Lyman W.V. Kennon
Encyclopedia
Lyman Walter Vere Kennon (1858–1918) was a career United States military officer in active service from 1881 to 1918, attaining the rank of brigadier general. During the Spanish-American War
Kennon was in command of Company "E" 6th Infantry Regiment and was cited for bravery at San Juan Hill
. He was most recognized for his 1903–1905 work with the Corps of Engineers to lead the building of the Benguet Road
, a mountain highway in the Philippines
linking Rosario, La Union
and the lowland areas to Baguio City
. During World War I
, he commanded the military training facility at Camp Greene
, North Carolina; the 171st Infantry, Brigade, Camp Grant
, Illinois, and then the 86th Division, Camp Grant, Illinois.
to Charles Henry Kennon and Adelaide (Hall) Kennon. He grew up in New York City when his mother was remarried to George G. Lambertson after his father, a Quartermaster Sergeant in Company D of the Rhode Island 2nd Cavalry Regiment
during the American Civil War
died 23 May 1863 at Brashear City, Louisiana
. Lyman Kennon was admitted to the United States Military Academy
at West Point, New York
on 14 June 1876 but graduated with the Class of 1881 after being suspended for one year for hazing. In 1883, he married Anne Beecher Rice (1864–1945) of Hartford, Connecticut
as he was beginning his military career. Later in his career, he attended the United States Army War College for graduate studies, graduating in 1910.
.
As a junior lieutenant in 1884, he wrote a "Manual of Duties of Guards and Sentinels" which was the first such manual adopted by the Army. His 1886 article on "Battle Tactics of Infantry" was widely discussed here and abroad and led to the replacement of "Upton's Military Tactics" as Army doctrine. Numerous other publications followed, including a critique of the 1886 wholesale incarceration of the Chiricahua Apache
tribe for the acts of a few warriors. "For the sins of these few," he
wrote, "a sentence of banishment was visited upon the whole tribe. They were far from deserving it." After serving as aide to General George Crook
upon his death in 1890, Kennon began service with the US Army Corps of Engineers, being sent to Central America
in 1891 as engineer to survey a possible route for an inter-oceanic canal
. While there, he surveyed Mexico's border with Guatemala, eventually carrying the survey around Guatemala until it reached the Nicaraguan border.
In the Spanish American War, as commander of Company "E" the 6th Infantry Regiment, he was the 2nd American Officer (after Lt. J.G. Ord
) to reach the blockhouse on top of San Juan Hill
, for which he was recommended for a brevet promotion
and the Medal of Honor
. After the war he was for a time in charge of civil affairs in Cuba
as well as being Cuba's acting Secretary of Commerce and Agriculture.
On 9 October 1899, Kennon arrived the Philippines, where he participated in military actions in the Philippine-American War
. He served as Military Governor of the province of Ilocos Norte
from November 1900 to March 1901. He read and memorized passages from the Koran in preparation for an assignment to a Moro area. While in Mindanao
from 1901 to 1903, he built the Iligan
to Lake Lanao
road and then, at the request of Governor Taft
, he completed in 1905 the strategically important Benguet Road
from Manila to Baguio in 18 months. He did this where others had failed and the job was expected to take no less than 3 years and probably longer. This accomplishment earned him a personal letter of commendation from President Theodore Roosevelt
, who described him as "the type of man we should keep an eye on."
In the next few years he traveled to Japan to examine railroads, to Brazil
in 1906 as delegate to the Pan-American Congress
and Military Attache. He also was sent to Alaska as part of the Commission surveying the boundary with Canada, and he was specially requested by Costa Rica
to survey its southern boundary. In 1915 he commanded the 161st Depot Brigade at the U.S. Mexican border in support of the U.S.- Mexican Border War
. In 1918, after training 17,000 troops at Camp Greene in North Carolina, and then after assuming command of the 171st brigade and then the 86th division at Camp Grant near Rockford, Illinois
, he was denied the right to take his division overseas to France because of an unfavorable medical diagnosis. He died soon after the division's departure from New York at the Hotel Cumberland in New York City on 9 September 1918, probably due to the influenza outbreak
.
) who in 1929 described her life at her 50th graduation anniversary from high school in Hartford, Connecticut
as follows:
and she was buried with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery, South Section site 2010.
Kennon was an active member of the Sons of the Revolution since his admission on 17 September 1894, having descended from Asaph Hall of Goshen, Connecticut. Captain Asaph Hall was in the Fourth Connecticut Infantry Regiment
in 1775, and served as a company commander. He was later a member of Connecticut House of Representatives. Kennon's uncle Asaph Hall III
(1829–1907) was a noted astronomer in the employ of the U.S. Naval Observatory.
