{{Short description|American general}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person |name = John F. Morrison |image = John Frank Morrison (US Army major general) 2.jpg |caption = From Volume XXIII (1933) of ''The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography''. |birth_date = {{Birth date|1857|12|20}} |death_date = {{Death date and age|1932|10|22|1857|12|20}} |birth_place = Charlotteville, New York, United States |death_place = Washington, D.C., United States |burial_place = Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States |burial_label = Place of burial |allegiance = {{flag|United States}} |branch = {{army|United States}} |service_years = 1881–1921 |service_number = 0-4 |rank = 25px Major General |commands = 6th Infantry Regiment<br/>15th Infantry Regiment<br/>United States Forces in China<br/>Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia<br/>30th Division<br/>8th Division<br/>Western Department<br/>Camp Lewis, Washington<br/>Southeastern Department<br/>Fourth Corps Area |unit = 25px Infantry Branch |battles = Spanish–American War<br/>Philippine–American War<br/>Pancho Villa Expedition<br/>World War I |awards = Army Distinguished Service Medal<br />Silver Star |spouse = Kate L. McCleery (m. 1887–1929, her death) }} Major General '''John Frank Morrison''' (December 20, 1857 – October 22, 1932) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I, he attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of the Army Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star.
==Early life and education== John F. Morrison{{Efn|Morrison's middle name appears in records as Franklin, Frank, and Francis. Frank was used most often.}} was born in Charlotteville, Schoharie County, New York on December 20, 1857,<ref name="Register">{{cite web |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/2904*.html |title=John F. Morrison in Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy |volume=III–VIII |last=Thayer |first=Bill |website=Bill Thayer's Web Site |publisher=Bill Thayer |location=Chicago, IL |date=July 4, 2016 |access-date=June 27, 2020}}</ref> the son of Hannah (Lamont) Morrison and John Morrison, who served as county clerk.<ref name="Davis">{{cite book|last1=Davis |first1=Henry Blaine Jr. |title=Generals in Khaki |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fJvvAAAAMAAJ |date=1998 |publisher=Pentland Press, Inc. |location=Raleigh, NC |isbn=978-1-5719-7088-6 |pages=272–283 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Byrne |first=Ray |date=Fall–Winter 1968 |title=Military Leader Native of Schoharie County |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89064404775&view=2up&seq=212&q1=morrison |magazine=Schoharie County Historical Review |location=Schoharie, NY |publisher=Schoharie County Historical Society |page=25 |via=HathiTrust}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |date=1933 |title=The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography |volume=XXIII |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015078229112&view=2up&seq=226&size=175 |location=New York, NY |publisher=James T. White & Company |page=108 |via=HathiTrust}}</ref> He graduated from Schoharie Academy,<ref name="Dies">{{cite news |date=October 23, 1932 |title=Morrison, Figure in 'Old Army', Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67774187/morrison-dies/ |work=The Sunday Star |location=Washington, DC |page=A-2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> then began attendance at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York, from which he graduated in 1881, ranked 26th in a class of 53.<ref name="Register"/> Among his classmates were several men who would later attain the rank of brigadier general or higher in their military careers, such as John Biddle, Harry F. Hodges, Edwin St. John Greble, George T. Bartlett, Charles L. Phillips, Clarence P. Townsley, Joseph A. Gaston, Guy Carleton, Francis J. Kernan, Harry C. Hodges Jr., Joseph T. Dickman, James T. Kerr, Enoch Crowder, Charles H. Barth, Lyman W. V. Kennon and John B. McDonald.
