Alfred Conrad Girard – Brigadier General, United States Army

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Courtesy of Michael T. Stein:

ALFRED CONRAD GIRARD
Born in Switzerland July 31, 1841
Died January 31, 1914

  • Acting Assistant Surgeon 1865
  • Assistant Surgeon 1867
  • Major Surgeon 1887
  • Lieutenant Colonel (USV) 1898
  • Lieutenant Colonel 1900
  • Colonel 1902
  • Promoted Brigadier General April 6th, 1905
  • Retired April 7th, 1905
  • Server in Departments of Louisiana & Texas 1867-82
  • Chief Surgeon, II Corps 1898-99
  • Chief Surgeon, Department of Luzon
  • Chief Surgeon, Department of California
  • Assistant Surgeon General 1902-05

Medical reference Librarian, John Crerar Library, Chicago from 1907.

Married Annie R. Epping March 3rd, 1868

Alfred Conrad Girard of Switzerland.

  • Appointed from New York, Assistant Surgeon, 14 May 1867;
  • Major, Surgeon, 17 November 1887;
  • Lieutenant Colonel, Chief Surgeon of U.S. Volunteers, 9 May 1898;
  • Honorably discharged from the volunteer service, 12 April 1899;
  • Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Surgeon General, 8 October 1900;
  • Colonel, Assistant Surgeon General, 28 June 1902.

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(1841-1914) Army Brigadier General and physician; he fought Indians on the western frontier for eight years. At the close of the Spanish-American War he equipped the hospital at the Presidio, California, where he took care of 19,000 patients in three years.

General Court Martial Orders No. 29, issued from the War Department Adjutant General’s Office in Washington on December 20, 1871 state that a court martial was convened for First Lieutenant Archibald Bogle on October 7, 1871 at Fort Duncan, Texas. The president of the court was Colonel Abner Doubleday, 24th Infantry. Bogle was charged with two counts: “Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman” in that on August 27, 1871, at Fort Duncan, Texas, he was accused of going to the private quarters of assistant surgeon Alfred C. Girard and shot a pistol at that officer who was seated at a table with his family.  “Assault with intent to kill, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline” under the same circumstances described above.

Bogle pleaded “not guilty” to both charges, but was found guilty by the court on both counts. He was sentenced “To be discharged from the service of the United States, and then to be confined to such penitentiary as may be designated by the proper authority for the period of two (2) years.” However, “All the members of the court, except one, unite in a recommendation that ‘in consideration of the previous good character and excellent record of the accused during the late rebellion, so much of the sentence as relates to confinement in a penitentiary be remitted.'”

The War Department approved this recommendation, in light of Archibald Bogle’s previous service and imprisonment at Andersonville and because not only were Assistant Surgeon Girard and his family not injured by Bogle’s attack, but return fire from Assistant Surgeon Girand actually wounded Lieutenant Bogle.

GENERAL ALFRED C. GIRARD DIES
Chief Surgeon of Second Army Corps During the Spanish War

WASHINGTON – January 31, 1914 – Brigadier General Alfred C. Girard, retired,formerly of the Army Medical Corps, died at his home here tonight after an operation for appendicitis.

General Girard served eight years with the forces operating against Indians in frontier days, and was Chief Surgeon of theSecond Army Corps during the Spanish War. He equipped the general hospital at The Presidio, San Francisco, and supervised the cure of 19,000 patients there during the three years it was under his direction.  He was 72 years old.

GIRARD, ALFRED C 

  • BRIG/GEN USA RTD
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF DEATH: 01/31/1914
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
  • BURIED AT: SECTION WD WS  SITE LOT 29-B
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

GIRARD, ANNA REBECCA W/O ALFRED C

  • DATE OF DEATH: 02/13/1913
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
  • BURIED AT: SECTION W DIV  SITE 29B
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • CWIFE OF AC GIRARD – BRIG GEN USA RETIRED

GIRARD, CHARLOTTE S WID OF GIRARD, ALFRED C

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 06/09/1862
  • DATE OF DEATH: 10/25/1952
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 03/13/1953
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 1  SITE 29-B
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • UNKNOWN RELATIONSHIP TO VETERAN  B/GEN USA

A possible relative, Charles Jack Girard, Brigadier General, United States Army, is buried in an adjacent gravesite.  Research continues.

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