INMONROE-L Archives

From: Randi Richardson <>
Subject: [INMONROE] Walter Howe Promoted to Brigadier General
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2003 08:25:01 -0500

Bloomington (IN) Daily Telephone, Dec 16, 1909, p. 1.

BRIG-GEN. HOWE; DESERVED HONOR
Home Man Reaches Highest Military Position, Save One, After 46 Years of Service
Sketch of Distinguished Soldier and Many Congratulations

A distinguished honor comes to Col. Walter Howe, also to his native
Bloomington home, in his promotion to brigaier general which is announced
from Washington today.

It is an honor well bestowed because of long and meritorious service and
has been expected by his many friends. However, no where in all his
travels of 40 years and more will he receive more hearty and sincere
congratulations than from the friends and acquaintance of his nativity, and
who have known him from a boy and watched with increasing interest, step by
step, his promotions from the time in 1863 when he left West Point as a
lieutenant until now that he is not only one of the highest officers but a
central figure in the U. S. Army.

Gen. Howe was born west of Bloomington and is the son of the late Mr. and
Mrs. James Howe, and was raised in the old home on South College
Avenue. He is a brother of Alfred and John Howe, and of J. O. Howe who
died a year ago, also of Miss Lillie Howe of this city, and Mrs. Frank
Hunter of El Paso, Texas, Mrs. Edward Frazer (?Frazier) of Atlanta, and
Mrs. W. L. Polk of Vicksburg. His parents, honored and pioneer citizens,
are both dead. The wife of Gen. Howe is a daughter of Mrs. Margaret Dunn,
corner of 3rd and Henderson streets, and has been a guest of her mother for
an extended visit until a few weeks ago. She is a most estimable lady, and
with the three sons will receive many congratulations. The sons are
Walter, who is practicing law at El Paso; George, a professor of German in
the University of Colorado, and Alfred, who is a lieutenant in the
navy. Both Walter and George graduated in Indiana University.

General Howe has had a remarkably long and active military career. Since
his graduation in 1863, he has been a busy man often not taking time
allowed him for his vacations.. His appointment as a cadet at West Point
was made from New Mexico when Judge Watts, who was an uncle, represented
the territory in Congress. Since has has served in his country on the
frontier, on the coast, at Washington and in the Philippines. He was in
the command that forced Sitting Bull to leave the West and go into Canada,
and from time to time he has been transferred from fort to fort, in the
meantime promotions coming for faithful service. When war was declared
with Spain, he was ordered to the Philippines and there had a command for
two years and his promotion to a colonelcy resulted. Since that time Gen.
Howe has been from Key West to New York in charge of the coast defense. He
is an expert in heavy artillery manipulation and had especial charge of the
large guns. The years past, Gen. Howe conducted the test or try-out of
officers that President Roosevelt made so famous by demanding a 90-mile
horseback ride. It may be presumed that Gen. Howe was not quite so severe.

--------------

A Washington dispatch says: "Col. Walter Howe of Bloomington, a native of
Indiana, serving in the coast artillery at Ft. Hancock, N. J., will be made
a brigadier general to succeed Gen. Winfield F. Edgerly, who retires Dec.
29 after a service of 30 years.

"Col Howe was born Dec. 31, 1846, and entered a military academy in
1863. At his graduation he became second lieutenant of the Fourth
Artillery in 1867, stationed in New Mexico. He was promoted to first
lieutenant in 1872 and became captain of the corps in 1891. In 1901 he was
promoted to major of the artillery corps and became lieutenant colonel one
year later. He was given the commission of colonel in 1906 and is now in
line for one of the highest honors army officials can confer upon him."

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