Robert Lee Howze (August 22, 1864 – September 19, 1926) was a United States Army major general who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Indian Wars. Howze graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1888 and then accepted a commission to the United States Army. He first served in the Indian Wars, then served in the Spanish–American War,

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...

and World War I. His last assignment was presiding over the courts-martial of Colonel Billy Mitchell.

Early life

Howze was born to Captain James A. Howze, of the 14th Texas Cavalry, and Amanda Hamilton Howze in Overton, Rusk County, Texas. After graduating from Hubbard College in 1883, he attended the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York and was in the graduating class of 1888. His classmates included several future

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

s, such as Peyton C. March,

William M. Morrow William M. Morrow (September 6, 1866 – July 21, 1944) was an American football player and soldier. He played college football at the University of Michigan in 1885 and 1886 and was the starting quarterback for the 1886 Michigan Wolverines ...

, James W. McAndrew,

William Robert Dashiell Brigadier General William Robert Dashiell (3 April 1863 – 16 March 1939) was a United States Army officer. He notably participated in the Philippine–American War and World War I. Early life and education Dashiell was born Mecklenburg Cou ...

Peter Charles Harris Major General Peter Charles Harris (November 10, 1865 – March 18, 1951) was an officer in the United States Army who served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1918 to 1922. Early life and education Harris was born on November 10, ...

, Eli Alva Helmick,

Henry Jervey Jr. Henry Jervey (June 5, 1866 – September 30, 1942) was an officer in the United States Army who served as director, Operations Division, General Staff, during World War I. In 1917, he wrote the book ''Warfare of the Future''. At the outbreak of ...

, William Voorhees Judson,

John Louis Hayden John Louis Hayden (November 2, 1866 – February 22, 1936) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in several conflicts, including World War I. Biography Hayden was born in Chicago in 1866. His fa ...

, Edward Anderson, William H. Hart, Charles Aloysius Hedekin and William S. Peirce.

Military career

Howze participated in the

Pine Ridge Campaign {{cat main Wars between the United States and Native Americans Indian wars of the American Old West 19th century in the United States 19th-century colonization of the Americas Wars War is an intense armed conflict between states, ...

from November 1890 to January 1891. On January 1, 1891, the 6th Cavalry crossed the frozen White River in South Dakota to engage a group of Brulé Sioux. It was for this action he was presented with the Medal of Honor. Howze married Anne Chiffelle Hawkins, daughter of General

Hamilton S. Hawkins Hamilton Smith Hawkins (November 13, 1834 – March 27, 1910) was a United States Army Major General during the Spanish–American War. Biography Hamilton S. Hawkins was born in Fort Moultrie, South Carolina on November 13, 1834. He attended th ...

, on February 24, 1897. At the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Howze, now a cavalry captain, was made adjutant general of the cavalry in Cuba. Upon his return to the United States, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of volunteers and commanded the Thirty-fourth Volunteer Infantry throughout the Philippine Insurrection. He was promoted to captain in the United States Army on February 2, 1901; to brigadier general of volunteers on June 20, 1901; and to major of the Puerto Rico provincial regiment of infantry in 1901. He received two Silver Citation Stars (converted in 1932 to the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

decoration) for actions respectively in Cuba and the Philippines. Maj

In 1905, Howze was appointed Commandant of Cadets at West Point, remaining in that post until 1909. In 1907 he threatened to discharge an entire class from the academy over a

hazing Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging (South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, ...

incident. Howze was a major in the 11th Cavalry during General

John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...

's Punitive Expedition into Mexico in 1916. During World War I Howze was promoted to major general and placed in command of the 38th Infantry Division, which fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in October 1918. He served as commander of the 3rd Division during their march on the Rhine River, and commanded the Third Army of Occupation in Germany in 1919. He was awarded the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

, the French

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

, and French

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

for his service in command of the Third Army. General Howze died while on active duty on September 19, 1926, at age 62, and is buried in the

United States Military Academy Cemetery West Point Cemetery is a historic cemetery in the eastern United States, on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. It overlooks the Hudson River, and served as a burial ground for Revolutionary War soldiers and earl ...

at West Point, New York.

