George Lea Febiger – First Lieutenant, United States Army

His private momument in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery reads:

“33rd Volunteer Infantry
1876-1900
Killed In Action October 24, 1900 At Consoous,
Philippine Islands,
While In Command Of One Hundred Men
Against Four Thousand Insurgents.”


He is buried near John Carson Febiger, Rear Admiral, United States Navy.  His son, George Lea Febiger, Jr., Colonel, United States Army, is buried in Section 7 of Arlington National Cemetery.


FILIPINOS DEFEAT TROOPS
1,400 Rebels Attacked By bout 100 Americans
Lieutenant G. L. Febiger Killed
American Casualties 18, Insurgent Loss About 150
Troops Return To Narvican

WASHINGTON, October 26, 1900 – The War Department today received a dispatch from General MacArthur giving an account of a fight in which a small detachment of the American troops attacked a much superior force of Filipinos.  The dispatch follows:

“Manila, October 16, 1900 – First Lieuetnant Febiger, with forty men of Company H, Thirty-third Regiment, United States Infantry Volunteers, and Second Lieutenant Grayson V. Heidt, with sixty men of Troop L, Third Cavalry, attacked the insurgents fourteen miles east of Narvican, in Ilocos, Province of Luzon. They developed a strong position occupied by about 400 riflemen and 1,000 bolomen under thecommand of Juan Villamer,a subordinate of Timos.

A desperate fight ensued, which was most credible to the force engaged.  Although under heavy pressure from overwhelming numbers, our troops were compelled to return to Narvican, which was accomplished in a tactical  orderly manner.

Acting Assistant Surgeon Bath and a civilian teamster, captured early in the fight, were released by Villamor.  According to their accounts, the insurgents were much stronger than reported herein, and their loss at a moderate estimate was over 150.  Our loss killed: First Lieutenant George L. Febiger, CharlesA. Lindenberg, and William F. Wilson, Company H, Thirty-third Regiment, UnitedStates Volunteer Infantry; Andrew T. Johnson, farrier; Guy E. McClintock; Troop L, Third Regiment, United States Cavalry.

General MacArthur gives, in addition, a list of nine men wounded, most of them slightly, and four men missing.

Lieutenant George Lea Febiger was one of the youngest officers of the Army, being in his twenty-fourth year.  He was a native of New Orleans, and served as First Lieutenant, and afterward as Captain, of the Ninth Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War. In the following July, he was appointed Second Lieutenant in the  Thirty-third Volunteer Infantry and because of his military proficiency, was promoted to a First Lieutenancy August 24, 1899, and accompanied his regiment to the Philippines in the following month.

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FEBIGER, GEO LEA

  • 1ST LT 33D US VOL INF SP AM
  • DATE OF DEATH: 10/24/1900
  • BURIED AT:   SITE 350
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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