Years of service 1846–1889 Name Richard Drum | Rank Brigadier general | |
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Born May 28, 1825
Greensburg, Pennsylvania ( 1825-05-28 ) Allegiance United States of America
Union Commands held Adjutant General of the U.S. Army Battles/wars Mexican-American War
Siege of Veracruz
Battle of Contreras
Battle of Chapultepec
Battle for Mexico City
Indian Wars
Battle of Ash Hollow
American Civil War
(Assistant Adjutant General of the Department of the Pacific)
Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Died October 15, 1909, Drummond, Maryland, United States Education Washington & Jefferson College Place of burial Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States Battles and wars Siege of Veracruz, Battle of Contreras Service/branch United States Army, Union Army | ||
Richard Coulter Drum (May 28, 1825 – October 15, 1909) was Adjutant General of the United States Army from 1880 to 1889. He was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Jefferson College before entering the printing business.
At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, he enlisted as a private in the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteers, and, the next year, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 9th Infantry of the Regular Army. He took part in many of the battles of the war, including Chapultepec and Mexico City.
Following the war, he was transferred to the Fourth Artillery and was promoted to first lieutenant. He served as an aide-de-camp for General William S. Harney during his expedition against the Sioux, and participated in the Battle of Ash Hollow. In 1861 he was appointed as an assistant adjutant general for the far-flung Department of the Pacific and promoted to captain. He was quickly promoted to major and lieutenant colonel, and after the end of the American Civil War he was brevetted Colonel and brigadier general, for faithful and meritorious services in the Adjutant-General's Department during the war.
Drum was a companion of the District of Columbia Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States - a prestigious military society composed of officers of the Union armed forces and their descendants.
Among other honors, Camp Drum, a 60-acre army base in Wilmington, CA, was established in 1862 and named after him.
After the Civil War
Drum was Assistant Adjutant General for the Department of California from June 1865 to October 1, 1866. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant General for the Department of the East, with Headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from December 27, 1866, to January 6, 1868. He was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General, for the 3rd Military District to August 1, 1868, and Department of the South, headquarters Atlanta, Georgia from March 20, 1868 to March 20, 1869, and from April 3, 1869 to November 26, 1873 for the Military Department of the Atlantic.
Drum was promoted to Colonel in February 22, 1869. He was again made Assistant Adjutant-General, for the Military Division of the Missouri, in Chicago from November 28, 1873 to May 2, 1878, where he commanded the Federal troops in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. He then served until retirement in the Adjutant Generals office in Washington D. C.
On June 16, 1880, he became Adjutant General of the United States Army and was promoted to brigadier general. He retired on May 20, 1889.
In 1896 he became a Veteran Companion of the Military Order of Foreign Wars by right of his service in the Mexican War.
General Drum died in Drummond, Maryland in 1909. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.