Brig. General George Allan Dodd

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Brigadier General George Allan Dodd (July 26, 1852-June 28, 1925) was an officer in the United States military. He was known for his victory over the Villistas in 1916 at the Battle of Guerrero, Mexico, during the Pancho Villa Expedition.

Biography

Dodd was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania on July 26, 1852. Dodd's father was killed during the American Civil War in 1865, at the Siege of Petersburg, just before the battle ended so he helped raise his younger brothers and sisters with his mother.

In 1872 Dodd passed the entrance exam at West Point and passed so he was accepted into the United States Military Academy and graduated on June 15, 1876. Immediately following this he joined the 3rd Cavalry and was sent to Dakota Territory to fight in the Great Sioux War against various native American tribes of the Northern Plains. During the war Dodd led Sioux scouts and fought in the Battle of Bates Creek, in which the Cheyenne leader Dull Knife was killed.

In 1880, he married Clara Agnes Steele. They had nine children together, Emily, Catherine, Allen, Charles, George Allen, Mary Ethel, William Alexander, Reginald Alden, and Lida Dorothy.

In 1882, during Geronimo's War, Dodd commanded Apache scouts in the Southwest and northern Mexico. It was at this time he participated in the Battle of Big Dry Wash on July 17, 1882, the last major battle involving the Apache.

When the Spanish-American War began on April 25, 1898, Dodd was still serving in the 3rd Cavalry when he received orders to sail to Cuba from Florida with a large American invasion force in order to capture the island from its Spanish garrison. At the Battle of San Juan Hill on July 1, Dodd distinguished himself while fighting alongside Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. He was also wounded in the Siege of Santiago from July 3 through July 17 while serving as a captain. When the war with Spain ended, Dodd returned to the United States for a brief time and was promoted to the rank of major.

In 1899, the Filippino Rebellion began so that year the 3rd Cavalry sailed for Manila.For the next few years, until 1902, Dodd and the 3rd Cavalry remained on duty mainly in the Philippines, occasionally returning to America.

In 1904 he received the rank of lieutenant colonel and was placed in second command of the 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. In 1916, at the age of sixty-three, Dodd was the colonel of approximately 400 men of the 7th Cavalry, stationed at Camp Harvey J. Jones in Arizona. Following Pancho Villa's attack on Columbus, New Mexico in March, Dodd and his command were ordered to ride south into Chihuahua, Mexico to participate in General John J. Pershing's punitive expedition. On March 29, Dodd arrived at the town of Guerrero which was held by hundreds of Villistas, led by Villa himself. In what was called the "last true cavalry charge" in history, the 7th Cavalry attacked Guerrero and routed the Mexicans after five hours of fighting. Fifty-six of Villa's men, including one of his generals, were killed in the fighting and another thirty-five were wounded. On the American side only five men were wounded but the battle wasn't a complete victory as Villa escaped capture with the majority of his men. However, over the next few months the Villistas remained dispersed amongst the hills of the Sierra Madre and were no longer consider a threat to the United States Army. News of the battle quickly spread to the United States where Dodd was declared a national hero, shortly thereafter, the Senate approved Dodd's promotion to brigadier general. Though Dodd accepted the promotion, he retired from the army on July 26, 1916 to live at his farm near Ithaca, New York. He later moved to a home in Orlando, Florida and died on June 28, 1925. General Dodd was buried with his wife and one son at Arlington National Cemetery.

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George Allen Dodd

Brigadier General, United States Army

George Allan Dodd of Pennsylvania

Appointed from Pennsylvania, Cadet, United States Military Academy, 1 July 1872 (32)

Second Lieutenant, 3rd U. S. Cavalry, 15 June 1876

First Lieutenant, 29 February 1880

Captain, 31 August 1899

Major, 14th U. S. Cavalry, 2 February 1901

Transferred to 13th U. S. Cavalry, 16 March 1902 .

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Spanish-American War Report:

Captain George A. Dodd was born in Pennsylvania and appointed from that State to the West Point Academy on July 1, 1872. He was graduated and promoted to be Second Lieutenant in the Third Cavalry on June 15, 1876. He did service at Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming, and Camp Robinson, Nebraska, until November 1, 1876 when he went on the Powder River Expedition, which kept him until January 1877. He served at the Cheyenne Depot, Dakota; the Red Cloud Agency, Dakota; Forts Robinson and Sidney, Nebraska, and then went on the Ute Expedition. From December 4, 1879 to April 27, 1880 he was stationed at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, and went thence to Fort Sanders in the same State, after having been appointed First Lieutenant in the Third Cavalry on February 29, 1880. His time was then taken up with scouting duty and service at a number of forts in the West until 1889 when he was appointed Captain of Troop F in the Third Cavalry.

