Charles P. Summerall was a powerful and remarkable man. Born in 1867 during the violent Reconstruction era, he graduated from West Point as first captain in 1892. In 1899 he led his artillery against guerrillas in the Philippine Insurrection and, one year later, aimed his guns to blast a passage through the gates of Peking to save besieged foreigners from death during the Boxer Rebellion. Back home, he commanded frontier outposts and led his artillery batteries on long, arduous training marches. In World War I, Summerall rose quickly to command the First Division and V Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). He led them to their greatest victories while driving his soldiers in battle as hard as he had driven himself, and using them unsparingly. Subsequently, he commanded corps areas at home and served as army chief of staff from 1926 to1930. Summerall retired from the army in 1931 but went on to serve as president of The Citadel.  He rescued the struggling military college from the Great Depression and drove it to academic respectability while restoring the Corps of Cadets to full strength. He died in 1955 after having worn the uniform of the army for sixty-five years.

About: W. Gary Nichols

Email / Recommend to a friend