Anne-Louis Toussard of the American Revolution

Last month and this month, I wrote quite a lot on this man in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  I had never heard of him before and came across an article about a letter he had written describing the big hurricane that hit New Orleans in 1812, while he was the French consul there.

It turns out he was a major force in early American history, especially during the American Revolution, but also later in the young country's history.  He was one of the French who saved the fledgling country.  I probably should have written about him more in this blog.

Just a short summary of some of what he did:

A French artillerist who served  in the American Continental Army under Lafayette and was given a commission.    He wrote an artillery book which became the training basis of the American Army as well as the one who pushed for a school to train officers (that became West Point).

You can go click on the My Blogs section to the right of this to read more about him, especially if you're really into the American Revolution.

This man should be as well known as Lafayette, but sure isn't.

--Cooter

William J. Snow-- Part 5: Retirement and Family

After retiring, he resided in Washington, D.C., and Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania.  In 1940, he published  a memoir "Signposts of Experienece."  He died in Washington on February 27, 1947, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section South, Site 3953.

Snow was the recipient of the  U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal for his World War I service. and the British  Order of Bath (Companion) and the French Legion of Honor (Commander).

On 1892, Snow married  Isabel  O'Hear Locke (1872-1944) of  Atlanta, Georgia and had a son named William A. Snow (1894-1940), who was also a graduate of West Point.  The son was a veteran of World War I who attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and an engineer.  I have already written, he constructed what is today called Snow's Cut near Wilmington, North Carolina, which connects the Cape Fear River to sounds along the Intercoastal Waterway.

William J. Snow was survived by two grandchildren, Margaret (1922-2011) and William J. Snow II (1923-2011)  Margaret Payne Snow Coburn's first husband, John Harrell Hill (1911-1980) who served during WW II in the Pacific Theater and her second one, Melville  Brown Coburn (1912-1992) who was an Army major general and graduated from West Point as well.

William J. Snow II  also was a West Point graduate in  and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

A West Point Family.  --Cooter

William J. Snow-- Part 3: Of Huge Importance in the U.S. Army's Field Artillery (and Anne Louis Toussant)

In July, 1917, he was selected to command the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and promoted to brigadier general.  At the school, he began the process of   reorganizing and modernizing the  program of instruction to meet the increased  demand for officers created by World War I.

In September 1917, Snow was assigned to command the 156th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  In February 1918, he was selected to serve as the first Chief of Field Artillery, an unofficial position created to oversee the field artillery branch's wartime mobilization and training and was promoted to major general in June.

In this role, he created a system of training centers and replacement depots, which enabled the artillery branch to meet the wartime demand for qualified artillerymen.

William J. Snow was obviously a very important man in the field artillery branch of the U.SA. Army.  Of interest, currently I am writing about a man named Anne-Louis Toussard in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  He was of great importance to  the American artillery in the American Revolution and wrote a book about artillery used in the 1800s by the United States.  He also was very important in the creation and early days of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  Well worth a trip over there to read about him.

Just Some More RoadTripping Through History.  --Cooter

Some More on Major General William J. Snow: 1890 West Point Graduate and Early Service

William Snow graduated from West Point in 1890, ranking #24 out of 54 students.  Thirteen otther of his class went on to become generals.

Snow received his commission as 2nd lieutenant in the field artillery and was assigned to the 1st Artillery Regiment.

During the Spanish-American War he performed coast artillery duty at Fort St. Philip (it gained fame during the Civil War when Farragut ran past it and Fort Jackson on his way to capture New Orleans).  He was pomoted to 1st lieutenant.  Next, he served as quartermaster of the 7th Artillery Regiment at Fort Slocum, New York.

The regiment was ordered to the Philippines during the insurrection and served there until there until May, 1901.

Next, he was promoted to captain and stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was made commander of the 20th Field Battery (Horse).  It was later redesignated as the Battery E, 6th Field Artillery Regiment.  From  1907 to 1908 he attended the Army War College and then returned to the 6th Field Artillery where he served as adjuatnt.

--Cooter

Major General William J. Snow

From Wikipedia.

WILLIAM J. SNOW  

(December16, 1868 to February 27, 1947)

Career U.S. Army officer who reached the rank of major general.  Served as Chief of Field Artillery for seven years in the 1920s.

Native of Brooklyn, New York.  Graduated from USMA in 1890 and commenced a long career in the Army's field artillery branch.  Served in New York early in his career, then graduated  from the artillery school at Fort Monroe.  During the Spanish-American War  he was involved with coast artillery in Louisiana.

Served in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War before returning to the States to command a battery at Fort Riley (Kansas).  Then spent several years on duty at the Militia Bureau and commanded a battalion at Fort Myer (by Washington D.C.)

He commanded  the 1st Field Artillery Regiment in the period immediately preceding World War I.

--Cooter

LTC William Arthur Snow-- Part 1: West Point Class of 1916, WW I and Snow's Cut

From Find-A-Grave.

BIRTH:  21 April 1891, Fort Hamilton,New York

DEATH:  25 September 1940 (aged 46), Washington, D.C.

BURIAL:  Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

*********************************

Son of William J. Snow, Major General U.S. Army, and Isabella L. Snow.

Graduated from West Point June 13, 1916, 7th in class of 125.

1916-1917 Mexican punitive expedition.

About William A. Snow (Snow's Cut)-- Part 2: Service in World War I

William Arthur Snow was born in Fort Hamilton, New York, to Major General and Mrs. William J. Snow.  He graduated from West Point in 1916 and was assigned to the Corps of Engineers as a second lieutenant.

His first service was in Mexico from graduation to the spring of 1917.  In late September, 1917, he sailed to France with the 2nd Division.  There, he immediately started training his company in construction work and preparing for the ineviatble battle that was coming in World War I.

Snow was at the front in the Verdun Sector, Chateau Thierry, Belleau Woods and Soissons and was wounded twice and later served with the Army of Occupation in Germany.

By now he was a major and was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Silver Cross, Chevalier Legion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre with Two Palms and the Silber Star Citation for his service during the war. 

--Cooter