Background
Charles H. Muir was born on July 18, 1860, in Erie, Michigan, the fourth son of James H. Muir and Lydia Gould, and the eighth of their nine children.
Charles H. Muir was born on July 18, 1860, in Erie, Michigan, the fourth son of James H. Muir and Lydia Gould, and the eighth of their nine children.
His early education was received in district schools and at the Ann Arbor high school, where, however, he remained only about ten weeks.
In 1881 Muir received an appointment to the United States Military Academy, West Point, after a competitive examination. He was graduated in 1885, ranking eighth in his class.
Commissioned second lieutenant, 17th Infantry, June 14, 1885, Muir served on frontier duty in Dakota Territory and at Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming. He was promoted first lieutenant, January 8, 1892, and served with the 14th Infantry and the 2nd Infantry.
In 1895 he graduated from the Infantry and Cavalry School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, at the head of his class.
Then Muir was retained as instructor in engineering until the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. During this conflict he served with the army in Cuba and on July 2, 1898, Muir had voluntarily exposed himself to heavy enemy artillery and infantry fire in an action which resulted in the silencing of a piece of Spanish artillery.
He was advanced to the rank of captain, March 2, 1899. As a major in the 38th Volunteer Infantry Muir was sent to the Philippines in 1899 to aid in putting down the insurrection.
On January 19, 1900, with ten companions, he attacked Rosario, broke up General Malvar's headquarters, took possession of 25, 000 pesos in his treasury, and released 300 Spanish prisoners. He also participated in the American expedition sent to China against the Boxers.
From 1903 to 1907 Muir served on the general staff in Washington; from 1907 to 1910, in the Philippines; from 1911 to 1915, as national guard instructor in Illinois; and from 1915 to 1917, in the Canal Zone.
Having reached the rank of colonel, July 1, 1916, he was made brigadier-general, National Army, August 5, 1917, and on December 12 of that year was given command of the 28th Division of the American Expeditionary Force, a command which he held until October 22, 1918. This division participated in the actions about Château-Thierry, the Champagne-Marne defensive, and the Aisne-Marne offensive; it served, also, in the Fismes sector, the Oise-Aisne offensive, the Meuse-Argonne offensive, and in the Thiaucourt sector.
Muir was advanced to the rank of major-general, November 28, 1917, and when the American army advanced across the Rhine into Germany he led the IV Corps and served with the Army of Occupation from November 17, 1918, to April 13, 1919. When the 28th Division returned to the United States he again took over its command and remained with it until it was mustered out at Camp Dix, New Jersey.
Thereafter he served successively as commander of Camp Merritt, New Jersey, as commandant of the General Service Schools, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and at Camp Lewis, Washington.
His final duty was as commander of the III Corps Area, with Baltimore as his headquarters. Here, now a major-general in the regular army, he was retired for age, July 18, 1924.
Hunting was one of his favorite sports and it was on a hunting trip at the age of seventy-three that he was stricken with apoplexy, from which he never recovered. Charles H. Muir died on December 8, 1933, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Charles Henry Muir was a Major general in the United States Army. He served on active duty during the American Indian Wars, Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, occupation of Cuba, and World War I. For conspicuous service with the American Expeditionary Force Charles Muir received the Distinguished Service Medal and the croix de guerre with palms. He was also made a commander of the French Legion of Honor, and was made knight commander of the Military Order of St. Michael and St. George. He was the holder of campaign badges of the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, the China Relief Expedition, and of the Victory badge with six stars. In the course of his long army career he won many medals as a sharpshooter. In addition, numerous places were named for him.
On October 14, 1887, Charles H. Muir married May, the daughter of Colonel C. E. Bennett, by whom he had four children.
