{{short description|United States Army general}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox military person |name= Robert Lee Howze |image= Robert Lee Howze.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Howze as a major general |nickname= |birth_date= {{Birth date|1864|08|22}} |birth_place= [[Overton, Texas]], US |death_date= {{Death date and age|1926|09|19|1864|08|22}} |death_place= [[Columbus, Ohio]], US |burial_place= [[West Point Cemetery]] |burial_coordinates = 41.39896, −73.96729 |allegiance= United States |branch= [[United States Army]] |service_years= 1888–1926 |rank= [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] |service_number= |unit= |commands= [[38th Infantry Division (United States)|38th Division]]<br/>[[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Division]]<br/>[[Third United States Army]]<br/>[[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]]<br/>Fifth [[corps area|Corps Area]] |battles= [[Indian Wars]]<br/>[[Spanish–American War]]<br/>[[Philippine–American War]]<br/>[[World War I]] |awards= [[Medal of Honor]]<br/>[[Army Distinguished Service Medal]]<br/>[[Silver Star]] (2)<br/>[[Legion of Honour]] (France)<br/>[[Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)|Croix de Guerre]] (France) |relations= Major General Robert Lee Howze Jr. (son)<br/>General [[Hamilton H. Howze]] (son) }} '''Robert Lee Howze''' (August 22, 1864 – September 19, 1926) was a [[United States Army]] [[Major general (United States)|major general]] who was a recipient of the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the [[American Indian Wars]].
Howze graduated from the [[United States Military Academy]] in 1888 and then accepted a commission to the United States Army. He first served in the [[Indian Wars]], then served in the [[Spanish–American War]], [[Philippine–American War]] and [[World War I]]. His last assignment was presiding over the courts-martial of Colonel [[Billy Mitchell]].
==Early life== [[File:Robert Lee HowzeClass1888.jpg|thumb|Howze as a West Point cadet]] Howze was born to Captain James A. Howze, of the 14th Texas Cavalry, and Amanda Hamilton Howze in Overton, [[Rusk County, Texas]]. After graduating from Hubbard College in 1883,<ref name="tsha">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fho81|title=HOWZE, ROBERT LEE|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=Dec 6, 2011}}</ref> he attended the [[United States Military Academy]] (USMA) at [[West Point, New York]] and was in the graduating class of 1888.<ref name="hallofvalor">{{Hall of Valor|2764|access-date=January 22, 2010}}</ref> His classmates included several future [[general officer]]s, such as [[Peyton C. March]], [[William M. Morrow]], [[James W. McAndrew]], [[William Robert Dashiell]], [[Peter Charles Harris]], [[Eli Alva Helmick]], [[Henry Jervey]], [[William Voorhees Judson]], [[John Louis Hayden]], [[Edward Anderson (United States Army officer, born 1864)|Edward Anderson]], [[William H. Hart]], [[Charles Aloysius Hedekin]] and [[William S. Peirce (United States Army officer)|William S. Peirce]].
==Military career== Howze participated in the [[Pine Ridge Campaign]] from November 1890 to January 1891. On January 1, 1891, the [[6th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|6th Cavalry]] crossed the frozen [[White River (Missouri River tributary)|White River]] in [[South Dakota]] to engage a group of [[Brulé|Brulé Sioux]]. It was for this action he was presented with the Medal of Honor.<ref name="indianwars">{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/indianwars.html|title=Medal of Honor recipients Indian Wars Period|publisher=Army Center of Military History|access-date=April 12, 2009|archive-date=November 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110225055/http://www.history.army.mil//html/moh/indianwars.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="txcem"/>
Howze married Anne Chiffelle Hawkins, daughter of General [[Hamilton S. Hawkins]] and sister of General [[Hamilton S. Hawkins III]], on February 24, 1897.<ref name="txcem">{{Cite web|url=http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=11175|title=Robert Lee Howze|publisher=Texas State Cemetery|access-date=April 12, 2009}}</ref>
At the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Howze, now a cavalry captain, was made adjutant general of the cavalry in Cuba. Upon his return to the United States, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of volunteers and commanded the Thirty-fourth Volunteer Infantry throughout the Philippine Insurrection. He was promoted to captain in the United States Army on February 2, 1901; to brigadier general of volunteers on June 20, 1901; and to major of the Puerto Rico provincial regiment of infantry in 1901.<ref name="tsha"/> He received two Silver Citation Stars (converted in 1932 to the [[Silver Star]] decoration) for actions respectively in Cuba and the Philippines.
