Richard Coulter Drum (May 28, 1825 – October 15, 1909) was an American military officer who was Adjutant General of the United States Army from 1880 to 1889. In addition to serving in the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

early in his career, Drum's experience included the

American Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonization of the Americas, European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States o ...

, support for the Union during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, and the

Great Railroad Strike of 1877 The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, sometimes referred to as the Great Upheaval, began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) cut wages for the third time in a year. The Great Railroad Strike of 187 ...

. Beginning as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

in 1846, he rose through the ranks to brigadier general before retiring in 1889. After retiring, he was vice president of the

Aztec Club of 1847 The Aztec Club of 1847 is a military society founded in 1847 by United States Army officers of the Mexican–American War. It is a male-only hereditary organization with membership of those who can trace a direct ancestral connection "based on ma ...

from 1906 to 1907, and president from 1907 to 1908.

Early life

Richard C. Drum was born in

Greensburg, Pennsylvania Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 14,976 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located southeast of Pittsburgh, Greensburg is a part of the Greater Pittsbu ...

on May 28, 1825. He graduated from Jefferson College before entering the printing business. At the outbreak of the

in 1846, he enlisted as a

in the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteers, and, the next year, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 9th Infantry of the Regular Army. He took part in many of the battles of the war, including

Chapultepec Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest Nature Value Area´s in Mexico, measuring in total just over . Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of ...

and

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. Following the war, he was transferred to the Fourth Artillery and was promoted to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

. He served as an aide-de-camp for General

William S. Harney William Selby Harney (August 22, 1800 – May 9, 1889), otherwise known among the Lakota as "Woman Killer" and "Mad Bear," was an American cavalry officer in the US Army, who became known during the Indian Wars and the Mexican–American War f ...

during his expedition against the

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...

, and participated in the

Battle of Ash Hollow The Battle of Ash Hollow, also known as the Battle of Blue Water Creek or the Harney Massacre,, 2004, Nebraska State Historical Society; accessed 15 August 2016Warren, G.K. (Lt.) Report of September 4, 1855, and sketch of Battle Ground at Blue W ...

Civil War

In 1861 he was appointed as an assistant adjutant general for the far-flung

Department of the Pacific The Department of the Pacific or Pacific Department was a major command ( Department) of the United States Army from 1853 to 1858. It replaced the Pacific Division, and was itself replaced by the Department of California and the Department of O ...

and promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. He was quickly promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

and lieutenant colonel, and after the end of the

he was

brevetted In military terminology, a brevet ( or ) is a warrant which gives commissioned officers a higher military rank as a reward without necessarily conferring the authority and privileges granted by that rank. The promotion would be noted in the of ...

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

and brigadier general, for faithful and meritorious services in the Adjutant-General's Department during the war.Guy V. Henry, ''Appointments...'', p. 18 Drum was a companion of the District of Columbia Commandery of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or, simply, the Loyal Legion, is a United States military order organized on April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Union Army. The original membership was consisted ...

- a prestigious military society composed of officers of the Union armed forces and their descendants. Among other honors, both Camp Drum, a 60-acre army base in Wilmington, CA, and

Fort Drum Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, near the western border of northern New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. ...

, the so-called "Concrete Battleship" situated at the mouth of Manila Bay, were named for him.

Later service

Drum was Assistant Adjutant General for the

Department of California The Department of California was an administrative department of the United States Army. The Department was created in 1858, replacing the original Department of the Pacific, and it was ended by the reorganizations of the Henry L. Stimson Plan ...

from June 1865 to October 1, 1866. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant General for the

Department of the East The Department of the East was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army several times in its history. The first was from 1853 to 1861, the second Department of the East, from 1863 to 1873, and the last from 1877 to 1913. ...

, with headquarters in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

from December 27, 1866, to January 6, 1868. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General, for the 3rd Military District to August 1, 1868, and Department of the South, headquarters

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

from March 20, 1868, to March 20, 1869, and from April 3, 1869, to November 26, 1873, for the Military Department of the Atlantic. Drum was promoted to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

on February 22, 1869. He was again made Assistant Adjutant-General, for the Military Division of the Missouri, in Chicago from November 28, 1873, to May 2, 1878, where he commanded the Federal troops in the

. He then served until retirement in the Adjutant Generals office in Washington, D.C. On June 16, 1880, he became Adjutant General of the United States Army and was promoted to brigadier general. He retired on May 20, 1889.Official Army Register for 1907, p.403
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Death

General Drum died in Drummond, Maryland on October 15, 1909. He is buried in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

Memberships

In 1871 he became a member of the

, a military society for officers who served in the Mexican War and their descendants. In 1896 he became a Veteran Companion of the

Military Order of Foreign Wars The Military Order of Foreign Wars of the United States (MOFW) is one of the oldest veterans' and hereditary associations in the nation with a membership that includes officers and their hereditary descendants from all of the Armed Services. Memb ...

by right of his service in the Mexican–American War. He was also a Companion of the District of Columbia Commandery of the

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Drum, Richard Coulter 1825 births 1909 deaths Adjutants general of the United States Army American military personnel of the Mexican–American War American people of the Indian Wars Burials at Arlington National Cemetery People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Union army officers United States Army generals Washington & Jefferson College alumni