Wesley A. Merritt (1836 - 1910)

Born 16 Jun 1836 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline (Warren) Merritt — married May 1871 in Germany

Husband of Laura Canton (Williams) Wilder — married 24 Oct 1898 in Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom

Died 3 Dec 1910 at age 74 in Natural Bridge, Rockbridge, Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kurt Potter [send private message]

Biography

Wesley Merritt is Notable.

Wesley was born in 1836 in New York City to parents John Merritt and Julia Anne de Forest/Julia Ann De Forrest (1808–1874). After the American Civil War, Westley married Caroline Warren in 1871 in Germany; his second wife was Laura Caton Williams and they married in London, England in 1898. I now appears that he was not the father of any children between his two wives.

Wesley seemed to have been a central historical figure in every military campaign where he participated during his lifetime. Shortly after his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1860, he quickly distinguished himself and was one of the "Boy Generals" of the American Civil War, and served in high profile battles with distinction, such as a calvary officer during the Battle of Gettysburg and others. His ranks changed often due to brevet or honorary customs in promotions at the time. After the Civil War, Westly was very active during various iterations of the Indian Wars on the American frontier; during this period, too, he was appointed Superintendent of West Point from 1882-1887.

MGen Welsey Merritt was one of the central American military figures during the 1898 Spanish-American War. After Commodore Dewey's Asiatic Squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, the US began to organize ground forces to attack and capture the city of Manila. MGen. Merritt was placed in command of the newly created Eighth Army Corps. In June 1898, Merritt and the available troops of the corps departed from San Francisco for the Philippines. When Merritt arrived in Manila, he and Dewey made preparations for the attack on the city and later arrangements with the commander of the Spanish garrison, to surrender the city to the American forces after the latter put up a token resistance; this was sometimes called the Battle of Manila. The city fell to the Americans on August 13, 1898, and Merritt became the first American military governor of the Philippines. Merritt was relieved by Major General Elwell Stephen Otis on August 30 to advise the United States delegation in the peace negotiations leading to the Treaty of Paris.

Wesley Merritt retired from the US Army as a major general in 1900 and died in 1910; he is buried at West Point Cemetery with first wife Caroline Warren.

Buried By Lamplight^[1]

Gen. Merritt Passes Over Divide^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ The Washington Post, December 7, 1910, Page 1. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-washington-post/143177390/ : accessed March 11, 2024), clip page by user andrewguy1976
2. ↑ The Meeker Herald, December 10, 1910, Page 1. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-meeker-herald/143177590/ : accessed March 11, 2024), clip page by user andrewguy1976

• Wikipedia Page for Wesley Merritt [1]
• Find A Grave Index [2] shows a generous biography.
• Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889, citation via FamilySearch.org [3] shows Wesley Merritt born 16 Jun 1836 in New York City. Occupation is soldier.
• Westminster, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935 [4] via FamilySearch.org [5] shows the marriage of Wesley Merritt to Laura Williams 10/24/1898 at St Andrew, Ashley Place, London, Westminster, England.
• 1850 US Census of St. Clair Township, St. Clair, Illinois shows Wesley Merritt, age 16, born in New York, living with purported parents John W Merritt, age 44, and Julia Merritt, age 42. Both parents born in NY.