[[File:Maj. Gen. J.T. Dickman & Maj. Gen. R.L. Howze LCCN2014708894.jpg|thumb|left|Major General [[Joseph T. Dickman]] and Major General Robert Lee Howze.]]
In 1905, Howze was appointed commandant of cadets at West Point, remaining in that post until 1909. In 1907 he threatened to discharge an entire class from the academy over a [[hazing]] incident.<ref name="discplebes">{{Cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9802EEDC1F30E233A25755C0A96F9C946697D6CF|title=West Point CLASS MAY BE DISMISSED; Col. Howze Threatens to Discipline All the "Plebes" for Hazing. SILENT TREATMENT' GIVEN Bock of Illinois Complained of Sherman of Georgia and His Class Resented It.|date=September 6, 1907|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 12, 2009}}</ref> Howze was a major in the 11th Cavalry during General [[John J. Pershing]]'s [[Pancho Villa Expedition|Punitive Expedition]] into [[Mexico]] in 1916.<ref name="txcem"/>
Shortly after the [[American entry into World War I]] in April 1917 Howze was promoted to colonel in May and became chief of staff of the Northeastern Department in [[Boston, Massachusetts]].{{sfn|Venzon|2013|p=297}}
In February 1918, after being promoted to the rank of brigadier general, he assumed command of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, then based at Fort Bliss, Texas, which had the often difficult and contradictory role of both training his men to fight for service overseas in addition to patrolling the [[Mexico–United States border|U.S.-Mexican border]].{{sfn|Venzon|2013|p=297}}
In May of that year he received another assignment, this time to the command of the El Paso District, which brought all American troops stationed in and around the city of [[El Paso, Texas]] under his control, including his old 2nd Cavalry Brigade.{{sfn|Venzon|2013|p=297}}
Despite this new role, his desire was to command men in battle and in late August, after a promotion to the temporary rank of major general earlier in the month, he was made [[commanding officer|commanding general]] (CG) of the [[38th Infantry Division (United States)|38th Division]]. The division, at the time Howze joined it, was then making preparations to go to France.{{sfn|Venzon|2013|p=297}}
Created just the year before, the division, a [[Army National Guard|National Guard]] formation comprising men from the states of [[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]], and [[West Virginia]], left the United States and began arriving on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] over the next few weeks. Shortly after it arrived, however, Howze received the unwelcome news that his division was to be broken up, its men used as replacements to bring other divisions of the [[American Expeditionary Forces]] (AEF), the majority of which were severely under strength, up to strength. As a result, in a matter of weeks, the 38th Division, numbering some 27,000 officers and men at its peak, was reduced to a mere 8 officers and 102 [[Enlisted rank|enlisted men]].{{sfn|Venzon|2013|pp=297-298}}
Shortly after the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|Armistice with Germany]] on November 11, which brought a close to hostilities, General [[John J. Pershing]], the [[commander-in-chief]] (C-in-C) of the AEF and a fellow cavalryman, ordered Howze to take over the [[3rd Infantry Division (United States)|3rd Division]]. The latter duly did so and led the 3rd, one of the AEF's top divisions when the fighting was ongoing, into Germany as part of Major General [[Joseph T. Dickman]]'s newly activated [[United States Army Central|Third Army]] and in the subsequent [[occupation of the Rhineland]] which lasted until August 1919.{{sfn|Venzon|2013|p=298}} He was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Army Distinguished Service Medal]], the French [[Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)|Croix de Guerre]], and French [[Legion of Honour|Legion of Honor]] for his services in the war and in command of the 3rd Division.<ref name="txcem"/>
General Howze died while on active duty on September 19, 1926, at age 62,<ref>Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 190. {{ISBN|1571970886}}. OCLC 40298151</ref> and is buried in the [[United States Military Academy Cemetery]] at West Point, New York.
