Henry Martyn Lazelle

Henry Martyn Lazelle
Henry Martyn Lazelle
	Henry M. Lazelle
Born	September 8, 1832; Massachusetts
Died	July 21, 1917 (aged 84); Georgeville, Quebec
Allegiance	United States of America; Union
Service / branch	United States Army; Union Army
Years of service	1855–1894
Rank	Colonel
Commands	Commandant of Cadets
Battles / wars	American Civil War Indian Wars
Other work	author

Henry Martyn Lazelle (September 8, 1832–July 21, 1917) was an officer in the United States Army who served as Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy from 1879 to 1882.

Early career

Lazelle entered the United States Military Academy in 1850 as Henry M. Lazell, and was roommates with future artist, James MacNeil Whistler. He changed his last name to Lazelle after graduating in 1855. Later that year, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 8th Infantry, and stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas. In February 1859, he was engaged with Mescalero Apaches while on a scout when he was shot through the lungs. He was promoted to first lieutenant in April, 1861.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Civil War

The outbreak of the American Civil War found Lazelle still at Fort Bliss, where he was taken prisoner by Texas insurgents in May 1861, and held until exchanged in July 1862, during which time he was promoted to captain. From then until October 1863, he served in Washington D.C. as Assistant Commissary General of Prisoners of War. From October 1863 to October 1864, he served as colonel of the 16th New York Volunteer Cavalry, operating against Mosby's Rangers. He resigned his volunteer commission in October 1864 and served as Inspector General on the staff of General Frederick Steele until February 1865, as Assistant Provost Marshal for the Division of the Mississippi until July 1865, and on recruiting service until March 1866.^[1]^[4]

Post bellum career

Lazelle rejoined the 8th Infantry on Reconstruction duty in the Second Military District from March 1866 to October 1870. He was also posted with the regiment at David's Island from October 1870 to July 1872, and in the Department of the Platte from July 1872 until May 1874. From September 1874 to March 1875, he was commander of Fort Yuma. He was promoted to major of the 1st Infantry in December 1874, and joined that regiment in the Department of Dakota in June 1875. In May 1879, he was named Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 23rd Infantry in June 1881. He joined the 23rd Infantry in December 1882 at Fort Craig, where he served as commander until February 1884. After serving as an inspector for the Division of the Pacific and the Department of the Columbia, he represented the U. S. Army as an observer during the maneuvers of the British Army in India from November 1885 to March 1886. He returned to the Department of the Columbia as Assistant Inspector General until May 1887, when he was put in charge of the publication of the Official Records of the American Civil War. He was promoted to colonel of the 18th Infantry in February 1889 and served as commander of the regiment and of the post of Fort Clark until July 1894. He retired due to disability in November 1894.^[1]^[5]

Later life

Lazelle farmed in Virginia until 1898, after which he resided alternately in Canada and Massachusetts. In April 1904, he was promoted to brigadier general on the retired list.

He wrote a number of books, including One Law in Nature: A New Corpuscular Theory, Comprehending Unity of Force, Identity of Matter, & Its Multiple Atom Constitution: Applied to the Physical Affections Or Modes of Energy and Matter, Force, and Spirit; or, Scientific Evidence of a Supreme Intelligence (1895).

He died on July 21, 1917 at Georgeville, Quebec.^[4]^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Cullum, George W. (1891). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy, Volume II. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. pp. 636–637.
^ Cullum, George W. (1920). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy, Volume VI. Saginaw, Michigan: Seeman & Peters. p. 76.
^ "James McNeil Whistler". Last In Their Class: Custer, Pickett, and the Goats of West Point. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
^ ^a ^b Forty-Ninth Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, June 11, 1918. Saginaw, Michigan: Seeman & Peters. 1918. pp. 57–58.
^ Cullum, George W. (1901). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy, Volume IV. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Riverside Press. p. 100.
^ Cullum, George W. (1910). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy, Volume V. Saginaw, Michigan: Seeman & Peters. p. 86.