Robert Campbell Van Vliet – Brigadier General, United States Army

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Robert Campbell Van Vliet of Kansas
Appointed from New Jersey, Cadet, United States Military Academy, 1 July 20 to 29 December 1875
Second Lieutenant, 10th U. S. Infantry, 14 December 1876
First Lieutenant, 7 May 1884
Regimental Adjutant, 1 January 1885 to 31 December 1888
Captain, 8 March 1898
Major, 3 October 1902

Captain Robert C. Van Vliet of the Tenth Infantry, who was wounded on Friday last during the advance on Santiago, was born in Kansas, but removed to New Jersey in early life, was appointed to the Military Academy from that State on July 1, 1875.  He left that institution in December of the same year.  On December 4, 1876, he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Tenth United States Infantry.  He was advanced to the rank of First Lieutenant on May 7, 1884, but was recently commissioned as Captain.

 GENERAL VAN VLIET, 86, IN ARMY 42 YEARS
Former Commander of 87th Division Dies in Florida

SHREWSBURY, New Jersey, October 27, 1943 – Brigadier General Robert Campbell Van Vliet, commissioned a Lieutenant by General U. S. Grant at the age of 19, died today in the Palma Hotel, New Smyrna, Florida, according to word received here by relatives.  He was 86 years old.

General Van Vliet retired from the Army twenty-two years ago.  During his forty-two years of service he was stationed in the Philippines and Alaska as well as in this country and was wounded in the Spanish-American War.  His last station before he retired was at Camp Pike in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was in command of the Eighty-seventh Division.

Born at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, one of the oldest continental Army posts, he was a son of General Stewart Van Vliet and Sarah Jane Brown Van Vliet, daughter of Major Jacob Brown, killed in the battle of Monterey during the Mexican War.

General Stewart Van Vliet was Quartermaster General of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War and was a personal friend of General Grant.

Mrs. Van Vliet, the former Harriet Stevens of Detroit, died fourteen years ago in Washington, D.C.  The General leaves two daughters, Marguerite, the wife of General Robert L. Spragins of Colorado Springs, and Sarita, wife of Colonel David P. Wood, retired, and a son, Stewart Van Vliet.

NOTE: His son, Robert Campbell Van Vliet, Jr., Colonel, United States Army, is also buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

VAN VLIET, HARRIET S W/O ROBERT C

  • BURIED AT:
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF RC CAMPBELL, COLONEL, USA

VAN VLIET, ROBERT C
BRIG GEN US ARMY RET

  • DATE OF DEATH: 10/27/1943
  • BURIED AT: SECTION EAST  SITE 3447
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

VAN VLIET, ROBERT C JR
COL INFTY U S ARMY NJ

  • DATE OF DEATH: 02/16/1943
  • BURIED AT: SECTION EAST  SITE 3662
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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