Edward Allison Godwin – Brigadier General, United States Army

Courtesy of Michael Stein:

Colonel 1905
Retired as a Brigadier General Nov 15, 1908

With expedition to the Camarines (Philippines) February-March 1900. With expedition to occupy North coast of Mindanao March-April 1900. Commander, 1st District, Department of Mindanao 1900-01. On Special duty in Washington D.C. 1901-02. Served with 10th Cavalry Regiment 1902-03. Duty with Louisiana Purchase Exposition 1902-04. Served with 9th Cavalry Regiment 1904-05. Commanding Officer, 14th Cavalry Regiment and Post of Fort Walla Walla, Washington 1905-08. On leave of absence May-November 1908.

Edward Allison Godwin, son of Captain Joseph M. Godwin, of Kingwood, enlisted on the 13th of February, 1865, in Company A, First West Virginia Cavalry, and served with that regiment until July 8, 1865, when the regiment was mustered out of the service.

On the 17th of October, 1865, he was appointed a cadet at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point from the second Congressional District of W. Va., by Honorable George R. Latham, then member of Congress from that district, and graduated on the 15th of June 1870, being promoted to Second Lieutenant and assigned to the Eighth U. S. Cavalry.

He joined his regiment in New Mexico and served with it there until 1875, when he was ordered to Texas, in which State he has served ever since, having been promoted to First Lieutenant in 1876. At the time of his enlistment he lacked three months of being fifteen years old, and was twenty years and one month old at the time of his graduation from the military academy. His standing in class was creditable, being 31 in a class of 58.

Edward Allison Godwin of Virginia. Born 18 May 1850.
Appointed from West Virginia, Private, Troop A 1st West Virginia Cavalry, 13 Febraury to 8 July 1865
Cadet,United States Military Academy, 17 October 1865 (31)
Second Lieutenant, 8th United States Cavalry, 15 June 1870
First Lieutenant, 3 October 1876
Regimental Quartermaster, 23 May 1883 to 5 July 1886
Captain, 5 July 1886
Colonel, 7th United States Volunteer Infantry, 24 May 1898
Honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, 28 February 1899
Major, 7th United States Cavalry, 1 July 1899
Transferred to the 10th United States Cavalry, 2 October 1902
Colonel, 40th United States Volunteer Infantry, 17 August 1899
Honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, 24 June 1901
Lieutenant Colonel, 9th United States Cavalry, 16 January 190

General Godwin died on 13 July 1923 and was buried with full military honors in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery.  His wife, Elizabeth Clark Godwin (28 March 1851-11 march 1924) is buried with him.

GODWIN, EDWARD A
BRIG GEN USA RETD

• VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
• DATE OF DEATH: 07/13/1923
• DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
• BURIED AT: SECTION S LOC  SITE LOT 868

GODWIN, EDWARD C SON OF GODWIN, EDWARD A

• DATE OF DEATH: 10/06/1909
• DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
• BURIED AT: SECTION OFFIC  SITE LOT 868
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• CSON OF EA GODWIN, GENERAL USA RET

Michael Robert Patterson

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