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DODD, GEORGE ALLEN

BRIG GEN USA

DATE OF DEATH: 06/28/1925

BURIED AT: SECTION S SITE 2006

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

DODD, CLARA AGNES STEELE WID OF DODD, GEORGE ALLAN

DATE OF DEATH: 09/25/1939

BURIED AT: SECTION SOUTH SITE 2006

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

(George Allen Dodd, Born July 26, 1852.) Military History.—

Captain, 3d Cavalry, Aug. 31, 1889. En route to Philippines with regiment, Aug. 25 to Oct. 1, 1899; regiment assigned to Cavalry Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Army Corps, and immediately took the field; commanded Troop in General Young s expedition through Northern Luzon; participated in engagement at San Jose, Nov. 9, 1899; commanded assault on and capture of trenches between Lupao and Humingan, and later participated in capture of Humingan: participated in engagement near San Nicolas, Nov. 13 and 14, 1899; recommended for Brevet Major by General Young for gallant service in attacking in the darkness and dispersing a large force of the enemy in a most difficult and dangerous pass, and subsequently for Brevet Lieut.-colonel for same affair; participated and commanded in engagements at Santa Lucia, February, 1900; Cullebeng, April 15, 1900; Alegagan, April 25, 1900, for gallantry in action thereat being recommended by General Wheaton for Brevet Lieut.-colonel; in action near Badoc River, April 28. 1900; commanding troops scouting in the mountains of San Simon Pass and Bulagao, capturing 45 bolomen, and subsequently in the expedition destroying General Tinio's stronghold on the Bulagao Mountains, resulting in the surrender of the Northern Luzon forces of that General; in command in various skirmishes and affairs in I locos Sur and 11ocos Norte; remained on duty at Vigan with 3rd Cavalry to

(major, 14th Cavalry, Fer. 2, 1901)

June 28. 1901 ; en route to U. S., July 4-28, 1901 ; at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., Aug. 9-21, 1901 ; at Fort Ethan Allen, Vt., to July 3, 1902; on leave of absence, July 4 to Oct. 26, 1902; absent sick and on sick leave to

(transferred To 3d Cavalry, March 16, 1903)

Aug. 5. 1903; at Fort Assiniboine, Mont., and in the field in command of 3rd Squadron, to Jan. 13, 1904 ; designated to command operations then pending against Chippeway Indians, personally making an extended reeonnoissance in the capture of Leech Lake, Minn.; at Philadelphia, Pa., on recruiting service, Jan. 19, 1904, to

(lieut.-colonel, 10th Cavalry, July 28, 1904)

Nov. 14, 1905; on leave of absence, Nov. 15, 1905. to Feb. 12, 1906, when he joined regiment at Fort Robinson, Neb.; at Fort Robinson to April 23, 1906; at Fort Mackenzie. Wyo., commanding post, April 24 to July 16, 1906; commanding 10th Cavalry at Maneuver Camp at Islay, Wyo., July 17 to Aug. 5, 1906; Chief Umpire. Maneuver Division, Aug. 6 to Sept. 15, 1906; at Denver, Col., on special duty at Hdqrs. Department of Colorado, Sept. 16, 1906, to Feb. 12. 1907; on leave of absence. Feb. 13 to April 1. 1907; member of General Staff Corps, March 2. 1907; at Chicago, 11lChief of Staff of Northern Division. April 3 to July 1, 1907, and of Department of the Lakes to

(transferred To 4th Cavalry, Nov. 11, 1907)

(colonel, 12th Cavalry, April 14, 1908)

