Wilber Elliott Wilder

Wilber Elliott Wilder

Wilder in 1918 as commander of the 168th Infantry Brigade, 84th Division.
Born (1857-08-18)August 18, 1857
Atlas, Michigan
Died January 30, 1952(1952-01-30) (aged 94)
Governors Island, New York
Place of burial Fairlawn Cemetery, Ridgefield, Connecticut
Allegiance United States United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1877–1920
Rank Brigadier General
Unit 4th Cavalry Regiment
Commands held 5th Cavalry Regiment
84th Infantry Division
Battles/wars Indian Wars
Spanish–American War
Pancho Villa Expedition
World War I
Awards Medal of Honor

Wilber Elliott Wilder (August 18, 1857 – January 30, 1952) was a United States Army Brigadier General who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for rescuing a wounded soldier under heavy fire.[1]

Education and army career

Wilber Elliott Wilder graduated from West Point in June, 1877, when he was just short of 21 years old. He married Violet Blair Martin, of the prominent Throop-Martin family of "Willowbrook" near Auburn, New York, on April 16, 1884. They had a son, Wilber, and a daughter, Violet.[2] In 1886 he was a key figure in negotiating the surrender of the Apache chief Geronimo.[2][3][4] While an Army Captain, he served as acting superintendent of Yellowstone National Park from March 15, 1899 - June 22, 1899.[5] He also served in Spanish–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I. At the time of his death, he was the oldest surviving graduate of the Academy. He died in Governors Island, New York but was residing in Ridgefield, Connecticut at the time.[6]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 4th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Horseshoe Canyon, N. Mex., 23 April 1882. Entered service at: Detroit, Mich. Birth: Atlas, Mich. Date of issue: 17 August 1896.

Citation: Assisted, under a heavy fire, to rescue a wounded comrade.[1]

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
  1. 1 2 "Medal of Honor recipients Indian Wars Period". Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  2. 1 2 "Wilber Elliott Wilder". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  3. ↑ Gatewood, Charles B. (2009). Lt. Charles Gatewood & His Apache Wars Memoir. Lincoln, NE: Bison Books. pp. 241, 257. ISBN 0-8032-1884-2.
  4. ↑ Thrapp, Dan L. (1979). Conquest of Apacheria. Norman, OK: University of Oklahom Press. p. 356. ISBN 0-8061-1286-7.
  5. ↑ "Historic Listing of National Park Service Officials". National Park Service. 2000. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
  6. ↑ "Obituaries". Time. 1952-02-11. Retrieved 2009-04-18.
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