Edward Burr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brigadier General
Edward Burr
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| Born | May 19, 1859 Booneville, Missouri, US |
| Died | April 15, 1952 (aged 92) Washington, D.C., US |
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| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1882–1923 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands held | 62nd Field Artillery Brigade 166th Field Artillery Brigade 4th Regiment of Engineers 2nd Battalion of Engineers 3rd Battalion of Engineers U.S. Army Engineer School Battalion of Engineers, Fifth Army Corps E Company, Battalion of Engineers |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War World War I |
Edward Burr (May 19, 1859 – April 15, 1952) was a skilled American general and engineer in the United States Army. He served his country in both the Spanish–American War and World War I. He is most famous for his important work with the Army Corps of Engineers, a group that builds and manages America's military and public works projects.
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Early Life and Education
Edward Burr was born on May 19, 1859, in Booneville, Missouri. When he was just one year old, his family moved to St. Louis. There, his father became the president of the Bank of St. Louis.
Burr went to elementary school in the town of Kirkwood. In 1874, he started studying mining engineering at Washington University. However, he decided to change his path. In 1878, he enrolled in the famous United States Military Academy at West Point.
He was an excellent student and graduated at the top of his class in 1882. An interesting note in his class yearbook mentioned his famous relative, Aaron Burr, who was the third vice president of the United States.
A Career as an Army Engineer
After graduating from West Point, Burr became a second lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This was the start of a long and successful career building important projects and serving in the military.
First Engineering Projects
From 1882 to 1884, Burr was stationed at Willets Point, New York. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1883. In 1884, he married Katherine Green and moved to Portland, Oregon.
In Portland, Burr served on the board responsible for the construction of the Morrison Bridge across the Willamette River and oversaw the construction of the Cascade Locks, a major project designed to facilitate shipping on the Columbia River. He was also involved in the construction of the first Center Street Bridge in Salem, Oregon.
He and his wife also started a family, having two sons who would later follow in his footsteps and graduate from West Point.
In 1891, Burr moved to Norfolk, Virginia, to work on improving the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal. He was promoted to captain in 1894 and then transferred to Washington, D.C. There, he helped improve the capital city's water system and oversaw the building of the Georgetown Reservoir.
Service in the Spanish-American War
When the Spanish–American War began in 1898, Burr was given command of an engineer battalion. He was sent to Cuba, where he was in charge of the beaches during the American landing at Daiquiri. He also took part in the military campaign around the city of Santiago de Cuba. After the war, he returned to his regular rank of captain and continued his work with the Corps of Engineers.
Leading and Building Between Wars
Over the next several years, Burr served in many different places, including New York, Georgia, and Missouri. He was promoted to major in 1903. From 1903 to 1906, he was the head of the Army Engineer School, where he trained other engineers.
From 1910 to 1914, Burr worked as an Assistant Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C. and was promoted to colonel in 1912. He was then sent to the Philippines to oversee the construction of military defenses across the islands.
Service in World War I
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Burr was promoted to brigadier general. He was given command of an artillery brigade and traveled to France in June 1917. An artillery brigade is a large group of soldiers who operate powerful cannons.
In France, he first trained his soldiers at a special artillery center. Later, he was transferred to command the 62nd Field Artillery Brigade. He led this brigade during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, one of the biggest and most important battles for American soldiers in the war. After the war ended, Burr returned to the United States in 1919.
Later Life and Legacy
After the war, Burr returned to his regular rank of colonel. He served in New York for a few more years before retiring from the army on May 19, 1923, at the age of 64.
Even in retirement, Burr continued to work as a consulting engineer. He helped build a jetty to prevent erosion at Rockaway Beach on Long Island. He also supervised the construction of the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
In 1930, his rank of brigadier general was permanently restored on the Army's retired list. Edward Burr lived in Washington, D.C., until his death on April 15, 1952. He was buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
