Brevet Brigadier General RENE EDWARD DEBUSSY

by E d w i n N o r t h M c C l e l l a n

A distinguished officer of Our Army, whose gallantry in the War of 1812 and Cix’il War, and efficiency in constructing fortifications on ei’ery coast of the I'nited Stales, was rewarded, in part, by the Department of War naming a fort on the Beach at Waikiki in his honor—Fort DeRussy. A E d w in N. M c C l e l l a n Waikiki question often asked is—"Who was DeRussy?" Here's the answer.

Fort DeRussy on Waikiki Beach, not very far from the Outrigger Canoe Club, served as a patriotic guardian of Oahu and the Beach at Waikiki for many years. The Outrigger Canoe Club was about eight months of age when Fort DeRussy re­ ceived its name. The OCC and Fort always have been friends. The Fort’s big guns, placed in 1913, are not there in 1956. Aviation and Atoms-for-War ended their era. Hawaii has expressed an earnest hope that the Fort DeRussy Acres will be re­ published in Military E ngineer, VII turned by the U. S. Army to “commercial (1915), 758-760. Additional information use;” but the Defense Department resists. was secured from the Historical Register As we wait for a calm and just conclusion and Dictionary of the U. S. Army by of this issue, let us pay homage to the Francis B. Heitman, Collum’s Biographi­ gallant American Army Officer whose cal Register, and other sources. name was given the fort. RENE DE RUSSY BORN IN HAITI FORT DE RUSSY NAMED IN 1909 Rene Edward DeRussy was born in “You are correct in assuming that the Haiti on November 12, 1789 during the post was named for Brevet Brigadier Gen­ administration of President George eral Rene Edw ard DeRussy,” wrote Washington. His father, Thomas De­ Lt. Col. (G. S.) James G. Chesnutt, Russy, was born in St. Malo, France and Chief, Magazine and Book Branch, Pub­ served in our Navy during the American lic Information Division, U. S. Army, Revolution. In the year of Rene De- Washington City, to me on 22 May 1956. Russy’s birth, there was no Kingdom of Colonel Chesnutt then quoted part of Hawaii. In that year, the first American Army General Order No. 15, dated 28 vessels visited Hawaii. When Rene was January 1909, which announced the two years of age, his family moved to names of military reservations: "T he New York and, later, to Old Point Com­ military reservation at Kalia, Waikiki, fort, Virginia, where the DeRussys lived Island of Oahu, Hawaii Territory, FORT many years. DeRUSSY, in honor of Brevet Brigadier A WEST POINTER General Rene Edward DeRussy, United Young DeRussy became a cadet (ap­ States Army (Colonel, Corps of Engi­ pointed from New York) on March 20, neers, U. S. Army), who served with 1807 at West Point Military Academy distinction during the War of 1812 and graduated June 10, 1812. He re­ [Mexican War] and the Civil War.” ceived a commission as Second Lieuten­ ant in the Army Engineer Corps. Pro­ SOURCES THANKED moted to First Lieutenant July 6, 1812. Much of the information on these His brother, Lewis G. DeRussy, grad­ pages came from Lt. Col. Chesnutt and uated from West Point in 1814. Captain (Infantry) James C. Bowman, Assistant Public Information Officer at BREVETTED CAPTAIN FOR GALLANTRY the U. S. Military Academy, West Point, For gallant conduct at the Battle of who furnished me with an extract from Plattsburg, Lieut. DeRussy was made a the splendid article of Lieutenant Fred­ Brevet Captain. Promoted to Captain erick W. Herman (Corps of Engineers) February 9, 1815. [9 ] For about two years after the end of roe and redetailed to the Atlantic Coast the War of 1812, DeRussy served as As­ Board of Engineers.

sistant Engineer in the construction of COMMAND OF THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Fort Montgomery on the Canadian bor­ During the three years just preceding der; next on New York Harbor defenses; the war with the Southern States, De­ from 1821 to 1825 he constructed fortifi­ Russy was in command of the Army cations on the Gulf of Mexico, then re­ Corps of Engineers and stationed at turned to New York where he served Washington City. His leadership in pre­ until 1833. During this period DeRussy paring for the war was vital and con­ was brevetted Major for ten years faith­ structive. ful service in one grade, served on the Board of Visitors of the Military Acad­ IN CHARGE OF ALL PACIFIC COAST emy, and was promoted to Major of En­ DEFENSES—CIVIL WAR gineers on December 30, 1830. Colonel DeRussy was 71 years old in 1861 and in that year reported at San SUPERINTENDENT OF WEST POINT Francisco as superintending engineer of MILITARY ACADEMY San Francisco Harbor defenses. After Though only a Major, he assumed the 1853 he was in charge of all Pacific Coast duties of Superintendent of the United defenses. States Military Academy on July 1, 1833, In his correspondence with the War succeeding Colonel Thayer, the Father of Department and officers on the Pacific the Militaiy Academy. He served in that Coast, familiar names cropped up—Lime capacity for five years. Point at the entrance of San Francisco Major DeRussy received a Brevet Lt. Bay, Fort Vancouver (Oregon), Alcatraz Col.’s commission on June 30, 1834 for Island, Rincon Point, Yerba Buena Is­ faithful and meritorious conduct and, on land, Telegraph Hill, Angel Island, Fort December 7, 1838, was prom oted to Point, Mare Island, and others. Lieutenant Colonel. DeRussy was promoted to Colonel on March 3, 1863. In the following year he MEMBER OF THE "FREMONT COURT"- MEXICAN WAR became President of the Board for Land Defense of San Francisco Harbor. Construction of Forts Monroe and Cal­ During this period Hawaii (includ­ houn in Virginia (1838), improvements ing the Beach at Waikiki) was an inde­ of harbors in Delaware Bay (1838-1839) pendent kingdom under Kamehameha and defenses in Chesapeake Bay (1838- IV and V so its coast defenses did not 1842) and other important duty kept come under Colonel DeRussy. Lt. Col. DeRussy busy until the Mexi­ can War. HIS LAST BREVET-AND DEATH Among other duties during the war On March 13, 1865, Colonel DeRussy with Mexico, DeRussy served as a mem­ received his last brevet—Brigadier Gen­ ber of the Army general court-martial eral—for long and faithful service. Dur­ which convicted Lt. Col. John Charles ing his service he had become the best Fremont—destined to be the first candi­ fortification engineer in the Army. date for President on the Republican He died while on active duty at San Party ticket. Francisco on November 23, 1865, aged 1853-1854, Lt. Col. DeRussy was in almost 76 years, the oldest graduate of charge of improving Virginia rivers, and West Point Military Academy on active a member of the Atlantic Coast Defense duty. The War Department Order an­ Board 1848-1854. nouncing his death stated that “for over half a century he zealously and faith­ CALIFORNIA fully devoted himself to the highest and In 1854 he was transferred to the Pa­ most important duties of an engineer cific Coast, as a member of the Coast De­ officer.” fense Board, and in charge of the San Aloha! Brevet Brigadier General Rene Francisco Bay fortifications. After three Edward DeRussy, your name, patriotism years in the Pacific Area DeRussy re­ and memory will always be honored in ported at Sandy Hook (1857) and the Hawaii and particularly on the Beach at same year was ordered to Fortress Mon­ Waikiki. [ 10]