In addition to Kennon Road in the Philippines named for him, Kennon Street in Charlotte, North Carolina
as also named for him in recognition of his military service at nearby Camp Greene
.
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
Kennon was in command of Company "E" 6th Infantry Regiment and was cited for bravery at San Juan Hill
Battle of San Juan Hill
The Battle of San Juan Hill , also known as the battle for the San Juan Heights, was a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War. The San Juan heights was a north-south running elevation about two kilometers east of Santiago de Cuba. The names San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill were names given by the...
. He was most recognized for his 1903–1905 work with the Corps of Engineers to lead the building of the Benguet Road
Kennon Road
Kennon Road is a roadway that connects to Baguio City with the town of Rosario, La Union in the Philippines. Begun in 1903 and opened for travel January 29, 1905, it was originally called the Benguet Road and was later named in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman Walter Vere Kennon of the U.S. Army...
, a mountain highway in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
linking Rosario, La Union
Rosario, La Union
Rosario is a 1st class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 49,025 people in 8,154 households.The Kennon Road starts from this town and ends at Baguio City...
and the lowland areas to Baguio City
Baguio City
The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he commanded the military training facility at Camp Greene
Camp Greene
Camp Greene was a United States Army facility in North Carolina, United States during the early 20th Century. In 1917, both the 3rd Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Divisions were first organized and assembled at this camp.-History:...
, North Carolina; the 171st Infantry, Brigade, Camp Grant
Camp Grant (Illinois)
For other uses see Camp Grant.Camp Grant was a U.S. Army facility located in the southern outskirts of Rockford, Illinois named in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant...
, Illinois, and then the 86th Division, Camp Grant, Illinois.
Early life and education
Lyman Kennon was born 2 September 1858 in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
to Charles Henry Kennon and Adelaide (Hall) Kennon. He grew up in New York City when his mother was remarried to George G. Lambertson after his father, a Quartermaster Sergeant in Company D of the Rhode Island 2nd Cavalry Regiment
2nd Rhode Island Cavalry
The 2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 2nd Rhode Island Cavalry was organized in Providence, Rhode Island and mustered in November 21, 1862 for a three year enlistment...
during 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...
died 23 May 1863 at Brashear City, Louisiana
Morgan City, Louisiana
Morgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 census....
. Lyman Kennon was admitted to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
on 14 June 1876 but graduated with the Class of 1881 after being suspended for one year for hazing. In 1883, he married Anne Beecher Rice (1864–1945) of Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
as he was beginning his military career. Later in his career, he attended the United States Army War College for graduate studies, graduating in 1910.
Military career
Kennon's first posting upon graduation from West Point in 1881 was with in the Cavalry, moving the Uinta Uncompahgre Ute Indians (fresh from a massacre a year earlier) to a newly established reservationUintah and Ouray Indian Reservation
The Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation is located in northeastern Utah, USA. It is the homeland of the Northern Ute Tribe, and is the largest of three Indian reservations inhabited by members of the Ute Tribe of Native Americans. It lies in parts of seven counties; in descending order of land area...
.
As a junior lieutenant in 1884, he wrote a "Manual of Duties of Guards and Sentinels" which was the first such manual adopted by the Army. His 1886 article on "Battle Tactics of Infantry" was widely discussed here and abroad and led to the replacement of "Upton's Military Tactics" as Army doctrine. Numerous other publications followed, including a critique of the 1886 wholesale incarceration of the Chiricahua Apache
Chiricahua
Chiricahua are a group of Apache Native Americans who live in the Southwest United States. At the time of European encounter, they were living in 15 million acres of territory in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona in the United States, and in northern Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico...
tribe for the acts of a few warriors. "For the sins of these few," he
wrote, "a sentence of banishment was visited upon the whole tribe. They were far from deserving it." After serving as aide to General George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
upon his death in 1890, Kennon began service with the US Army Corps of Engineers, being sent to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
in 1891 as engineer to survey a possible route for an inter-oceanic canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. While there, he surveyed Mexico's border with Guatemala, eventually carrying the survey around Guatemala until it reached the Nicaraguan border.
In the Spanish American War, as commander of Company "E" the 6th Infantry Regiment, he was the 2nd American Officer (after Lt. J.G. Ord
Jules Garesche Ord
Jules Garesche "Gary" Ord was a United States Army First Lieutenant who was killed in action after leading the charge of Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th U.S. Cavalry up San Juan Hill...
) to reach the blockhouse on top of San Juan Hill
Battle of San Juan Hill
The Battle of San Juan Hill , also known as the battle for the San Juan Heights, was a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War. The San Juan heights was a north-south running elevation about two kilometers east of Santiago de Cuba. The names San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill were names given by the...
