Thomas McArthur Anderson – Brigadier General, United States Army

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Born on January 21, 1836, near Chillicothe, Ohio, and graduated from St Mary’s College, Maryland, in 1855, and three years later from Cincinnati Law School, whereupon was admitted to bar and entered practice in Cincinnati.

In April 1861, he enlisted as a Private in the 65th Ohio Volunteers. A short time later, through the influence of uncle, General Robert Anderson of Fort Sumter fame, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant of the 5th US Cavalry. He was soon promoted to Captain, and served through the Civil War with the 12th US Infantry, being twice wounded and twice brevetted, to Major for conduct in Wilderness and to Lieutenant Colonel for Spotsylvania Court House.

After the war he remained in the Army, rising to Colonel, commanding the 14th Infantry. In 1898, with the temporary rank of Brigadier General, he commanded the first troops to reach the Philippines after George Dewey’s victory in Manila Bay.

Arriving July 17 with some 2,000 men, he occupied Cavite, the vital naval base in the bay, and on August 13, when US ground forces had grown to about 15,000, constituting General Wesley Merritt’s VIII Corps, he led first of them into the city of Manila.

In command of the 1st Div, he saw action in the battles of Santana, San Pedro, Passe, and Guadalupe in early months of the Philippine Insurrection.

He was promoted to Brigadier General in March 1899, and retired in January 1900. He lived in Vancouver, Washington, until his death in Portland, Oregon, May 8, 1917. He was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery.

His married daughter, Minnie Anderson Allen, who died on October 25, 1904, is buried with him, as is his son, Thomas McArthur Anderson, Jr., Colonel, United States Army (1875-1936).

Thomas McArthur Anderson of Ohio

  • Appointed from Ohio, Private, Company A, 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 20 April to 15 May 1861
  • Second Lieutenant, 2ns U.S. Cavalry, 7 May 1861
  • Captain, 12th U.S. Infantry, 14 May 1861
  • Transferred to the 21st U.S. Infantry, 21 September 1866
  • Major, 26 March 1868
  • Unassigned 15 March 1869
  • Assigned to the 10th U.S. Infantry, 24 June 1869
  • Lietunant Colonel, 9th U.S. Infantry, 20 Mar 1879
  • Colonel, 14th U.S. Infantry,  6 September 1886
  • Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers, 4 May 1898
  • Major General of U.S. Volunteers, 13 August 1898
  • Honorably discharged from U.S. Volunteers, 12 June 1899
  • Brigadier General, United States Army, 31 March 1899
  • Retired 21 January 1900
  • Brevet Major, 1 August 1864 for gallant service in the battle of the Wilderness Virginia and Lietuenant Colonel, 1 August 1864 for gallant service in the battle of Spottsylvania Virginia

ANDERSON, THOMAS M

  • United States Army
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF DEATH: 05/08/1917
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 05/08/1917
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 1880
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

ANDERSON, ELIZABETH VAN W W/O THOMAS M

  • DATE OF DEATH: 04/27/1914
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
  • BURIED AT: SECTION S.D.  SITE LOT-1880
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF TM ANDERSON – BRIG GEN US ARMY RETD

ALLEN, MINNIE ANDERSON W/O R H

  • DATE OF DEATH: 10/25/1904
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
  • BURIED AT: SECTION SOUTH
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF RH ALLEN (*) – CAPT 29TH US INF
  • DAUGHTER OF TM ANDERSON

(*) Robert Henry Allen of Virginia
Private and Corporal, 8th United States Cavalry, 8 June 1893 to 3 November 1895
Second Lieutenant, 14th United States Infantry, 31 October 1895
First Lieutenant, 11 August 1898

Captain, 29th United States Infantry, 25 March 1901

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