Harry C. Egbert

Harry Clay Egbert
Born	(1839-01-03)January 3, 1839 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	March 26, 1899(1899-03-26) (aged 60) Polo, Bulacan, Philippines
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Army
Years of service	1861–1899
Rank	Brigadier General of Volunteers
Commands	6th Infantry Regiment 22nd Infantry Regiment
Battles / wars	American Civil War Battle of Gaines' Mill Battle of Malvern Hill Battle of Cedar Mountain Battle of Gettysburg Spanish–American War Battle of El Caney Battle of San Juan Hill Philippine–American War Battle of Manila (DOW)

Harry Clay Egbert (January 3, 1839 – March 26, 1899) was an officer in the United States Army who served in the American Civil War, the Spanish–American War, and the Philippine–American War. He commanded the 6th Infantry Regiment during the Battle of San Juan Hill but suffered a mortal wound during the Battle of Manila.

Biography

Born in Philadelphia, Egbert joined the Union Army during the American Civil War, being commissioned a first lieutenant in the 12th U.S. Infantry Regiment on September 23, 1861. With the Army of the Potomac, Egbert participated in the battles of Gaines Mills and Malvern Hills. He was taken prisoner twice, during the battles of Cedar Mountain and Gettysburg, being exchanged once and escaping during Robert E. Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. He was wounded in the Battle of Bethesda Church. He was promoted to captain on April 1, 1865.

After the Civil War, he remained in the army. It would be 25 years before his next promotion, to major on April 23, 1890.

Egbert was a lieutenant colonel at the start of the Spanish–American War. He commanded the 6th Infantry Regiment in the Santiago campaign until he was wounded in the Battle of El Caney on July 1, 1898. While still recovering, he was promoted to colonel of the 22nd U.S. Infantry Regiment. On October 1, 1898, he was made a Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers. That same year he became a Veteran Companion of the Military Order of Foreign Wars.

He was then sent to the Philippines for the Philippine–American War, arriving in Manila on March 4, 1899. During the Battle of Malinta, he was mortally wounded while leading a charge against Filipino forces in Malinta, Polo, Bulacan (present day city of Valenzuela, now part of Metro Manila) on March 26, and died the same day. In September 2012, at 118 Maysan Road, near his death location, the LGU of the City of Valenzuela made a cannon which was called Egbert Memorial Cannon.

Harry Egbert is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, Ellen Young Egbert (1843–1913).

Fort Egbert (1899–1911) in Eagle, Alaska was named for him, as is Egbert Avenue in San Francisco, California.

External links

• "Harry Clay Egbert". at ArlingtonCemetery.net. (Unofficial website).