May 15, 1908; on leave of absence, May 16 to June 9, 1908; at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., commanding regiment, from June 9, 1908; at Maneuvers at Chickamauga, July and August, 1908; commanding Department of the Gulf, Dec. 23. 1908, to Jan. 16, 1909; en route to Philippines, April 5 to May 3. 1909; at Fort William McKinley, P. I., May 3, 1909, to Jan. 14, 1911; commanded Cavalry in Division Maneuvers on Western Coast of Luzon; en route to U. S., Jan. 15 to Feb. 12. 1911; at Fort Robinson, Neb., commanding regiment, from Feb. 18, 1911; commanding Department of the Missouri, March 13 to May 12, 1911, and July 1-8, 1911; on recruiting service at Columbus Bks., Ohio, commanding post, Oct. 3, 1911, to Sept. 8, 1915; on leave of absence, Sept. 9 to Nov. 30, 1915; at Douglas, Arizona, commanding 2nd Cavalry Brigade, engaged in guarding and patrolling Mexican border from Columbus, N. ,M.. to Nogales, Arizona. Dec. 3, 1915, to March 11, 1916; mobilized brigade at Culberson's Ranch, N. M., preparatory to invasion of Mexico, March 1214, 1916; commanding "Western Column" of American Punitive Expedition ; crossed Mexican border near Culberson's Ranch at 1:30 a. m., March 16 and by forced marches covered 113 miles in about 40V4 consecutive hours, arriving at Colonia Dublan, Mexico, March 17; joined 7th Cavalry (detached) at Angustura during night of March 21; on forced marches in pursuit of Villa, March 22-28; after march of 55 miles in 17 hours, overtook and surprised Villistas under General Eligio Hernandez at Guerrero, Mexico, on March 29, and in fight that followed severely punished them, killing and wounding many, killing their commanding officer, capturing their property and scattered them into the hills in disorganized condition; for this service, congratulated and highly commended by the President of the United States, by the Secretary of War and by his military superiors, and recommended for promotion to BrigadierGeneral ; at Frijole Ranch, 12 miles north of Guerrero, scouting for small bands of Villistas and endeavoring to get trace of Villa who had been carried off wounded on night of March 29, March 30-31; at Providencia, April 1; at Camp Frijole, scouting, April 2-7; at Minaca, detaching scouts and spies, April 8-9; at Guerrero in conference with Carranzista Commanders, April 10; made night march through mountain ration to Arisiachic, crossing mountains to Agua Caliente, April 13-14; at Tomochic, April 16-17; penetrated Sierra Madre mountains with column of 173 picked men and after five days of strenuous marching overtook and surprised about 250 Villistas west of Yoquivo at 4 :30 p. m., April 22; Villistas defeated and severely punished in killed and wounded and destroyed as a fighting factor; recalled to Providencia and vicinity to May 27; at Namaquipa, President of an Equipment Board, May 28 to June 10; at El Valle, commanding Camp, troops at El Valle and Angustura, and watching operations of Carranza troops, June 10 to

           (brigadier-general, U.S.A., July 3, 1916) July 26, 1916. Brigadier-general, U. S. A., Retired, July 26, 1916,             By Operation Of Law. Since retirement has resided at or near Ithaca, N. Y.. at times engaged in Liberty Loan activities and in farming.

General Dodd won prominence in 1914 with General Flushing in leading the US cavalry in Mexico after bandits had raided Columbus, NM killing 12 Americans and causing considerable property damage. Because of his work on this expedition which took him more than 300 miles into Mexico and his previous long, active and fruitful career, which included service in Indian warfare, the Spanish-American war, the Phillippines, Congress confirmed the rank of Brigadier General. At the time of the Mexican expedition he was a colonel.

He retired on July 1, 1916 and went home to Chicago after completing 44 years of continuous service in the US army. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. He was known as a great soldier and the son of a soldier. He had entered West Point in 1872 and upon graduation was appointed 2nd Lieut. He rose through the ranks to Brigadier General on July 12, 1916. He had served during the Indian campaigns in the West in 1876 and some following years being wounded once. He served during the Spanish and American War in Cuba and was wounded at El Caney. From 1899 to 1902, he saw much active service in the Philippine insurrection of Emilio Aguinaldo. He won official and popular recognition for merit and bravery during his service in the "Punitive Expedition" to get Francisco Villa inNOrthern Mexico in 1916. The US government in 1897 sent him upon a special mission to England and Germany. He was a fine physique, 5 feet eleven inches tall.

He married Clara Agnes Steele of Washington, DC. Her father was a lawyer and her mother from Gov. William Bradford of the Mayflower. Her grandfather was Rev Ashbel Steele.