Fred Winchester Sladen (November 24, 1867 – July 10, 1945) was a career

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

officer who rose to the rank of major general and became

Superintendent of the United States Military Academy The superintendent of the United States Military Academy is the academy's commanding officer. This position is roughly equivalent to the chancellor (education), chancellor or University president, president of an American civilian university. T ...

. He was a son of English-born Joseph A. Sladen (1841-1911) and Martha F. Winchester. The elder Sladen met with

Cochise Cochise ( ; Apache: or , ; later or , ; June 8, 1874) was the leader of the Chiricahui local group of the Chokonen and principal nantan of the Chokonen band of a Chiricahua Apache. A key war leader during the Apache Wars, he led an upri ...

in the company of General

Oliver Otis Howard Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard lost his right arm while leading his men again ...

, and was awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for his service in the American Civil War.

Early life

Sladen was born on November 24, 1867, in

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, United States. Alongside Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, it is one of two traditional county seat, seats of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in ...

, the son of Joseph Alton Sladen and Martha (Winchester) Sladen.

Education

Sladen received his appointment to the US Military Academy from the State of

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

, graduating 27th out of 54 in his class of 1890.

Military career

Sladen began his military career commissioned an officer in the

Infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

branch upon graduating from the US Military Academy. From 1911 to 1914 he was commandant of cadets. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Sladen served as commander of the 5th Infantry Brigade, part of the Third Infantry Division. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal for his wartime service. On October 14, 1918, learning that his brigade's advance had stalled near Ferme de la Madeleine, France, Sladen proceeded three kilometers to the front lines under heavy enemy fire to investigate. Discovering that the battalion commander had been killed, he took direct command himself and was able to resume the attack. He served in the army until his retirement on November 30, 1931. He achieved the rank of major general and was the 32nd superintendent of the US Military Academy from 1922 to 1926. He later served as superintendent of

Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American Coastal defense and fortification, coastal bastion fort, pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, Baltimore, Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War ...

from 1931 to 1932.

Personal life

Sladen married Ms. Elizabeth Lefferts of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on October 8, 1903, at the Church of the Holy Incarnation on Madison Avenue. One of Sladen's groomsmen was another future West Point Superintendent, William D. Connor. Their son Fred Winchester Sladen Jr. was a West Point graduate and decorated battalion commander during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

who retired as a brigadier general.

Death

Sladen died in

New London, New Hampshire New London is a New England town, town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,400 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The town is the home of Colby–Sawyer College, site ...

, on July 10, 1945.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sladen, Fred Winchester 1867 births 1945 deaths United States Military Academy alumni Military personnel from Massachusetts 19th-century United States Army personnel United States Army Infantry Branch personnel American military personnel of the Philippine–American War Commandants of the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy United States Army generals of World War I Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) United States Army generals Superintendents of the United States Military Academy Burials at West Point Cemetery