Clarence Ransom Edwards Clarence Ransom Edwards ( January 1 , 1859 – February 14 , 1931 ) was an American general , known as the first Chief of the Bureau of Insular Affairs , and commander of the 26th Division in World War I . Early career . Edwards was born in Cleveland , Ohio , the son of local merchant William Edwards , and Lucia Ransom . He graduated last in his class from the United States Military Academy in 1883 . Upon his graduation from West Point , Edwards was appointed a second lieutenant in the 23rd Infantry . For the next several years Edwards served at various posts , including Fort Union , Fort Porter , Cleveland , Ohio ( commanding the guard at the tomb of President Garfield ) , and Fort Davis . While stationed at Fort Porter he met Bessie Rochester Porter , a member of the family that included Peter Buell Porter , for whom the fort was named , and they were married in 1889 . He was promoted to first lieutenant on February 25 , 1891 while serving on detached service as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at St . John ' s College ( now known as Fordham University ) , from which he received an honorary degree . Following another stint of detached service in the Military Information Bureau of the Adjutant General ' s Office , Edwards returned to the 23rd Infantry at Fort Clark , serving as a captain in command of a company , and later as regimental quartermaster . Spanish - American War , the Philippines , and after . At the outbreak of the Spanish - American War , Edwards moved with his regiment to New Orleans , Louisiana . In May 1898 , he was given the rank of major , U . S . Volunteers , and assigned as Adjutant General of the 4th Army Corps at Mobile , Alabama ( and , later , Tampa , Florida and Huntsville , Alabama ) under the command of Major General John J . Coppinger . The 4th Army Corps was to have been part of the invasion of Cuba , but was unable to obtain transport . In January 1899 , Edwards was appointed Adjutant - General on General H . W . Lawton ' s staff , accompanying him to the Philippines . He participated in all of Lawton ' s campaigns in the Philippines , including the Battle of Santa Cruz and the Battle of Zapote Bridge . Edwards received three silver citation stars for gallantry in action during these campaigns . Lawton was killed in the Battle of Paye in December 1899 , and Edwards accompanied his remains to Washington , D . C . for burial . In 1900 , due in part to his knowledge of the conditions in the Philippines , he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and named Chief of the Division of Customs and Insular Affairs in the War Department . By 1902 he was promoted to colonel and named the first chief of the new Bureau of Insular Affairs . He retained this office until 1912 , by which time he had risen to the rank of brigadier general . Edwards was named commander of the 6th Brigade at Fort D . A . Russell , Wyoming in October 1912 . The brigade was moved to Texas City , Texas , in February 1913 in response to the Mexican Revolution . In February 1914 , Edwards became the commander of the 1st Hawaiian Brigade , at Schofield Barracks , Hawaii . He then served as commander of all U . S . forces in the Panama Canal Zone from February 1915 to April 1917 . World War I . Upon the outbreak of World War I , Edwards was placed in charge of the Department of the Northeast , comprising all the New England states . In August 1917 , he was promoted to major general in the National Army and given the task of organizing the 26th Division . The division arrived in France in September 1917 , the first complete American division to do so . The division also became the first complete American division to go into combat at Chemin - des - Dames in February 1918 , where they remained for 46 days . Going back to his days at West Point , Edwards had earned a reputation for being sharp - tongued and contentious . John J . Pershing , commander of the American Expeditionary Force , particularly despised him . Edwards made another enemy in General Robert Lee Bullard during the 26th Division ' s relief of the 1st Infantry Division near Toul in April 1918 . Edwards found fault with everything he saw , and accused the 1st Division of leaving behind classified documents . Bullard was enraged , but Pershing always favored the 1st Division , and reassured him , and nothing came of the incident . In July 1918 , during the Second Battle of the Marne , I Corps commander Hunter Liggett found that , although the 26th Division did not lack for heroism and fought valiantly , he could not depend on its commanders , especially Edwards , to subjugate his unit to Regular Army Divisions . Edwards ' final demise came in October 1918 , when he reported an incident to Liggett involving information two of his soldiers had obtained from German soldiers with whom they had been fraternizing . The Germans had expressed their belief that the war would be over soon , and that they were reluctant to continue fighting . While Edwards thought he was reporting the enemy ' s poor morale to Liggett , he instead gave Liggett an excuse to get rid of Edwards for his zeal in supporting the National Guard . Liggett reported the incident to Pershing , who took the opportunity to act on his personal vendetta and relieve Edwards of his command . Later career . On Edwards ' return to the United States he was assigned to the command of the Northeastern Department once again , with headquarters in Boston . In September 1920 , he reverted to his Regular Army rank of brigadier general , and was placed in command of the 2nd Brigade , based at Camp Taylor , Kentucky . He was promoted to major general in the Regular Army in June 1921 , and given the command of the First Corps area , headquartered in Boston , where he served until retired at on December 1 , 1922 after nearly 40 years of service . Following retirement , Edwards served as president of the grocery company his father had founded . Edwards was a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars ( MOFW ) and served as its Commander General from 1923 - 1926 . His daughter Bessie died from pneumonia at Camp Meade , Maryland on October 13 , 1918 and his wife died January 25 , 1929 . Edwards died February 14 , 1931 in Boston , Massachusetts and all three are buried together at Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington , Virginia . Honors and awards . Military honors . Distinguished Service Medal citation . Citation The President of the United States of America , authorized by Act of Congress , July 9 , 1918 , takes pride in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal ( Posthumously ) to Major General Clarence R . Edwards , United States Army , for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States , in a duty of great responsibility during World War I . After having organized the 26th Division , General Edwards commanded it with distinction during all but 18 days of its active service at the front . The high qualities of leadership and unfailing devotion to duty displayed by him were responsible for the marked espirit and morale of his command . To his marked tactical ability and energy are largely due the brilliant successes achieved by the 26th National Guard Division during its operations against the enemy from 4 February 1918 to 11 November 1918 . General Edwards died 14 February 1931 .