The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-12-03
Lieut.. Col Brown

A4Ot4Oe OVAe DAV"1
Il. Col. Thomas W. Brown, COM
mander Of the third battalion,
Fourth Infantry, ct Fort Lincoln,
was born in Saint Francis Barracks,
st. Augustine, Florida, October Is,
1880. where his father, Col. E. T.
Brown, was then on duty Is Z lieu
tenant Of artillery. His early school
days were spent in San Francisco
and his college training was re-
ceived at William and Mary College,
Virginia, and the University Of
Pennsylvania. Due to tho limited
number Of appointments to the Uni
ted States Military Academy in
those days, it was difficult for an
army officers son to receive IN
appointment and Colonel Brown en-
listed in the regular army in order
to be eligible to take the examine
tions for appointment as q second
lieutenant in the regular army.
He took his examinations in
January, 1901, and was commission
ed q. second lieutenant Of infantry,
by choice, before he was 81 years
Of age. His first assignment to
duty as second lieutenant was ut
Plattsburg Barracks, N. Y, where
the 9th Infantry was being organ.
ICED. He was made battalion quar-
termaster Of the End Battalion. The
9th Infantry was ordertd to sail
from New York, through the Suex
Canal, to the Philippines in Janu-
airy, 1902.
Take Moro Stronghold
The End Battalion to which Lieut..
Brown was assigned debarked 1t
Malabang, Mindanao, in March. Col.
Frank D. Baldwin was assigned to
command an expedition which was
to 20 into the interior Of Mindanao
aud capture the Moros' stronghold.
The expedition consisted Of the End
Battalion of the 9th Infantry, two
troops Of the 18th Cavalry, and Nc
Nair's battery Of mountain artillery.
The Moros' Gotta was captured
on May 2, 1902, with a result Of
thirty odd casualties for the Amer
leans, which included Lieutenant
Vickers, who was killed, and Lieu
tenant Jossman, who died Of wounds
q few days later. The capture Of
this stronghold broke the Moros'
morale for a time until an ambitious
Dato, Of the Lake Lananao region,
decided to cause trouble. General
.Pershing, who was then Z captain Of
cavalry, was ordered to take COM
mand of the Lake Lananao section.
The Moros made numerous raids on
the camp but no engagement Of con-
sequence took place until the Ba-
co1od stronghold, q fortified posi-
ton on a hill surrounded by q deep
moat, was stormed and captured by
the American troops. The End Bat
talon remained in Mindanao about
two years before being sent to Man.
lila where it remained for two
months prior to sailing with the re-
mainder Of the 9th Infantry back
to Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
Year in Cuba
In the winter of 1906, prior to
sailing to Cuba with the 9th In
fantry, Lieutenant Brown vas given
81 men and about 80 boxes Of ma
chine gun equipment and told to
organize q machine gun platoon for
field service. Upon the organiza-
tons arrival in Cuba, he was given
10 unbroken mules to complete his
equipment. Lieutenant Brown. hav-
ing been given "E" Company Of the
9th Infantry and this newly or
ganized machine gun platoon, was
left with his command at Consola-
cion del Sur in the Pinar del Rio
province. He remained in that Sec
ton with his command for about
q year. The duty consisted pri-
marily of making military intelli-
gence reconnaissance and prepar-
ing Typographical sketches Of the
surrounding country. After . year
in Cuba, Lieutenant Brown return
ed to the States on leave.
At the expiration of his leave he
was ordered to Monterey, Califor-
MIA, placed on detached service and
attached to the goth Infantry,
where the first machine gun COM
pany in the American army was
being organized by Capt. John
Henry Parker, with First. Lieuten-
ant Brown as second in command.
Yhe remainder Of 1907 and part Of
1908 were spent in preparing ma
chine gun drill regulations and tao
tics. The machine gun company
reverted to q rifle company. Lieu.
tenant Brown was then placed on
the detached officers list and or
dered to the musketry school at Mon
terey, Calf, as m instructor in
machine guns and pistol marksman-
ship. In addition to these duties.
he was detailed as secretary Of the
school. where he remained until
1912.
In 1912 he was relieved and or
dered to join his regiment, the 9th
infantry, at Fort Sheridan. In 1918
the regiment was ordered TO Texas
City and remained in readiness for
Mexican service until 1915. In 1915
the Musketry School was trans-
ferred to Fort Sill and Lieutenant
Brown was ordered to the school
as director Of the machine gun de-
partment, whore he remained until
1917. During this tour Of duty he
was promoted to the grades Of cap
tain, major and lieutenant colonel,
respectively.
Staff Duty IN France
In 1917 Colonel Brown was de-
tailed to the war department gem
eral staff and served for two years
in the training branch Of the War
Plans Division. Upon his return
from France, he was ordered to
En,st IaaUAnmny%h - ~<,,I>~k q