Ulysses G. McAlexander

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Ulysses Grant McAlexander
Brig. Gen. Ulysses McAlexander as commander of the 180th Brigade in October 1918.
Nickname(s)Mac
Born30 August 1864
Dundas, Minnesota, US
Died18 September 1936
Portland, Oregon, US
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1883–1924
Rank Major General
Service number0-75
Commands held
Battles/warsAmerican Indian Wars


Spanish–American War
Moro Rebellion
World War I

Awards
Silver Star Medal
Spouse(s)May Skinner McAlexander

Major General Ulysses Grant McAlexander (30 August 1864 – 18 September 1936) was an American officer who served in the United States Army. He was heavily decorated for valor, and is one of the iconic fighting men of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. He is most famous for commanding the 38th Infantry Regiment during the Second Battle of the Marne in July 1918, and earning himself and the regiment the moniker "Rock of the Marne" (later adopted by the entire 3rd Infantry Division).

Early life

Ulysses Grant McAlexander was born on 30 August 1864 in Dundas, Minnesota during the American Civil War. He was named after General Ulysses S. Grant, the commander of the Union Army. His father was Commodore Perry McAlexander (named after Commodore Matthew C. Perry) and his mother was Margaret (Tilton) McAlexander.[1] Ulysses was the fifth child of the family, and his elder siblings are: Mary Diana (1850–1941), Sarah Ellen (1852–1922), Alice Grace (1857–1880), and Emily (1861–1914). He also had a younger brother, Monroe (1868–1950). His youngest brother, Albert W.(b. 1875) did not live past his first year.[2] Ulysses' father died in 1879 in McPherson, Kansas, and his mother died there in 1880. Growing up in Minnesota and Kansas, Ulysses excelled in academia and physical activities, and was accepted into the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, sponsored by Judge John D Milliken of McPherson, Kansas. He began his freshman (plebe) year there in 1883 as a Cadet.

Military career

Ulysses G. McAlexander graduated West Point at the head of his class and commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in 1887. Among his classmates included several general officers of the future, such as Charles Gerhardt, Charles S. Farnsworth, Nathaniel Fish McClure, Michael Joseph Lenihan, Herman Hall, William Weigel, Ernest Hinds, Mark L. Hersey, James Theodore Dean, Frank Herman Albright, Marcus Daniel Cronin, George Owen Squier, Thomas Grafton Hanson, George Washington Gatchell, Alexander Lucian Dade and Edmund Wittenmyer

He was posted to

Iowa Wesleyan College
. This was the first time Lieutenant McAlexander would train Cadets, and this experience helped him later in his career.

In 1898, when the

US Volunteers so he could serve overseas. Receiving a commission as Assistant Quartermaster of Volunteers, with the rank of captain, McAlexander entered the 28th US Volunteer Infantry Regiment and sailed for Cuba. During the Siege of Santiago, Capt. McAlexander received the Silver Star for "gallantry in action in the Santiago de Cuba Campaign, 22 June to 17 July 1898.[3]
"

After returning to the United States, the young captain was soon placed in charge of the 13th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment sailing for the

counter-insurgency operations until 1902. He and the regiment returned to the Philippines and fought from 1905–1906 until they were sent back to America. Until 1907, he served in Washington, D.C.
as a member of US Army Headquarters general staff.

In 1907, Capt. McAlexander was sent to become the Professor of Military Science and Tactics at

Oregon State College where he was admired by Cadets and the community of Corvallis, Oregon alike. He oversaw the training of the Oregon State University Army ROTC battalion along with the construction of the armory, which was completed in 1911 (in 1971, the armory was renamed the "McAlexander Fieldhouse"). Upon his promotion to major in 1911, Ulysses G. McAlexander was sent to be an active duty trainer and inspector for the Oregon Army National Guard. He served in this position until 1915, when he was again transferred to command the Oregon State Army ROTC battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel
in July 1916.

World War I

When the United States entered the

First World War in April 1917, McAlexander was promoted to colonel in May and sent to France to command the 18th Infantry Regiment[5] of the 1st Division. He commanded that regiment during their early tenure in France when it was being trained in tactics by the French Army. However, he was relieved of command shortly after. It is said that McAlexander was relieved from his command position by General R. Bullard for profanely refusing to believe that the French could teach him anything about war.[6] He was sent, instead, to serve with the Inspector General
's staff.