Upon his graduation, Morrison was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry.<ref name="Register"/>
==Start of career== Morrison was assigned to the 20th Infantry Regiment and served briefly at Fort Brown, Texas.<ref name="Register"/> In November 1881 he was assigned Fort Wallace, Kansas.<ref name="Register"/> In November 1882 he was transferred to Fort Supply, Indian Territory.<ref name="Register"/> From June to August 1883 he was on duty at the Fort Leavenworth Military Prison in Kansas.<ref name="Register"/> Morrison was then assigned as a student at the Fort Leavenworth Infantry and Cavalry School of Application from which he graduated in July 1885.<ref name="Register"/> He performed frontier duty at Fort Assinniboine, Montana from July 1885 to July 1887.<ref name="Register"/>
From July 1887 to September 1893, Morrison was professor of military science and tactics and Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan, Kansas.<ref name="Register"/> In November 1890 he was assigned to the 1st Infantry Regiment and promoted to first lieutenant.<ref name="Register"/> In July 1891 he was transferred back to the 20th Infantry.<ref name="Register"/> From September 1893 to March 1897, Morrison was assigned as quartermaster of the 20th Infantry Regiment.<ref name="Register"/> From March 1897 to April 1898, he was an instructor at the Infantry and Cavalry School.<ref name="Register"/> In April 1898 he was promoted to captain.<ref name="Register"/>
==Spanish–American War== After his promotion to captain, Morrison rejoined the 20th Infantry Regiment, which traveled to Mobile, Alabama in preparation for deployment to Cuba during the Spanish–American War.<ref name="Register"/> He served in Cuba throughout the war, including the Siege of Santiago.<ref name="Register"/> Morrison received the Citation Star for gallantry during the Battle of El Caney.<ref name="Register"/> When the Silver Star award was created in 1918, Morrison's citation star was converted to the new medal.<ref name="Register"/>
He returned to Fort Leavenworth in January 1899.<ref name="Register"/> In February, the 20th Infantry departed the United States for service in the Philippine–American War.<ref name="Register"/> Morrison remained in the Philippines until March 1904, and served as regimental quartermaster again from November 1899 to June 1901.<ref name="Register"/>
==Continued career== During the Russo-Japanese War, Morrison served as a military attaché in Japan from March to November 1904.<ref name="Register"/> He was then selected for attendance at the United States Army War College, from which he graduated in 1906.<ref name="Register"/> He was promoted to major in October 1905.<ref name="Register"/> From September 1906 to August 1907, Morrison was an instructor at the Army Staff College and Army School of the Line.<ref name="Register"/> From August 1907 to July 1911, he served as assistant commandant of the Army Service Schools, and was the school's acting commandant on several occasions.<ref name="Register"/> In June 1911, Morrison received promotion to lieutenant colonel.<ref name="Register"/>
After his promotion to lieutenant colonel, Morrison served with the 20th Infantry at Vancouver Barracks, Washington.<ref name="Register"/> In September 1914, he was promoted to colonel and assigned to command the 6th Infantry Regiment, which he led during service on the Mexico–United States border during the Pancho Villa Expedition.<ref name="Register"/> In September 1915, he was assigned to command the 15th Infantry Regiment in Tientsin, China (now Tianjin).<ref name="Register"/> In October 1915, Morrison was promoted to brigadier general as commander of United States Forces in China.<ref name="Register"/>
==World War I== thumb|left|Morrison circa 1920. Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame. In May 1917, a month after the American entry into World War I, Morrison was promoted to major general and assigned to command Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.<ref name="Register"/> From August to September 1917, he commanded the 30th Division at Camp Sevier, South Carolina.<ref name="Register"/> From September to December 1917, Morrison served in France as a military observer.<ref name="Register"/> He then served in Washington, D.C. until March 1918 as the Army's Director of Training.<ref name="Register"/>
From March to June 1918, Morrison commanded the 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California.<ref name="Register"/> From June 1918 to August 1919, he was stationed in San Francisco as commander of the Army's Western Department.<ref name="Register"/> His wartime accomplishments were recognized with award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal.<ref name="Register"/>
===Army Distinguished Service Medal citation=== {{Blockquote|The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General John Frank Morrison, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, for services as Department Commander, Western Department, in handling with great skill, tact, and sound judgment many difficult problems arising in his department.
