Wesley Merritt was the seventh in descent from Thomas Merritt who came to America in the seventeenth century. He was the fourth of eleven children born to John Willis Merritt and his wife Julia Anne (de Forest). The father was a lawyer, but in 1841, after financial reverses suffered during the crisis of 1837, abandoned his profession, and moved his family West to Illinois. After a few years of farming he turned to journalism, editing the Bellville Advocate and then the Salem Advocate and eventually being elected to the legislature.
Education
Wesley Merritt attended the school of the Christian Brothers and studied law with Judge Haynie in Salem, but when the opportunity came to him, in 1855, entered the United States Military Academy. The appointment had been tendered first to his younger brother, Edward, who did not wish to accept it, and it is the year of Edward's birth that still stands on the army records.
Career
Upon graduation in 1860, Merritt was commissioned second lieutenant of dragoons. The following year, promoted first lieutenant, he served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Philip St. George Cooke, commanding the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. He was promoted captain in 1862, and on June 29, 1863, was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He commanded the reserve cavalry brigade at Gettysburg, and received the brevet of major in the regular establishment for bravery there. Following continuous service in Virginia, he was brevetted major-general of volunteers in 1864, and commissioned in the same rank in 1865. In the meantime he was successively brevetted lieutenant-colonel, colonel, brigadier-general and major-general, United States Army, for meritorious services. He was present at Appomattox, then became chief of cavalry in the Department of Texas, and was mustered out of the voluntary service February 1, 1866, resuming his regular rank. Later that year he became lieutenant-colonel, 9th Cavalry, and ten years later colonel, 5th Cavalry. Until 1879 his service was principally in the West in connection with Indian disturbances. From September 1, 1882, to June 30, 1887, he was superintendent of the United States Military Academy. Commissioned brigadier-general April 10, 1887, he assumed command of the Department of the Missouri in July. He later commanded the Department of Dakota, and then the Department of the Missouri, with headquarters at Chicago from 1895 to 1897, being promoted to the grade of major-general, April 25, 1895. The post at Chicago was considered a territorial command second in importance only to that of the Department of the East, and in 1897 Merritt succeeded to the latter command with headquarters at Governor's Island, New York. The war with Spain brought larger responsibilities. On May 16, 1898, he was given command of the first Philippine Expedition. Sailing from San Francisco June 29, he arrived at Cavite, Manila Bay, July 25, where Dewey's fleet was anchored. Landing immediately, he assumed command of the American forces investing Manila, July 27, 1898. These forces, about two miles from the Spanish defenses, extended from the Bay to a point not far therefrom where the Philippine insurgents, under command of General Aguinaldo, continued the investment.
The insurgents also had other forces between the American and Spanish lines. Since the American officers had been instructed to avoid all appearance of an alliance with the insurgents, and at the same time were hardly disposed to treat them as enemies, the situation presented extraordinary difficulties. On August 6, Merritt and Dewey entered into communication with the Spanish commander, with a view to preventing suffering to non-combatants in case an attack should be necessary. Meanwhile, through one of his officers, Gen. F. V. Greene, Merritt had tried to persuade the insurgents "to move out of the way". On August 9 a formal joint demand was made for the surrender of Manila. When this was refused Merritt decided, after consultation with Dewey, to try to carry the extreme right of the Spanish line of entrenchments without bombarding the city. Early in the morning of the 13th, after a short naval bombardment of the Spanish entrenchments, the attack was opened and was almost immediately successful, although there were numerous casualties on both sides. An exploitation of the attack brought the whole city into American possession, with the exception of the Walled City, which shortly after surrendered. Merritt's official report summarizes the operations as follows: "I submit that for troops to enter under fire a town covering a wide area, to rapidly deploy and guard all principal points in the extensive suburbs, to keep out the insurgent forces pressing for admission, to quietly disarm an army of Spaniards more than equal in numbers to the American troops, and finally by all this to prevent entirely all rapine, pillage, and disorder, and gain entire and complete possession of a city of 300, 000 people filled with natives hostile to the European interests and stirred up by the knowledge that their own people were fighting in the outside trenches, was an act which only the law-abiding, temperate, resolute American soldier, well and skillfully handled by his regimental and brigade commanders, could accomplish. " On August 14, the day after the capture of the city, Merritt issued a proclamation to the people of the Philippine Islands establishing military government therein, and entered on duty as military governor. Two days later he received the president's proclamation directing the cessation of hostilities. During his short governorship, in addition to setting up an administrative machine, he was under the necessity of conducting negotiations with Aguinaldo with regard to the location and conduct of the Philippine insurgents, who were much dissatisfied at not being permitted to occupy Manila. On August 28, he was ordered to France, for conference with the Peace Commission, and on completion of this duty, December 10, returned to America, arriving December 19. Relieved as military governor of the Philippines, he resumed his old command of the Department of the East, returning to Governor's Island, where he completed his military career. He retired at the statutory age of sixty-four, in June 1900. He died at Natural Bridge, Virginia, and was buried at the United States Military Academy.
Achievements
Merritt is known as the Civil War Union Major General, who would become one of the lesser-known but most successful "boy generals" of the Civil War. He also was the officer to accept the Spanish surrender. He advised the United States Peace Commissioners in Paris.
In appearance as in character, Merritt was representative of the best in the United States Army of his day. A fine looking man of strong will and wide experience, he was highly competent, and at the same time modest and agreeable.
Connections
Merritt was twice married: in 1871, to Caroline Warren of Cincinnati, Ohio; and in 1898, at London, to Laura Williams of Chicago.
