David L. Brainard | |
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.jpg) Brainard as a major in 1902 | |
| Birth name | David Legge Brainard |
| Born | (1856-12-21)December 21, 1856 Norway, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 1946(1946-03-22) (aged 89) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1876–1919 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Service number | 0-13116 |
| Commands | Chief Commissary,Department of the East Chief Commissary,Department of California Chief Commissary,Philippine Division U.S.Military Attaché,Buenos Aires, Argentina U.S.Military Attaché,Lisbon, Portugal |
| Wars | American Indian WarsSpanish–American WarPhilippine–American WarWorld War I |
| Awards | Purple Heart Military Order of Christ (Grand Officer) (Portugal) Military Order of Aviz (Grand Officer) (Portugal) Legion of Honor (Officer) (France) |
| Alma mater | State Normal School,Cortland, New York |
| Spouses | Anna Chase (m. 1888–1893, div.) Sara Hall Guthrie Neff (m. 1917–1946, his death) |
David Legge Brainard (December 21, 1856 – March 22, 1946) was a career officer in theUnited States Army. He enlisted in 1876, received his officer's commission in 1886, and served until 1919. Brainard attained the rank ofbrigadier general and served duringWorld War I as U.S.military attaché inLisbon, Portugal.
A native ofNorway, New York, Brainard was raised and educated in Norway and nearbyFreetown, and graduated from theState Normal School inCortland, New York.
In addition to his First World War service, Brainard was a veteran of theAmerican Indian Wars,Spanish–American War, andPhilippine–American War. He was also a notedarctic explorer who attained fame as one of only six survivors of the 1881 to 1884Lady Franklin Bay Expedition. He was the recipient of several civilian awards in recognition of his explorations. He died inWashington, D.C., on March 22, 1946, and was buried atArlington National Cemetery.
Brainard was born inNorway, New York on December 21, 1856, the fifth son of Alanson Brainard and Maria C. Legge.[1] His family moved to a farm inFreetown, New York, when he was ten years old, and Brainard was raised and educated in Norway and Freetown.[2][3] He attended theState Normal School inCortland, New York, and then decided upon a military career.[3][4][5]
Brainard enlisted in theUnited States Army in September 1876.[3][a][b] He was assigned to the2nd Cavalry Regiment and served atFort Keogh,Montana Territory during theGreat Sioux War of 1876.[3] On May 7, 1877, Brainard fought in theBattle of Little Muddy Creek, Montana, where he was wounded in the face and right hand.[7] In August 1877, Brainard was one of four soldiers assigned to escort the Army's commanding general,William Tecumseh Sherman and Sherman's party on an inspection tour ofYellowstone National Park.[8] In 1877 and 1878, he served underNelson Appleton Miles in Montana during theNez Perce War andBannock War.[9][10] He was promoted tocorporal in October 1877, andsergeant in July 1879.[8]
In 1880, Brainard was selected for theHowgate expedition, which started forGreenland in July 1880, but turned back after a heavy storm damaged the expedition's ship.[11] In 1881, he was detailed asfirst sergeant for theLady Franklin Bay Expedition, which was commanded byAdolphus Greely.[11] Over the three years of this expedition he continuously kept a journal.[12]
Twenty-five men began the expedition, which ran into difficulty when several attempts to resupply it failed, and several rescue attempts were forced to turn back.[13] Among those who died wasJames Booth Lockwood, second-in-command and Brainard's companion on many excursions, including their record breaking push north to latitude 83° 23' 30". Brainard wrote:
Lieut. Lockwood became unconscious early this morning and at 4:30 pm breathed his last. This will be a sad blow to his family who evidently idolized him. To me it is also a sorrowful event. He had been my companion during long and eventful excursions, and my feeling toward him was akin to that of a brother. Biederbick and myself straightened his limbs and prepared his remains for burial. This was the saddest duty I have ever yet been called upon to perform.[10]
Brainard was later credited with saving as many expedition members as possible by closely rationing the group's limited food.[14] Shortly before the survivors were rescued in the spring of 1884, Brainard, freezing, starving, and suffering fromscurvy wrote: "Our own condition is so wretched, so palpably miserable, that death would be welcomed rather than feared ..."[3] Brainard was one of only six survivors rescued by Rear AdmiralWinfield Scott Schley on June 22.[15][c] On that day, he was reportedly near death himself, too weak to hold a pencil so he could make an entry in his log.[10]
In January 1885, Brainard sought a commission in the10th Infantry Regiment, but the appointment went toAndre W. Brewster.[16][17] In 1886, he was commissioned asecond lieutenant in the2nd Cavalry "as recognition of the gallant and meritorious services rendered by him in the Arctic expedition of 1881–1884." He then had the distinction of being the only living US Army officer, active or retired, who had been commissioned as a commendation for specific services.[3]
Brainard was promoted tofirst lieutenant in August 1893.[11] In October 1896 he transferred to theSubsistence Department and received promotion tocaptain.[11] In December 1897, he participated in theYukon Relief Mission, which provided emergency assistance toKlondike Gold Rush miners who were experiencing shortages of food.[11]
In May 1898, Brainard was promoted to temporarylieutenant colonel and he served as chief commissary of the military forces in thePhilippines during theSpanish–American War in 1898 andPhilippine–American War in 1899.[9] In May 1900, he was promoted to permanentmajor.[11] His subsequent assignments included chief commissary of theDepartment of the East,Department of California, andPhilippine Division.[18][19] In 1905, Brainard received promotion to permanent lieutenant colonel.[20] Brainard was a charter member ofThe Explorers Club and served its president from 1912 to 1913.[21] He was promoted tocolonel in June 1912.[22]
In 1914, Brainard was assigned as U.S.military attaché inBuenos Aires, Argentina.[23] In October 1917, Brainard received promotion to temporarybrigadier general.[24] DuringWorld War I, he served asmilitary attaché inLisbon, Portugal, and he retired as a brigadier general in October 1919.[3]
Brainard married Anna Chase in 1888, and they divorced in 1893.[25] In 1917, he married Sara Hall Guthrie (1880–1953).[26] Brainard had no children and was the stepfather of his second wife's daughter Elinor.[9]
After leaving the Army, Brainard was appointed vice president of the Association of Army and Navy Stores, and was named to the association's board of directors.[6] He remained active in these roles until his death.[6]
He was elected an honorary member of theAmerican Polar Society in 1936, on his 80th birthday.[10][27] He was aFreemason, and belonged to Marathon Lodge No. 438 inMarathon, New York.[28]
Brainard died atWalter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. on March 22, 1946.[29] He was buried atArlington National Cemetery.[29] He was the last survivor of the Greely Arctic Expedition.[30]
ThePurple Heart medal was created in 1932.[31] On January 27, 1933, Brainard received the award for wounds he sustained at theBattle of Little Muddy Creek on May 7, 1877.[32] His was one of only two Purple Hearts known to have been awarded for theAmerican Indian Wars, because posthumous awards were not authorized and eligible individuals had to proactively submit applications.[33]
In addition to the Purple Heart, Brainard's military awards and decorations included:[34][35]
In addition to his military awards, Brainard received theRoyal Geographical Society'sBack Award in 1886.[36] He was a fellow of theAmerican Geographical Society, and his arctic explorations resulted in award of the society'sCharles P. Daly Medal in 1926.[37][38] He was also a 1929 recipient of the civilianExplorers Club Medal.[34]
Brainard was also inducted into theCortland County Hall of Fame.[39] The hall is maintained by the Homeville Museum inCortland, and recognizes significant county residents in eras from pre-1850 to 1975-current.[39]
Profession, trade or occupation: Student Nor. School
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