Born at Millsboro, Delaware, January 12, 1843, he graduated from West Point in 1865. He married Minnie Larrabee on November 24,1870. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant, 12th United States Infantry, June 23, 1865, and thereafter promoted through the grades to Brigadier General, Inspector General, United States Army, April 12, 1903. He retired at his own request, after 40 years of service, September 30, 1906.
He was breveted Major, February 27, 1890 for “gallant services in action against Indians in the Lava Beds, California, January 27, 1873 and at the Clearwater, Idaho, July 11 and 12, 1877.” He served in the Modac Indian War, Northern California and Oregon; the Nez Perces War in Idaho and across the continent to the Missouri River; the Bannock War in Oregon. He served on the Frontier and in the Indian Country, 1869-78 and 1880-84.
He retired to Los Angeles, California, where he died on October 20, 1917. He is buried in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery. His wife, Minnie Larrabee Burton (1850-1912), is buried with him.
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard