William S. Peirce (United States Army officer)

William Sullivan Peirce (May 16, 1864 – July 10, 1923) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In World War I, he commanded the Springfield Armory. He attained the rank of brigadier general, and after the war served as the Army's Assistant Chief of Ordnance.

William S. Peirce
Brigadier General William S. Peirce in Washington, April 1918
Born(1864-05-16)May 16, 1864
Burlington, Vermont
DiedJuly 10, 1923(1923-07-10) (aged 59)
Washington, D.C.
Buried
Lakeview Cemetery, Burlington, Vermont
AllegianceUnited States United States
Service/branchUnited States Army seal United States Army
Years of service1888–1923
Rank Brigadier General
Service number0-69[1]
Unit U.S. Army Ordnance Corps
Commands heldSpringfield Armory
Battles/warsWorld War I
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal[2]
Spouse(s)Lula Abercrombie (m. 1890, div. 1911)
Harriet (Roberts) Peirce (m. 1911-1923, his death)
Children4

Biography

Peirce was born on May 16, 1864, in Burlington, Vermont. He studied at the University of Vermont from 1881 to 1884 and took part in the school's military instruction program, where he attained the rank of cadet sergeant major. He then began studies at the United States Military Academy. He graduated from West Point in 1888 ranked eighth of 44, and was appointed a second lieutenant of Field Artillery.[1] In 1892 he was transferred to the Ordnance Department, serving at the Watervliet Arsenal, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground, the Rock Island Arsenal and the Springfield Arsenal.[2]

In September 1912 he was put in charge of the Springfield Armory. After the American entry into World War I Peirce was transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was serving as chief of the Administration Division and assistant Chief of Ordnance.[2] Peirce was promoted to brigadier general in 1918. Peirce received the Army Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his wartime achievements.

Death and burial

Peirce died at a Washington, D.C. hospital on July 10, 1923.[3] He was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Burlington, Vermont.[4]

Awards

Peirce received the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his actions during World War I, the citation for which reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General William Sullivan Peirce, 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. While in charge of the Springfield Arsenal, Colonel Peirce's exceptional ability contributed materially to increasing the output of small arms. As Assistant Chief of Ordnance he has rendered conspicuous service.[5]

In addition, Peirce was awarded the French Legion of Honor (Officer).[6]

Family

In 1890, Peirce married Lula Abercrombie of Pensacola, Florida. They were the parents of four children, Gladys, Marjorie, Albert, and Dorothy.[7] They divorced in March 1911,[8] and in April, Peirce married Harriet Roberts.[9] They remained married until his death.

References
  1. Henry Blaine Davis, Jr. "Generals in Khaki", page 295
  2. "Springfield Armory Museum - Collection Record" American Machinist, 27 February 1919
  3. "Brig. Gen. W. S. Peirce Dies In Operation". The Evening Star. Washington, DC. July 11, 1923. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Funerals Yesterday and Tomorrow". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, Vermont. July 14, 1923. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "William Peirce - Recipient - Military Times Hall Of Valor". valor.militarytimes.com.
  6. "Assistants to the Chief of Ordnance". Army Ordnance. Washington, DC: Army Ordnance Association. July–August 1920. p. 37 – via Google Books.
  7. "1900 U.S. Federal Census, Entry for William S. Peirce Family". Ancestry.com. Lehi, Utah: Ancestry.com LLC. 1910. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. "Local Brevities". Alexandria Gazette. Alexandria, Virginia. March 22, 1911. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Wedding Announcement, Harriet Roberts Hall and William S. Peirce". The Dispatch. Rock island, Illinois. April 22, 1911. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.

Bibliography
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