Biography
Meade was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Richard Worsam Meade II, an officer in the United States Navy. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on 14 June 1862, and commanded a battalion of marines during the suppression of the New York City draft riots in July 1863. He took part in the daring boat attack against Fort Sumter on 8 September 1863, and was later brevetted for gallant and meritorious service.
During the Spanish-American War he served as fleet marine officer in New York and participated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. Victor Maria Concas y Palau, captain of the cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa at the battle of Santiago, described the poor attitude of Meade to the Spanish prisoners at Portsmouth. He claimed that Meade's attitude was responsible of the death of several sailors, as he did not allow them to have the adequate medical help, and that he also had a lack of respect for Spanish officers.
Promoted to colonel on 3 March 1899, Meade served in China during the Boxer Rebellion and participated in the Battle of Tientsin. For distinguished conduct and public service, he was appointed brigadier general, by brevet, on July 13, 1900. He retired on June 29, 1906 and died at Lexington, Massachusetts, on February 11, 1910.
Read more about this topic: Robert Leamy Meade
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