'''Service:''' Army '''Rank:''' Major General '''Division:''' Western Department '''General Orders:''' War Department, General Orders No. 47 (1919)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/17965 |title=Army Distinguished Service Medal Citation, John Frank Morrison |website=The Hall of Valor Project |publisher=Military Times Media Group |location=Tysons, VA |access-date=January 16, 2021}}</ref>}}
==Later career== From August 1919 to April 1920, Morrison was commander of the post at Camp Lewis, Washington.<ref name="Register"/> Beginning in May 1920, Morrison was commander of the Southeastern Department and Fourth Corps Area.<ref name="Register"/> He left the military after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 in December 1921.<ref name="Register"/>
==Retirement and death== In retirement, Morrison resided in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Dies"/> He died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington on October 22, 1932.<ref name="Dies"/> Morrison was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.<ref name="Register"/> In accordance with his wishes, there were no military honors at his funeral.<ref name="Taps">{{cite news |date=October 24, 1932 |title=Taps Will Be Only Honors in Burial of Gen. J. F. Morrison |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67835930/taps-morrison/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Instead, a single bugler was present to sound Taps.<ref name="Taps"/>
==Family== On August 16, 1887, Morrison married Kate L. McCleery, the daughter of Army chaplain J. B. McCleery.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 21, 1887 |title=Wedding Announcement: Morrison-McCleery |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67801322/morrison-mccleery/ |work=Leavenworth Times |location=Leavenworth, KS |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> They were married until her death in 1929.<ref name="Rites">{{cite news |date=August 31, 1929 |title=Rites in Arlington: Funeral Services Are Held for Mrs. Kate L. Morrison |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67800899/rites-arlington/ |work=The Evening Star |location=Washington, DC |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The Morrisons had no children.<ref name="Rites"/> Kate McCleery Morrison was the sister of Margaret McCleery, the wife of Major General Benjamin Alvord Jr.<ref name="Rites"/>
==Legacy== Morrison was a highly regarded trainer and instructor, and authored written works on military operations, including 1914's ''Seventy Problems: Infantry Tactics, Battalion, Brigade and Division''<ref>{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=John F. |date=1914 |title=Seventy Problems: Infantry Tactics, Battalion, Brigade and Division |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HN2gAAAAMAAJ |location=Ft. Leavenworth, KS |publisher=U.S. Cavalry Association |page=1 |isbn=978-1-02-233637-7 |via=Google Books}}</ref> and ''Training Infantry''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=John F. |date=1914 |title=Training Infantry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wucsAAAAYAAJ |location=Ft. Leavenworth, KS |publisher=U.S. Cavalry Association |page=1 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
Morrison's abilities as an instructor while at Fort Leavenworth were recognized Army-wide.<ref name="Ilari">{{cite magazine |last=Ilari |first=Virgilio |date=August 1, 2011 |title=The John F. Morrison Professorship of Military History |url=http://www.tuttostoria.net/%5CDocumenti%5CUS_Army_2.pdf |magazine=How And Why the U. S. Army Studies Military History |location=Washington, DC |publisher=Center of Military History, United States Army |page=27}}</ref> George C. Marshall, who studied under Morrison and became Army Chief of Staff in 1939, later said that Morrison "taught me all I had ever known of tactics".<ref name="Ilari"/> From the 1920s through to World War II, officers who could say "I was a Morrison man" had professional cachet that commanded respect from their peers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pogue |first=Forrest C. |author-link=Forrest Pogue |date=1993 |title=George C. Marshall: Education of a General, 1880–1939 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WqbiDwAAQBAJ |location=Westminster, London, England |publisher=Penguin Books |page=27 |isbn=978-0-1401-5396-5 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
In 1974, Morrison was inducted into the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ike Skelton Digital Library |url=https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16040coll5/id/7 |title=Biography, Major General John Frank Morrison |website=Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame |publisher=U.S. Army Combined Arms Center |location=Ft. Leavenworth, KS |access-date=January 16, 2021}}</ref> The Hall of Fame was founded in 1969, and honors members of the Army who significantly contributed to the history, heritage and traditions of the Army while stationed at Fort Leavenworth.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://usacac.army.mil/organizations/cace/carl/hof |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719002526/http://usacac.army.mil/organizations/cace/carl/hof |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 19, 2015 |title=Ft Leavenworth Hall of Fame |website=CAC Organizations |publisher=U.S. Army Combined Arms Center |location=Ft. Leavenworth, KS |access-date=January 16, 2021}}</ref>
The John F. Morrison Professor of Military History was created in 1974 by the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.<ref name="Linderman">{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/39962637 |title=John F. Morrison Lecture in Military History: Military Leadership and the American Experience |last=Linderman |first=Gerald |date=October 4, 1988 |website=ResearchGate |location=Berlin, Germany |access-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref> A distinguished historian is selected to hold this visiting professorship every academic year.<ref name="Linderman"/>
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, John Frank}} Category:1857 births Category:1932 deaths Category:19th-century United States Army personnel Category:United States Army Infantry Branch personnel Category:People from Schoharie County, New York Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Category:American military personnel of the Philippine–American War Category:United States Army generals of World War I Category:Recipients of the Silver Star Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:20th-century American male writers Category:Military personnel from Washington, D.C. Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Army War College alumni Category:People of the Russo-Japanese War Category:Kansas State University faculty Category:United States Army War College faculty Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College faculty Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Category:United States military attachés Category:Military personnel from New York (state)