, for which he was recommended for a brevet promotion
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
and the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. After the war he was for a time in charge of civil affairs in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
as well as being Cuba's acting Secretary of Commerce and Agriculture.
On 9 October 1899, Kennon arrived the Philippines, where he participated in military actions in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. He served as Military Governor of the province of Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south...
from November 1900 to March 1901. He read and memorized passages from the Koran in preparation for an assignment to a Moro area. While in Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
from 1901 to 1903, he built the Iligan
Iligan City
The City of Iligan is a highly urbanized industrial city north of the province of Lanao del Norte, Philippines, and the province's former capital. It is approximately 795 kilometers southeast of Manila...
to Lake Lanao
Lake Lanao
Lake Lanao is a large lake in the Philippines, located in Lanao del Sur province in the country's southern island of Mindanao. With a surface area of 340 km²...
road and then, at the request of Governor Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, he completed in 1905 the strategically important Benguet Road
Kennon Road
Kennon Road is a roadway that connects to Baguio City with the town of Rosario, La Union in the Philippines. Begun in 1903 and opened for travel January 29, 1905, it was originally called the Benguet Road and was later named in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman Walter Vere Kennon of the U.S. Army...
from Manila to Baguio in 18 months. He did this where others had failed and the job was expected to take no less than 3 years and probably longer. This accomplishment earned him a personal letter of commendation from President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, who described him as "the type of man we should keep an eye on."
In the next few years he traveled to Japan to examine railroads, to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1906 as delegate to the Pan-American Congress
Pan-American Congress
Pan-American Congress may refer to:* Congress of Panama, in 1826* First International Conference of American States, in 1889–1890, arranged by President Benjamin Harrison's Secretary of State James G. Blaine...
and Military Attache. He also was sent to Alaska as part of the Commission surveying the boundary with Canada, and he was specially requested by Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
to survey its southern boundary. In 1915 he commanded the 161st Depot Brigade at the U.S. Mexican border in support of the U.S.- Mexican Border War
Border War (1910–1918)
The Border War, or the Border Campaign, refers to the military engagements which took place in the Mexican-American border region of North America during the Mexican Revolution. The Bandit War in Texas was part of the Border War...
. In 1918, after training 17,000 troops at Camp Greene in North Carolina, and then after assuming command of the 171st brigade and then the 86th division at Camp Grant near Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, he was denied the right to take his division overseas to France because of an unfavorable medical diagnosis. He died soon after the division's departure from New York at the Hotel Cumberland in New York City on 9 September 1918, probably due to the influenza outbreak
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
.
Family life, honors and legacy
Lyman Kennon was married to Anne Beecher Rice Kennon (b. 24 May 1864 in Goshen, ConnecticutGoshen, Connecticut
Goshen is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,697 at the 2000 census.Each July, the Connecticut Agricultural Fair is held in town. It is also home to the Goshen players.-Geography:...
) who in 1929 described her life at her 50th graduation anniversary from high school in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
as follows:
"I married a soldier, the late General Kennon, then the adventures began. With great energy, unusual ability and high purpose, one important detail succeeded another. For years I followed this valiant swiftly moving figure, Utah Indian reservations, North, South, East, West, Central America, Europe, Cuba, the Philippines, China, Japan, Korea, South America, Alaska, Hawaii, our Mexican border; circling again and yet again this round globe, the life of changing impressions and ideas."Lyman and Anne B. Rice Kennon had no children. She died on 5 August 1945 in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and she was buried with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery, South Section site 2010.
Kennon was an active member of the Sons of the Revolution since his admission on 17 September 1894, having descended from Asaph Hall of Goshen, Connecticut. Captain Asaph Hall was in the Fourth Connecticut Infantry Regiment
4th Connecticut Regiment
The 4th Connecticut Regiment was raised on April 27, 1775 at Hartford, Connecticut. The regiment would see action in the Invasion of Canada. After which the regiment was disbanded on December 20, 1775 and reformed on September 16, 1776 to fight in the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and...
in 1775, and served as a company commander. He was later a member of Connecticut House of Representatives. Kennon's uncle Asaph Hall III
Asaph Hall
Asaph Hall III was an American astronomer who is most famous for having discovered the moons of Mars in 1877...
(1829–1907) was a noted astronomer in the employ of the U.S. Naval Observatory.
In addition to Kennon Road in the Philippines named for him, Kennon Street in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
as also named for him in recognition of his military service at nearby Camp Greene
Camp Greene
Camp Greene was a United States Army facility in North Carolina, United States during the early 20th Century. In 1917, both the 3rd Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Divisions were first organized and assembled at this camp.-History:...
.