Henry Clarke Corbin
Encyclopedia
Henry Clark Corbin was an officer in the United States Army
who served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1898 to 1904.
, and was teaching school and studying law when the American Civil War
broke out. Corbin volunteered as a second lieutenant in the 83rd Ohio Infantry
in July 1862 and transferred to the 79th Ohio Infantry
the next month. In November 1863 he was commissioned a major
in the 14th Infantry Regiment of United States Colored Troops
. He eventually rose to be lieutenant colonel
and colonel
of this regiment, and participated in the Battle of Decatur
and Battle of Nashville
. He was mustered out in March 1866.
In May 1866 he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 17th Infantry
of the Regular Army
. He was promoted to captain in the 38th Infantry, a Buffalo Soldier
regiment, in July 1866. The 38th Infantry was consolidated with the 41st Infantry to form the 24th Infantry
in November 1869.
Corbin was appointed to the official staff of President Rutherford B. Hayes
, serving at the White House
from 1877 to 1881. He was attending Hayes' successor, James A. Garfield, when Garfield was shot in 1881, and was present at his death in Elberon, New Jersey
. He became a major
in the Adjutant General's Department in June 1880, serving in the Department of the South and the Department of the Missouri. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel
in June 1889, serving in the Department of Arizona, the Adjutant General's Office in Washington, and the Department of the East. In May 1896 he returned to the Adjutant General's Department in Washington as a colonel
.
He was elevated to Adjutant General of the U. S. Army with the rank of brigadier general
in February 1898. He was promoted to major general
in June 1900. He took command of the newly created Division of the Atlantic in January 1904, then was given command of the Division of the Philippines in November 1904. He took command of the Northern Division in February 1906 and was promoted to lieutenant general
in April 1906. He retired in September 1906, and died in September 1909 in Washington, D.C.
. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
who served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1898 to 1904.
Life and career
He was born in Monroe Township, OhioMonroe Township, Clermont County, Ohio
Monroe Township is one of the fourteen townships of Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 8,236 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southwestern part of the county along the Ohio River, it borders the following townships:...
, and was teaching school and studying law when the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
broke out. Corbin volunteered as a second lieutenant in the 83rd Ohio Infantry
83rd Ohio Infantry
The 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was nicknamed "The Greyhound Regiment".-Service:...
in July 1862 and transferred to the 79th Ohio Infantry
79th Ohio Infantry
The 79th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 79th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, Ohio in August 1862. It was mustered in for three years service under the command of Colonel Henry G...
the next month. In November 1863 he was commissioned a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the 14th Infantry Regiment of United States Colored Troops
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
. He eventually rose to be lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
and colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of this regiment, and participated in the Battle of Decatur
Battle of Decatur
The Battle of Decatur was a demonstration conducted from October 26 to October 29, 1864, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. Union forces of 3–5,000 men under Brig. Gen. Robert S. Granger prevented the 39,000 men of the Confederate Army of Tennessee under ...
and Battle of Nashville
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
. He was mustered out in March 1866.
In May 1866 he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 17th Infantry
17th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 17th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. While the 17th Infantry Regiment was organized on January 11, 1812, it was consolidated with the 3rd Infantry due to extremely heavy losses at Frenchtown, and lost its identity two years later until May 3, 1861, when it was...
of the Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
. He was promoted to captain in the 38th Infantry, a Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas....
regiment, in July 1866. The 38th Infantry was consolidated with the 41st Infantry to form the 24th Infantry
24th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 24th Infantry Regiment was a unit of the United States Army, active from 1869 until 1951, and again from 1995 until 2006. The regiment is notable for having a colorfully checkered history, with a record of mostly meritorious service and valorous combat performance interspersed with episodes of...
in November 1869.
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
, serving at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
from 1877 to 1881. He was attending Hayes' successor, James A. Garfield, when Garfield was shot in 1881, and was present at his death in Elberon, New Jersey
Elberon, New Jersey
Elberon is an unincorporated area that is part of Long Branch in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 07740....
. He became a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the Adjutant General's Department in June 1880, serving in the Department of the South and the Department of the Missouri. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
in June 1889, serving in the Department of Arizona, the Adjutant General's Office in Washington, and the Department of the East. In May 1896 he returned to the Adjutant General's Department in Washington as a colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
.
He was elevated to Adjutant General of the U. S. Army with the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in February 1898. He was promoted to major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in June 1900. He took command of the newly created Division of the Atlantic in January 1904, then was given command of the Division of the Philippines in November 1904. He took command of the Northern Division in February 1906 and was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
in April 1906. He retired in September 1906, and died in September 1909 in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.