Harry Clay Egbert Brigadier General, United States Army |
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at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 3, 1839, he joined the 12th United
States Infantry on September 23, 1861 (where he served with his brother-in-law,
William
A. Dove) and served with distinction in actions at Gaines Mills, Malvern
Hill, Cedar Mountain, Gettysburg, etc. He was taken prisoner at Cedar Mountain
and at Gettysburg, and was seriously wounded at Bethesda Church.
He remained in the Army following the Civil War and when the Spanish-American War broke out, he was Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th United States Infantry, which he commanded in the Santiago Campaign until he was shot through the body at El Canay, Cuba, on July 1, 1898. He was promoted to Colonel, 22nd United States Infantry, and before his wound was completely healed, he sailed for the Philippines. He arrived at Manila with his command on March 4, 1899, and while leading a charge against Insurgents received a wound from which he died on March 26, 1899. He is buried in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery, adjacent to his brother-in-law and sister, William A. and Julia Dove. His wife, Ellen Young Egbert (1843-1913) is
buried with him.
Choosing to remain in the Philippines after his death, she organized the American Circulating Library in March 1900 "to create a source of instruction and profitable entertainment for the American soldiers and sailors in the Philippines and for the American residents" in Manila. She was the first librarian. A warm friend of Governor William Howard Taft,
appointed during the unrest that followed the War that claimed her husband,
within a year he made the government responsible for the library's operation.
Over time Mrs. Egbert began to circulate ten traveling libraries among
the enlisted men of the Army and to found a few permanent ones at certain
Henry Clay Egbert, Brigadier General, United States Army, 2nd United States Infantry. Born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1839. He was killed in action while leading his regiment at Malinta, Philippines, March 26, 1899. Egbert joined the 12th United States Infantry, September 23, 1861 and served with distinction in actions of Gaines Mills, Malvern Hill, Cedar Mountain, Gettysburg, etc. He was taken prisoner at Cedar Mountain and at Gettysburg, and seriously wounded at Bethesda Church. When the Spanish-American War broke out he was Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th United States Infantry, which he commanded in the Santiago campaign in Cuba until he was shot through the body, at El Caney, July 1, 1898. He was promoted to Colonel, 22nd United States
Infantry, and before his wound completely healed, he sailed for the Philippines.
He arrived at Manila with his command, March 4, 1899, and while leading
charge against Malinta received a wound from which he died Mar 26, 1899.
EGBERT Avenue in San Francisco is named for Colonel Egbert, United States army, killed in the Philippines. Harry Clay Egbert of Pennslvania Appointed First Lieutenant, 12th United States Infantry, 23 September 1861 Captain, 1 April 1865 Major, 17th United States Infantry, 23 April 1890 Lieuenant Colonel, 6th United States Infantry, 18 May 1893 Colonel, 22nd United States Infantry, 1 July 1898 Brigadier General, United States Volunteers, 1 October 1898 Honorably discharged from Volunteer Service, 1 December 1898 Breveted Captain, 1 August 1864 for gallant service in the Battle of North Anna, Virginia, and Major, 1 August 1864, for gallant service in the Battle of Bethesda Church, Virginia Killed 26 March 1899 in action at Malinta, Philippine Islands From Spanish-American War Report: Lieutenant Colonel Harry C. Egbert of the Sixth
Infantry, who was amongt he wounded (at battle of Santiago, Cuba), was
born in Pennsylvania and was appointed from that State First Lieutenant
in the Twelfth Infantry September 21, 1861. He reached the
rank of Captain April 1, 1865, was promoted to be Major of the Seventeenth
Infantry in April 1890 and on May 18, 1893, was made Lieutenant Colonel
of the Sixth Infantry.
Photo By: M. R. Patterson, July 2002
Webmaster: Michael Robert Patterson Updated:
18 November 2000 Updated: 21 October 2001 Updated: 19 January 2002 Updated:
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July 2003 Updated: 4 September 2004 |
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