Charles H. Barth | |
|---|---|
 Charles H. Barth,Ancy-le-Franc 1918 | |
| Born | (1858-12-28)December 28, 1858 Sheridan, Iowa |
| Died | December 5, 1926(1926-12-05) (aged 67) Leavenworth, Kansas |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1881–1922 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Commands | 77th Division |
| Battles / wars | Apache Wars Philippine–American War World War I |
| Awards | Silver Star Citation Legion of Honor Croix de Guerre |
| Relations | MGGeorge B. Barth (son) BGCharles H. Barth Jr. (son) |
Charles Henry Barth (December 28, 1858 – December 5, 1926) was an AmericanBrigadier general who served duringWorld War I.
Barth was born in Sheridan, Iowa. He entered theUnited States Military Academy, where he was seriously handicapped by recurring malaria in a time when sick leave for cadets was unknown. He graduated number thirty-two of fifty-three in the class of 1881.[1]
Upon graduation, Barth was commissioned in the12th Infantry where he took part in the campaign againstGeronimo, the notorious Apache.[2]
He had frontier duty from 1881 to 1882 and again from 1887 until 1889. In 1899, Barth went to thePhilippines with his regiment and was cited for gallantry in action.[2]
From September 1903 to December 1905, Barth was an instructor in military art at the Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth. While in that assignment, he published his translation of Major GeneralOtto F. W. T. von Griepenkerl'sLetters on Applied Tactics in 1906.[3] In 1908, he graduated from Army War College and was retained as an instructor. He became a thirty-third degree Mason on October 20, 1909.[2]
In the fall of 1910, he had a second tour of duty in the Philippines, then was at the Presidio in Monterey until October 1912, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He became adjutant general inAtlanta, Georgia and from there went toLaredo, Texas. He then did a third tour in the Philippines, where he commanded inManila.[2][4]
On August 5, 1917, Barth was promoted to brigadier general and from August to October 1917 he commandedCamp Jackson, in South Carolina. From July to October 1918, he trained the Seventh Infantry Division atCamp MacArthur, Texas and took it toFrance where he commanded it in action at Metz shortly before the armistice.[2]
When arriving back to the United States, Barth commanded the 62nd Infantry Regiment atCamp Lee, Virginia. This regiment was mustered out and he went back to the Philippines for his fourth and last tour of duty there. When returning to the States, he received his promotion to brigadier general.[2]
Barth retired on December 28, 1922, after which he was appointed governor of the National Military Home atFort Leavenworth where he served until his death.[2][5]
Barth was awarded theSilver Star Citation, as well as theDistinguished Service Medal twice from the United States. He received theCroix de Guerre andOfficer of the Legion of Honor from France.
Charles H. Barth died at the age of sixty-seven on December 5, 1926.[6]
Barth Hall, a building on the post at Fort Leavenworth, is named after Charles H. Barth. He married Carrie Bittmann and they were the parents of two sons. Both attended theUnited States Military Academy andGeorge B. “Bitt” Barth (1897–1969) distinguished himself several times duringWorld War II andKorea. He received theDistinguished Service Cross and retired as major general in the 1950s. Charles Barth's second son,Charles H. Barth Jr. (1903–1943) reached the rank of brigadier general and died on 3 May 1943 while his plane was attempting to land atKaldadarnes, Iceland.[4]
