Augustus Perry Blocksom (November 7, 1854 - July 26, 1931) was an American Army officer, who served as a general during World War I.[1]

Augustus Perry Blocksom
Blocksom as commander of Camp Cody during World War I
Born(1854-11-07)November 7, 1854
Zanesville, Ohio
DiedJuly 26, 1931(1931-07-26) (aged 76)
Miami, Florida
Buried
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1877-1918
RankMajor General
Service number0-13120
UnitUnited States Cavalry
Commands held1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry
2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry
3rd Squadron, 13th Cavalry
3rd Squadron, 6th Cavalry
3rd Squadron, 10th Cavalry
3rd Cavalry Regiment
Camp Cody
34th Division
Hawaiian Department
Battles/warsApache Wars
Ghost Dance War
Spanish–American War
Philippine–American War
China Relief Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
World War I
AwardsSilver Citation Star (2)

Early life edit

Blocksom was born on November 7, 1854, in Zanesville, Ohio.[2] He attended the United States Military Academy and graduated in the class of 1877.[2][3]

Military career edit

Blocksom was commissioned as a second lieutenant of cavalry on June 15, 1877. He later received a brevet to first lieutenant for gallantry at Ash Creek, Arizona, on May 7, 1880. He served in campaigns against the Apaches in Arizona, which included patrolling the Arizona-New Mexico border,[3] and in the Sioux Campaign of 1890 and 1891.[2]

During the Spanish–American War, he was wounded in the attack on Battle of San Juan Hill and served from 1900 to 1902 in the Philippines.[2]

Blocksom, then a major, was charged with investigating the Brownsville raid of 1906 and stated that the enlisted soldiers there were uncooperative in his investigation.[4] Blocksom also reported that no positive identifications of the raiders had been made and that tensions in the community were high.[5]

He commanded a squadron of the Sixth Cavalry during the China Relief Expedition.[2]

He was promoted to major general on August 5, 1917. He was the commander of Camp Cody until April 18, 1918.[2][6]

He retired on November 7, 1918.[2]

Awards edit

2 Silver Citation Stars.[2]

Death and legacy edit

Blocksom retired to Miami, Florida, where he died on July 26, 1931.[2] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 7, Lot 8005.

References edit

  1. ^ Marquis Who's Who, Inc. Who Was Who in American History, the Military. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. ISBN 0-8379-3201-7 OCLC 657162692
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 43. ISBN 1571970886. OCLC 40298151.
  3. ^ a b Trapp, Dan L. (1964). Al Sieber: Chief of Scouts. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 216. ISBN 9780806170077.
  4. ^ Tucker, Spencer (2013). Almanac of American Military History. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 1216. ISBN 9781598845303.
  5. ^ Morris, Edmund (2001). Theodore Rex. Random House. p. 718. ISBN 9780394555096.
  6. ^ "34th Infantry Division". U.S. Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
Bibliography