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Class of 1870

Vol. III
p150 2330

(Born O.)

William E. Birkhimer1

(Ap'd Io.)

Born Somerset, OH.a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Sep. 1, 1866, to June 15, 1870, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieutenant, 3d Artillery, June 15, 1870.

Served: in garrison at Ft. Pulaski, Ga., Sep. 30, 1870, to May, 1872, — Ft. Monroe, Va. (Artillery School for Practice), May 1, 1872, to May 1, 1873. — and Ft. Hamilton, N. Y., May 19, 1873, to Aug. 28, 1874; at the Military Academy as Assistant Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Aug. 30, 1874, to Sep. 6, 1876, — and Assistant Instructor of Artillery Tactics, Sep. 30, 1874, to Apr. 10, 1875; in garrison at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., Sep. 26 to Nov. 8, 1876, — Columbia, S. C., Nov. 19, 1876, to Jan. 11, 1877, — Ft. Wood, N. Y., to Apr. 19, 1877, — and Plattsburg Barracks, N. Y., Apr. 20 to July 28, 1877; suppressing Railroad Disturbances in Pennsylvania, July 28 to Oct. 24, 1877; in garrison at Plattsburg Barracks, N. Y., Oct. 24, 1877, to July 12, 1878; on Signal duty at Ft. Whipple, Va., July 15, 1878, to Feb. 3, 1879, and in

(First Lieut., 3d Artillery, Apr. 10, 1879)

the Signal Bureau at Washington, D. C., to Apr. 21, 1880; in charge of Military Telegraph Lines in Washington and Idaho Territories, Dec. 18, 1880; in the Signal Bureau at Washington, D. C., to June 9, 1882; in garrison at Ft. Barrancas, Fla., Dec. 15, 1882, to Sep. 29, 1883, — Little Rock Barracks, Ark., to May 30, 1885, — and Washington Barracks, D. C., to Nov. 23, 1886; and as Acting Judge Advocate (ex officio Captain) of the Department of the Columbia, Nov. 8, 1886, to –––––.

Civil History. — Author of "Law of Appointment and Promotion in the Regular Army of the United States," 1880; and of "Historical Sketch of the Artillery, U. S. Army," 1884.

Vol. IV
p196 [Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

(William Edward Birkhimer)

Military History. — Relieved as Judge Advocate, Department of the Columbia, Nov. 30, 1890. — Adjutant 3d Artillery, from March 11, 1891 until March 10, 1895, when he joined Battery E. — Joined Light Battery C, April 15, 1895, at Washington Barracks, D. C. — In command of battery, Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, 1896, en route to Presidio, San Francisco, Cal.;

(Captain of Artillery, 3d Artillery, Feb. 10, 1898)

joined Battery L, 3d Artillery, Feb. 18, 1898, at Fort Baker, Cal. — In command of post from March 5 to June 7, 1898. — Embarked June 27, at San Francisco, Cal., for Philippine Islands, in command of battalion, Batteries G and L, 3d Artillery, which he commanded in assault and capture of Manila, Aug. 13, 1898. — Acting Inspector-General and Judge Advocate, 1st Division, 8th Army Corps, Nov. 13, 1898. — In engagement between U. S. troops and Filipinos, Feb. 5, 1899, before Manila, and in subsequent resulting operations. — Recommended for Brevet –––––––– U. S. Army for –––––––– in the assault and capture of Manila, Aug. 13, 1898, and for Brevet –––––––– U. S. Army for –––––––– in the engagement between U. S. forces and Filipinos, Feb. 5, 1899.

(Colonel, 28th U. S. Volunteer Infantry, July 5, 1899)

Served: In the field against insurgent Filipinos, to –––––

Civil History. — Author of Military Government and Martial Law (1892).

Vol. V
p167 [Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Military History. — Judge of the Supreme Court, Audiencia, Manila, 1899. — Recommended for Brevet of Lieut.‑Colonel, U. S. Army, for conduct at San Ildefonso, May 12, 1899. —

Medal of Honor

for most distinguished gallantry in action at San Miguel de Mayumo, May 13, 1899.

— Nominated Brevet Colonel, U. S. Army, for conduct at Putol Bridge, Jan. 7, 1900. — Nominated Brevet Brig.‑General, U. S. V., for conduct near Taal, July 17, 1900.

(Mustered out as Colonel, 28th U. S. Volunteer Infantry,
May 1, 1901)

(Major, Artillery Corps, Aug. 1, 1901)

— Inspector of Artillery, Department of California, 1901‑04. — Assistant to Chief of Staff, Department of California, March, 1904 to Aug., 1905.

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Artillery Corps, May 20, 1905)

— President of Artillery Board, Fort Monroe, Va., Aug., 1905 to Nov., 1905.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Feb. 15, 1906, and Retired Feb. 16, 1906,
at his own request, over 40 Years' Service.

Civil History. — Graduate of the Law School University of Oregon. — Author of Military Government and Martial Law, The Law of Appointment and promotion of the U. S. Army, 1892‑1904; Historical Sketch of the United States Artillery, etc.

Vol. VI
p149 [Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(William Edward Birkhimer, Born March 1, 1848.)

Military History. —

Medal of Honor

Lieut.‑Colonel, Artillery Corps, May 20, 1905.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Feb. 15, 1906

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Retired, Feb. 16, 1906,
At His Own Request, Over 40 Years' Service.

Died, June 10, 1914, at Washington, D. C.: Aged 66.

Portrait and obituary in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1915.

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

The Author's Note:

1 William E. Birkhimer, before becoming a Cadet, enlisted, Mar. 21, 1864, in the Fourth Iowa Veteran Cavalry Volunteers, with which he served in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Missouri, till Oct., 1865.

Thayer's Note:

a Gen. Birkhimer's birthplace is from Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography (1909).

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