Court-martial of Billy Mitchell

Howze's last assignment was to preside over the

court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

of Colonel Billy Mitchell, who had made public comments in response to the Navy dirigible crashing in a storm. The crash killed 14 of the crew and Mitchell issued a statement accusing senior leaders in the Army and Navy of incompetence and "almost treasonable administration of the national defense." In November 1925 he was

ed at the direct order of President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

. The trial attracted significant interest, and public opinion supported Mitchell. The court found Mitchell guilty of insubordination, and suspended him from active duty for five years without pay.Maxwell AFB. American Airpower Biography. ''Billy Mitchell''
/ref> The generals ruling in the case wrote, "The Court is thus lenient because of the military record of the Accused during the World War."Maksel 2009, p. 49. On February 1, 1926, Mitchell resigned in-lieu of accepting the courts punishment. Billy Mitchell at his court-martial

Military awards

* Medal of Honor * Distinguished Service Medal *

with oak leaf cluster *

Indian Campaign Medal The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration established by War Department General Orders 12, 1907.

* Spanish Campaign Medal * Army of Cuban Occupation Medal * Philippine Campaign Medal * Mexican Border Service Medal * Victory Medal *Officer, French

*French

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, Company K, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White River, S. Dak., 1 January 1891. Entered service at: Overton, Rusk County, Tex. Born: 22 August 1864, Overton, Rusk County, Tex. Date of issue: 25 July 1891. Citation:

Bravery in action.

Army Distinguished Service Medal citation

Citation:

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 Major General Robert Lee Howze, 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. As Commander of the 3d Division on its march to the Rhine and during the occupation of the enemy territory General Howze proved himself energetic and capable, exhibiting superb qualities of leadership. He maintained an unusually high standard of efficiency in his unit, rendering eminently conspicuous service as a Division Commander.

Dates of rank

Source: ''Army Register'', 1926

Namesakes

Camp Howze

There were two military installations named in honor of General Howze.

Camp Howze, Texas Camp Howze, Texas, was an infantry replacement training center located adjacent to the town of Gainesville in Cooke County, Texas. It was named for Major General Robert Lee Howze, a Medal of Honor recipient. History As the army and the rest of th ...

, was a large World War II training facility near

Gainesville, Texas Gainesville is a city in and the county seat of Cooke County, Texas, United States. Its population was 16,002 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Texoma region and is an important Agri-business center. History Founded in 1850, the city of Gain ...

. Camp Howze, South Korea, was a US Army installation located off Main Supply Route (MSR) 1 near the towns of Kumchon and Paju-Ri.

USS General R. L. Howze (AP-134)

The , launched May 1943, was named in his honor.

Relations

Two of his sons graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and became generals: Major General Robert Lee Howze Jr., Class of 1925, and General

Hamilton H. Howze Hamilton Hawkins Howze (December 21, 1908 – December 8, 1998) was a general in the United States Army. He was a developer and advocate of helicopter-borne air mobility warfare. Early life Howze was born on December 21, 1908 in West Point, New ...

, Class of 1930.

References

: ;Citations ;Bibliography * Maksel, Rebecca. "The Billy Mitchell Court-Martial". ''Air & Space'', Vol. 24, No. 2, 46–49. Also online (as of June 28, 2009) a

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Howze, Robert Lee 1864 births 1926 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army generals of World War I United States Military Academy alumni Commandants of the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy Burials at West Point Cemetery People of the Mexican Revolution American military personnel of the Spanish–American War American military personnel of the Philippine–American War American military personnel of the Indian Wars Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Recipients of the Legion of Honour People from Overton, Texas People from Highlands, New York American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor Pine Ridge Campaign United States Army generals United States Military Academy faculty Military personnel from Texas