==Court-martial of Billy Mitchell== Howze's last assignment was to preside over the [[court-martial]] of Colonel [[Billy Mitchell (general)|Billy Mitchell]], who had made public comments in response to the Navy dirigible {{USS|Shenandoah|ZR-1|6}} crashing in a storm.<ref name="mitchell">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/18/nyregion/gen-hh-howze-89-dies-proposed-copters-as-cavalry.html|title=Gen. H.H. Howze, 89, Dies; Proposed Copters as Cavalry|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|date=December 18, 1998|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 12, 2009}}</ref> The crash killed 14 of the crew and Mitchell issued a statement accusing senior leaders in the Army and Navy of incompetence and "almost treasonable administration of the national defense."<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Army and Its Air Corps: Army Policy toward Aviation, 1919–1941 |last=Tate |first=Dr. James P., Lt Col USAF, Retired |year=1998 |publisher=Air University Press}}</ref> In November 1925 he was [[court-martial]]ed at the direct order of [[President of the United States|President]] [[Calvin Coolidge]]. The trial attracted significant interest, and public opinion supported Mitchell.<ref>Maksel 2009, p. 48.</ref> The court found Mitchell guilty of [[insubordination]], and suspended him from active duty for five years without pay.<ref name=bio>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/cc/mitch.html |title=Maxwell AFB. American Airpower Biography. ''Billy Mitchell'' |access-date=2010-01-22 |archive-date=2008-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924000311/http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/cc/mitch.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The generals ruling in the case wrote, "The Court is thus lenient because of the military record of the Accused during the World War."<ref>Maksel 2009, p. 49.</ref> On February 1, 1926, Mitchell resigned in-lieu of accepting the courts punishment.<ref name=bio/> [[File:Billy Mitchell at his court-martial.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A scene taken from Mitchell's court-martial, 1925.]]
==Military awards== *[[Medal of Honor]] *[[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]] *[[Silver Star]] with [[oak leaf cluster]] *[[Indian Campaign Medal]] *[[Spanish Campaign Medal]] *[[Army of Cuban Occupation Medal]] *[[Philippine Campaign Medal]] *[[Mexican Border Service Medal]] *[[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|Victory Medal]] *Officer, French [[Legion of Honor]] *French [[Croix de Guerre]]
===Medal of Honor citation=== Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, Company K, 6th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At White River, S. Dak., 1 January 1891. Entered service at: Overton, Rusk County, Tex. Born: 22 August 1864, Overton, Rusk County, Tex. Date of issue: 25 July 1891.<ref name="indianwars"/>
'''Citation:''' <blockquote>Bravery in action.<ref name="hallofvalor"/></blockquote>
===Army Distinguished Service Medal citation=== '''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 Robert Lee Howze, 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. As Commander of the 3d Division on its march to the Rhine and during the occupation of the enemy territory General Howze proved himself energetic and capable, exhibiting superb qualities of leadership. He maintained an unusually high standard of efficiency in his unit, rendering eminently conspicuous service as a Division Commander.<ref name="hallofvalor"/></blockquote>
==Dates of rank== {|class="wikitable" |+ ! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date |- |None || [[Cadet]] || [[United States Military Academy]] || 1 July 1883 |- |None in 1888 || [[Second Lieutenant#United States|Second Lieutenant]] || [[Regular Army (United States)|Regular Army]] || 11 June 1888 |- |[[File:US-O2 insignia.svg|15px|center]] || [[First Lieutenant#United States|First Lieutenant]] || Regular Army || 9 January 1896 |- |[[File:US-O3 insignia.svg|40px|center]] || [[Captain (United States)|Captain]] || [[United States Volunteers|Volunteers]] || 12 May 1898<br>(Discharged from Volunteers on 31 December 1898.) |- |[[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|45px|center]] || [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] || Volunteers || 5 July 1899<br>(Discharged from Volunteers 17 April 1901.) |- |[[File:US-O3 insignia.svg|40px|center]] || [[Captain (United States)|Captain]] || Regular Army || 2 February 1901 |- |[[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|40px|center]] || [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] || Volunteer Army || 20 June 1901<br>(Discharged from Volunteers on 30 June 1901.) |- |[[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|45px|center]] || [[Major (United States)|Major]] || Volunteers || 9 October 1901<br>(Discharged from Volunteers on 30 June 1904.) |- |[[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|45px|center]] || [[Major (United States)|Major]] || Regular Army || 18 November 1911 |- |[[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|45px|center]] || [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] || Regular Army || 1 July 1916 |- |[[File:US-O6 insignia.svg|80px|center]] || [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] || Regular Army || 15 May 1917 |- |[[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|40px|center]] || [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] || [[National Army (USA)|National Army]] || 6 February 1918<br>(Date of rank was 17 December 1917.) |- |[[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|80px|center]] || [[Major General (United States)|Major General]] || National Army || 8 August 1918<br>(Discharged 15 March 1920.) |- |[[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|40px|center]] || [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] || Regular Army || 3 July 1920 |- |[[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|80px|center]] || [[Major General (United States)|Major General]] || Regular Army || 30 December 1922 |} Source: ''Army Register'', 1926<ref name="Register">{{Cite book |last=The Adjutant General's Office, War Department |url=https://www.archive.org/18/items/officialarmyregi1931unit/officialarmyregi1926unit_bw.pdf |title=Official Army Register for 1926 |date=1926 |publisher=Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |page=296 |access-date=September 21, 2020}}</ref>
==Namesakes== ===Camp Howze=== There were two military installations named in honor of General Howze.