McAlexander was assigned to command the newly arrived

Chateau-Thierry
.

Major General Joseph T. Dickman pinning the Croix de Guerre on Brigadier General Ulysses G. McAlexander for his valorous conduct on the Marne river, in July 1918.

In July, the

Army Distinguished Service Medal
, the citation for which reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Ulysses Grant McAlexander, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. General McAlexander commanded the 38th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, with marked distinction in repelling the German attack at Mezy, south of the Marne, in July 1918. He exhibited particular skill and energy as a Brigade Commander in the operations at the St. Mihiel salient and in the Argonne-Meuse offensive. The successful accomplishment of the missions of his Brigade in all cases were in a large measure due to this sound judgment and leadership.[3]

On 22 July, the 38th Infantry Regiment launched an assault on Jaulgonne to prize it from the enemy. In the words of Capt. Jesse W. Woolridge, he enjoyed his finest five minutes of the war believing he was the spear of the assault, when he bumped into McAlexander, crawling forward at the very front of his regiment.[9] McAlexander received the Distinguished Service Cross for this action. The citation for the medal reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Brigadier General Ulysses Grant McAlexander, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while Commanding the 38th Infantry Regiment, 3d Division, A.E.F., near Jaulgonne, France, 22 July 1918. General McAlexander, then a colonel, commanding the 38th infantry, displayed exceptional gallantry when his regiment, attacking without support on either flank, was stopped by severe machine-gun and artillery fire, by going ahead of the most advanced elements of his command, and in full view of the enemy, leading his men by force of his own example to the successful assault of Jaulgonne and the adjoining heights. Later in the day, when progress was again checked, he personally reconnoitered to within 50 yards of hostile machine-gun nests, and through information thus obtained, was enabled to hold an advanced position, with both flanks exposed, for more than 36 hours.[3]

After receiving a promotion to

Alamo Division.[10] The 180th Brigade, the "Texas Brigade", consisted the 359th Infantry Regiment and 360th Infantry Regiments, and the 343rd Machine Gun Battalion. Most of the soldiers came from Texas, and were new to combat. McAlexander led them into their first battle at Saint-Mihiel on 12 September 1918, and quickly accomplished his objectives.[11] In the much larger Meuse–Argonne offensive which soon followed, McAlexander's Texans took the fight to the enemy and attributed their success to their leader. After the war, the Texas veterans commissioned a portrait of McAlexander (currently on display in Austin, Texas
) that evokes their admiration of their commander.

When the Great War ended on

Allied occupation force in Germany until 1919, when he returned home.[10]

Post-War

When McAlexander returned to his family in 1919, he served in the Army a while longer until retiring with the rank of

honorary doctorate. In 1934, he unsuccessfully ran for governor in the 1934 Oregon gubernatorial election on the Republican ticket, but was defeated by Joe E. Dunne. McAlexander died in Portland, Oregon on 18 September 1936, and is buried in Section 7 of Arlington National Cemetery.[13]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ "Ulysses G Mcalexander 1864–1936 – Ancestry". www.ancestry.com.
  2. ^ "Commodore Perry McAlexander 1828–1870 – Ancestry". www.ancestry.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Valor awards for Ulysses Grant McAlexander". valor.militarytimes.com.
  4. ^ Ward, Kyle. "13th Minnesota Infantry". www.spanamwar.com.
  5. ^ Davis 1998, p. 248.
  6. ^ Stallings, Lawrence (1963). The Doughboys. New York: Harper & Row Publishers. p. 83.
  7. ^ Venzon 2013, p. 360.
  8. ^ a b c "Shadow box". army.togetherweserved.com.
  9. ^ Venzon 2013, pp. 360−361.
  10. ^ a b Venzon 2013, p. 361.
  11. ^ Stallings, Lawrence (1963). The Doughboys. New York: Harper & Row Publishers. p. 213.
  12. ^ "Douglas Country Club: BIDDING FOND FAREWELL". Deseret News. 15 August 1997.
  13. ^ Burial Detail: McAlexander, Ulysses G – ANC Explorer

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