion, his having been raised in Iowa, and his self-professed Native American heritage, and his classmates used it with him for the rest of his life.[11]

Start of military career

Assigned as an Engineer officer, Flagler served as instructor in civil and military engineering at West Point,[12] and as engineer officer at Chickamauga, Georgia.[13][14]

Spanish–American War

During the Spanish–American War Flagler was temporarily promoted to Major and assigned as engineer officer on the staff of the U.S. Army commander in Puerto Rico.[15][16]

Post–Spanish–American War

Following the Spanish–American War Flagler continued to carry out Engineer assignments, including serving as officer in charge of the federal lighthouse district based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a posting as chief engineering officer for the Army's Department of the East. Flagler also played a role in choosing the route for enlarging the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

In 1914 Flagler graduated from the Army War College.[25]

After his War College graduation Flagler served as engineer officer for the District of Columbia Engineer District.[26]

Pancho Villa Expedition

During Mexican border skirmishes of 1914–1916, Flagler served on General Funston's staff in the Vera Cruz Expedition.[27][28][29]

World War I

During World War I, Flagler successively commanded the 7th Engineer Regiment, 5th Infantry Division Artillery, III Corps Artillery, and the 42nd (Rainbow) Infantry Division, attaining the temporary rank of Major General.[30][31][9][32]

Post World War I

After World War I Flagler served as commandant of the Army's Engineer School at Camp Humphreys, Virginia[33] and then chief engineer of the department based in Honolulu, Hawaii.[34]

In 1921 Flagler was assigned to Baltimore as chief engineer of the Eastern Division, the post in which he was serving when he died.[35]

Military awards

General Flagler was a recipient of the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre for his World War I service.[36]

Death and interment

General Flagler died at Johns Hopkins University Hospital[37][38][39] and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section West E Site 147.[40]

Family

In 1897, Flagler married Mrs. Caroline DeWitt Quinan (1870-1938) in Salt Lake City.[41][42] Caroline DeWitt had children with her first husband, William R. Quinan, from whom she was divorced in 1896,[43] but none with Flagler.[44]

Legacy

Flagler Road, which runs between 18th and 21st Streets at Fort Belvoir, and includes the post headquarters, is named for him.[45] Fort Belvoir was previously the location of the Army Engineer Center and School, and several streets and buildings there are named for prominent Engineer officers.[46]

References

1. Daniel Webster Flagler entry, The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, compiled and edited by Rossiter Johnson and John Howard Brown, 1904
2. A History of the Rock Island Arsenal From its Establishment in 1836 to December, 1876: And of the Island of Rock Island, the Site of the Arsenal, from 1804 to 1863. Prepared under the instructions of Brig. Gen. Stephen V. Benet́, by Daniel Webster Flagler, 1877
3. Annals of Iowa, published by State Historical Society of Iowa, 1905, page 600
4. The Military Engineer: The Journal of the Society of American Military Engineers. 14. Washington, DC: Society of American Military Engineers. 1922. p. 232. ...and was educated at Griswold College, Iowa, where he received the degree of Bachelor of Science.
5. Ely, Hanson E. (1919). The Official History of the Fifth Division, U.S.A. Washington, DC: Society of the Fifth Division. p. 31.
6. "Rainbow Officer, Educated Here, Dead in East". The Daily Times. Davenport, IA. May 9, 1922. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Rainbow Officer, Educated Here, Dead in East", p. 5.
8. The Military Engineer, p. 232.
9. The Official History of the Fifth Division, U.S.A., p. 31.
10. Steele, Alice M. (1905). "Iowa at West Point and Annapolis". The Annals of Iowa. Vol. 6. Des Moines, IA: State Historical Society of Iowa. p. 600.
11. Obituary, Clement Alexander Finley Flagler, Annual Report, published by United States Military Academy Association of Graduates, 1922, page 66
12. Davis Jr., Henry Blaine (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 129. ISBN 1571970886. OCLC 40298151
13. "Changes at West Point", New York Times, March 18, 1894
14. "Gen. Wilson Leaves Chickamauga Camp", Atlanta Constitution, July 6, 1898
15. "The United Service: Army", New York Times, August 8, 1900
16. "A Joint Service Board To Report on Lands Needed By Armyand Navy in Porto Rico", New York Times, November 20, 1900
17. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, published by U.S. Army War Department, 1901, page 684
18. Annual Report, published by United States Lighthouse Board, 1906, page 3
19. Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor, published by United States Dept. of Commerce and Labor, 1907, page 527
20. "To Forces of Land and Sea", Baltimore Sun, May 16, 1904
21. "Roosevelt Won't Interfere: Declines to Modify Order Transferring Major Flagler", New York Times, July 31, 1908
22. Report, Hearings before the Committee on Railways and Canals on the Bill to Acquire and Enlarge the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal, published by U.S. House of Representatives 1908, page 63
23. "The United Service", New York Times, November 26, 1910
24. "Work Halted on New Line", Christian Science Monitor, October 9, 1912
25. Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Military Academy, by George Washington Cullum and Edward Singleton Holden, Volume VI-A, 1920, page 510
26. "Col. Flagler is Sent to Rome", New York Times, March 17, 1917
27. The New International Year Book, published by Dodd, Mead and Co., 1923, page 246
28. Who Was Who in America, With World Notables, published by Marquis Who's Who, 1960, page 404
29. "Tell of Huerta's Nonchalance", by Associated Press, New York Times, May 17, 1914
30. Soldiers All: Portraits and Sketches of the Men of the A.E.F., by Joseph Cummings Chase, 1919, page 353
31. Rainbow Memories: Character Sketches and History of the 1st Battalion, 166th Infantry, 42nd Division, A.E.F., by First Lieutenant Alison Reppy, 1919, page 111
32. "Rainbow Boys Lauded by General Flagler", Atlanta Constitution, April 8, 1919
33. "Gen. Flagler Sent to Humphreys", New York Times, May 14, 1919
34. All About Hawaii: The Recognized Book of Authentic Information on Hawaii, compiled and published by Thomas G. Thrum, 1921, page 168
35. Annual Report, published by United States Military Academy Association of Graduates, 1922, page 67
36. Obituaries, Engineering and Contracting magazine, Volume 57, 1922, page 114
37. Obituaries, Engineering and Contracting magazine, Volume 57, 1922, page 114
38. "Col. CAF Flagler, Engineer Chief, Dies", Baltimore Sun, May 9, 1922
39. "War Hero Dies", Chicago Daily Tribune, May 9, 1922
40. Annual Report, published by United States Military Academy Association of Graduates, 1922, page 66
41. "Flagler-Quinan Wedding". Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, UT. January 26, 1897. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
42. "Death notice, Caroline Knight de Witt Flagler". Army and Navy Journal. Washington, DC: Army and Navy Journal Publishing. 1938. p. 999.
43. "A Decree of Divorce Granted the Plaintiff". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, CA. November 10, 1896. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
44. "Gen. Flagler Dies at Hopkins". Washington Evening Star. Washington, DC. May 8, 1922. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
45. U.S. Army Engineer Center and School (1985). Real Property, U.S. Army Engineer Center. Fort Belvoir, VA: U.S. Army Engineer Center. p. 75.
46. Real Property, U.S. Army Engineer Center, p. 75.

External links

• Clement Flagler at Find a Grave
• Clement Alexander Finley Flagler page, Arlington National Cemetery.net web site, accessed March 20, 2011