[[Camp Howze, Texas]], was a large [[World War II]] training facility near [[Gainesville, Texas]].<ref name="txcem"/>
[[Camp Howze, South Korea]], was a US Army installation located off Main Supply Route (MSR) 1 near the towns of Kumchon and Paju-Ri.<ref name="korea">{{Cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp-howze.htm|title=Camp Howze|publisher=Globalsecurity.org|access-date=January 10, 2014}}</ref>
===USS General R. L. Howze (AP-134)=== The {{USS|General R. L. Howze|AP-134}}, launched May 1943, was named in his honor.
==Relations== Two of his sons graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and became generals: Major General [[Robert Lee Howze Jr.]], Class of 1925, and General [[Hamilton H. Howze]], Class of 1930.<ref name="txcem"/>
==See also== {{Portal|Biography}} *[[List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars#C|List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Indian Wars]] *[[List of United States Military Academy alumni (Medal of Honor)]]
==References== :{{ACMH}} ;Citations {{Reflist}}
;Bibliography * Maksel, Rebecca. "The Billy Mitchell Court-Martial". ''Air & Space'', Vol. 24, No. 2, 46–49. Also online (as of June 28, 2009) at [http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/The-Billy-Mitchell-Court-Martial.html ].
==Further reading== *{{Cite book |title=Deeds of Valor Volume II |editor-last=Beyer |editor-first=Walter Frederick |editor2=Keydel, Oscar Frederick |year=1906 |publisher=Perrien-Keydel |location=[[Detroit]], [[Michigan]] |pages= [https://archive.org/details/deedsvalorfromr01keydgoog/page/n592 327]–330 |url=https://archive.org/details/deedsvalorfromr01keydgoog |access-date=April 13, 2009}} *{{cite book|last=Venzon|first=Anne Cipriano|title=The United States in the First World War: an Encyclopedia|location=Hoboken, NJ|publisher=Taylor and Francis|date=2013|isbn=978-1-135-68453-2|oclc=865332376}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Robert Lee Howze}} * [http://www.aogusma.org/class/crmp/2004/bios/howze.htm Robert Lee Howze Jr. biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519004148/http://www.aogusma.org/class/crmp/2004/bios/howze.htm |date=2006-05-19 }} *{{Cite web |url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fho81 |title=Howze, Robert Lee |access-date=April 13, 2009|work=[[Handbook of Texas Online]] |publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]]}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howze, Robert Lee}} [[Category:1864 births]] [[Category:1926 deaths]] [[Category:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients]] [[Category:United States Army generals of World War I]] [[Category:United States Military Academy alumni]] [[Category:Commandants of the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy]] [[Category:Burials at West Point Cemetery]] [[Category:People of the Mexican Revolution]] [[Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War]] [[Category:American military personnel of the Philippine–American War]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of the Indian Wars]] [[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]] [[Category:American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)]] [[Category:American recipients of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:People from Overton, Texas]] [[Category:People from Highlands, New York]] [[Category:American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor]] [[Category:Pine Ridge Campaign]] [[Category:United States Army generals]] [[Category:United States Military Academy faculty]] [[Category:Military personnel from Texas]]