Andre W. Brewster

Template:Short description Template:Template other Major General Andre Walker Brewster (December 9, 1862 – March 27, 1942) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He served in several high-profile assignments throughout his long military career, including Inspector General of the United States Army and Inspector General of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in France during World War I. In addition, he was a veteran of the American Indian Wars, the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, and Boxer Rebellion. He received the Medal of Honor for his role in the Battle of Tientsin during the Boxer Rebellion.

Early life

File:Grave of Andre W. Brewster Arlington National Cemetery.jpg

Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

Andre Walker Brewster was born on December 9, 1862, in Hoboken, New Jersey. His mother was Mary Bache Walker (1839–1876), great-great-great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, daughter of Robert J. Walker, and sister of Duncan Stephen Walker. His father was Adrien Deslondes (also spelled Deslonde or Deslandes, etc.), a midshipman in the United States Navy whose family owned sugar plantations in Louisiana.

Adrien Deslondes and Mary Walker divorced in the mid-1860s. In 1870, Mary Walker married Benjamin H. Brewster, who adopted Andre Walker Deslondes and his siblings. Andre Brewster was raised and educated in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. He was trained as an attorney and practiced for three years before joining the Army.Template:Efn

Start of career

In January 1885, Brewster received a direct commission as a second lieutenant in the 10th Infantry Regiment, a post which had also been sought by David L. Brainard.Template:Efn He served on frontier duty, including campaigns against the Apache and Sioux during the American Indian Wars.

During the Spanish–American War, Brewster commanded Company B, 9th Infantry. He took part in the Siege of Santiago and the Battle of San Juan Hill. He was recommended for brevet promotion to captain for his conduct at San Juan Hill. Following his service in Cuba, Brewster continued to command Company B during the Philippine Insurrection.

Medal of Honor action

For his actions during the Boxer Rebellion on July 13, 1900, in Tianjin, China, Brewster was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor citation

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Andre W. Brewster

Rank and organization: Captain, 9th U.S. Infantry

Place and date: At Tianjin, China, July 13, 1900.

Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa.

Born: December 9, 1862 Hoboken, N.J.

Date of issue: September 15, 1903.

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain (Infantry) Andre Walker Brewster, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 13 July 1900, while serving with the 9th Infantry at Tientsin, China. While under fire Captain Brewster rescued two of his men from drowning.

Continued career

Brewster remained in China for five years as the U.S. military attaché. He then attended the Army War College, from which he graduated in 1907. In early 1909, he was appointed acting inspector general of the Army. The appointment was confirmed in December, and he held the post until 1913.

In 1914, Brewster was assigned to Puerto Rico as commander of the 65th Infantry Regiment. He then returned to the inspector general's post, where he remained until 1917.

World War I

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Brewster in Tours, September 4, 1918.

During World War I, from June 1917 to September 1919, Brewster served in France as inspector general of general headquarters (GHQ), American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). Major General John J. Pershing, promoted to full general in October 1917, valued Brewster's judgment, especially with respect to evaluating the performance of the AEF's brigade and division commanders. When Brewster assessed the combat performance of Brigadier General Robert H. Noble, commander of the 158th Infantry Brigade, 79th Division, as ineffective, Pershing relieved Noble. Brewster's negative assessment of Major General Omar Bundy's performance as commander of the 2nd Division was a key factor in his removal from command and transfer to command of the skeletal U.S. VI Corps. His positive appraisal of Robert Lee Bullard's performance was a major factor in Pershing's decision to recommend Bullard for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commander of the Second Army.Template:Rp Pershing also had a less than favorable view of Major General Clarence R. Edwards, commander of the 26th Division, and Brewster's lengthy assessment of Edwards as a subpar performer played a role in Pershing's decision to relieve Edwards.Template:Rp

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Secretary of War Newton D. Baker (right), Major General James W. McAndrew (center), Pershing's chief of staff, and Major General Andre W. Brewster (left) with a group of German prisoners who have just arrived from the front, September 26, 1918.

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 Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Andre Walker Brewster, 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. General Brewster organized and administered with marked ability the Inspector General's Department of the American Expeditionary Forces, and his soldierly characteristics and unceasing labors influenced greatly the attainment of efficiency in the American Army in France.

War Department, General Orders No. 12 (1919)

Later career

File:Gen. J. J. Pershing and Staff. Group showing Gen. J. J. Pershing and Staff standing on State, War, and Navy Building steps. Washington, D.C - DPLA - 1c56a88aeb0697950857227de7c3def9 (cropped) (cropped).jpg

General of the Armies John J. Pershing and members of his staff standing outside the State, War, and Navy Building in Washington, D.C., September 23, 1919. Stood to Pershing's left is Major General Andre W. Brewster.

From 1921 to 1922, Brewster commanded the Second Coast Artillery District, headquartered at Fort Totten, New York.Template:Efn Brewster's final command was the First Corps Area in Boston, Massachusetts, where he succeeded Clarence Ransom Edwards. He retired in 1925 with the rank of major general.

Death and burial

Brewster died in Boston on March 27, 1942. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Family

In 1885, Brewster married Elizabeth Griffin (1862–1948). They were the parents of a daughter, Mary Walker Brewster (1887–1979), the wife of James Donald Cassels.

Namesakes

In World War II, the United States Navy transport ship was named in Brewster's honor. The ship was also active in the Korean War, earning five battle stars for her service in that conflict.

Honors and awards

Brewster's awards included:

Template:Ribbon devices/alt
Template:Ribbon devices/alt	File:Indian Campaign Medal ribbon.svg	File:Spanish Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
File:Army of Cuban Occupation ribbon.svg	File:China Campaign Medal ribbon.svg	File:Philippine Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
File:Mexican Border Service Medal ribbon.svg	Template:Ribbon devices/alt	File:Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon.svg
File:BEL - Order of Leopold - Commander bar.svg	File:UK Order St-Michael St-George ribbon.svg	File:Military Order of the Dragon ribbon.jpg

1st row	Medal of Honor
2nd row	Army Distinguished Service Medal				Indian Campaign Medal				Spanish Campaign Medal
3rd row	Army of Cuban Occupation Medal				China Campaign Medal				Philippine Campaign Medal
4th row	Mexican Border Service Medal				World War I Victory Medal				Legion of Honour (Commandeur) (France)
5th row	Order of Leopold (Commandeur) (Belgium)				Order of St Michael and St George (Knight Commander) (United Kingdom)				Military Order of the Dragon

Dates of rank

• Second Lieutenant – 19 January 1885
• First Lieutenant – 17 December 1891
• Captain, Assistant Quartermaster, Volunteers – 15 October 1898
• Captain – 2 March 1899
• Discharged from Volunteers – 12 May 1899
• Major – 15 March 1908
• Lieutenant Colonel – 2 December 1913
• Colonel – 1 July 1916
• Brigadier General, National Army – 5 August 1917
• Major General, National Army – 28 November 1917
• Brigadier General, Regular Army – 8 January 1920
• Discharged from National Army – 28 February 1920
• Major General, Regular Army – 1 December 1922
• Major General, Retired List – 9 December 1925

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Boxer Rebellion

External links

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• This article includes text in the public domain from the U.S. Government.