Generals who rose from the ranks of the 14th Infantry

Major General William Wallace Wotherspoon (1850–1921)

William Wallace Wotherspoon was born in Washington, D.C., on 16 November 1850; was educated in private schools; served aboard ship as a mate in the United States Navy, 1870-1873; was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 12th Infantry, October 1873; served in the West during the Indian wars as a troop officer and quartermaster, 1874-1881; served with the 12th in northern New York, 1881-1887; married Mary C. Adams, 1887; was on sick leave 1888-1889; superintended the enlargement of the Soldiers' Home in Washington, 1889-1890; served at Fort Sully and at Mount Vernon Barracks, where he trained a company of Apache prisoners, 1890-1894; was promoted to captain, 1893; was aide to General Oliver O. Howard, commander of the Department of the East, 1894; was professor of military science and tactics at Rhode Island College, 1894-1898; was on recruiting duty at Fort McPherson and organized the 3d Battalion, 12th Infantry, 1898; served in the Philippines against insurgents and as collector of customs at Iloilo, 1899-1901; was promoted to major and transferred to the 30th Infantry, 1901; commanded the 2d Battalion, 6th Infantry, at Fort Leavenworth and then taught at the General Staff College, 1902-1904;

Was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned to the 14th Infantry, 1904; 

was transferred to the 19th Infantry and graduated from the Army War College, 1905; was director of the Army War College, 1904-1906; was chief of staff of the Army of Cuban Pacification, 1906-1907; was acting president of the Army War College and chief of the Third Division, General Staff, 1907; was promoted to brigadier general, October 1907; was president of the Army War College, 1907-1909 and 1910-1912, and largely instrumental in transforming it from an adjunct of the General Staff to an autonomous educational institution; was assistant to the chief of staff, 1901-1910 and 1912-1914; was promoted to major general, May 1912, serving as commander of the Department of the Gulf until September; was chief of staff of the United States Army 21 April-15 November 1914; called attention to shortages of officers and noncommissioned officers for Army missions, emphasized the need to reevaluate coast defenses to meet heavier-gunned battleships, saw establishment of an aviation section in the Signal Corps and the completion of the Panama Canal; retired from active service, November 1914; served as superintendent of public works for the state of New York, 1915-1920; died in Washington, D.C., on 21 October 1921.


William Wallace Wotherspoon, by Thomas W. Orlando Oil on canvas, 46" x 32", 1974

Thanks to Terry Bender, 1/14th Inf, for collecting and making this information available and for his dedicated efforts to preserve the history of the 14th Infantry Regiment.


Acknowledgements:
Generals who rose from the ranks of the 14th Infantry:  Major General William Wallace Wotherspoon
Copyright © 2013  14th Infantry Regiment Association
Last modified: January 20, 2013