Thomas M. Anderson

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Thomas McArthur Anderson

Thomas McArthur Anderson (born January 21, 1836 in Chillicothe , Ohio ; † May 8, 1917 in Portland , Oregon ) was a high-ranking American officer in the United States Army , who served as a brigadier general in both the Spanish-American War , the Civil War as was also involved in the Philippine-American War .

Private biography

Anderson was born near Chillicothe in the US state of Ohio . He first attended St Mary's College in Maryland and then went to Cincinnati Law School . Upon graduation, he was admitted to the Cincinnati Court.

He had a son, Thomas McArthur Anderson, Jr. and a daughter, Minnie Anderson.

Military background

When the American Civil War broke out, he enlisted in the volunteer army in April 1861. Under the influence of his uncle, Robert Anderson , the commander of the famous Fort Sumter , he received a call to the United States Army and took part in the war as a second lieutenant in the service of the 5th US Cavalry . He was wounded twice during the war and achieved the rank of major.

He remained in the army after the war and rose to the rank of colonel .

In 1898 he was appointed to the temporary rank of Brigadier General and was assigned command of the first Philippine Expeditionary Force during the Spanish-American War. His 2,000-strong force were the first to land in the Philippines . When Major General Wesley Merritt reached the island nation, he organized the US armed forces and formed the VIII Army Corps. Anderson was chosen to command the 2nd Division of VIII Corps and led them into the 1898 Battle of Manila against the Spanish Defense Forces.

When the Spanish-American War was over, Anderson stayed in Manila , where he received command of the 1st Division of the VIII Corps and had to fight with his people in the Battle of Manila in 1899 against the Filipino troops in the Filipino-American War . After defeating the Filipinos around General Emilio Aguinaldov at the gates of the city, he led his division into the less important battles at Santana, San Pedro and Guadalupe. In March 1899 he was officially and definitively awarded the rank of Brigadier General .

In 1900 he retired, then lived in Vancouver and died 17 years later in Portland , Oregon . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery today .

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personal data
SURNAME Anderson, Thomas M.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Anderson, Thomas McArthur (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American brigadier general
DATE OF BIRTH January 21, 1836
PLACE OF BIRTH Chillicothe , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH May 8, 1917
Place of death Portland , Oregon