Col. James Noble Munro

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• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 106636297
• _UID: 505522997742420CB09A58988AFFF1132EDE

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Died:
Colonel Munro Dies Yesterday

Hero of the Philippine War Passes Away at His Home Tuesday Morning

Colonel Jame N. Munro, USA, retired, passed away Tuesday morning at his home "Bramblehaw", near Frontenac.

Colonel Munro was born in Wabasha county, near Lake City, in what was then called the "Scotch" settlement on Oct. 7, 1870, the son of James and Margaret Munro. After graduating from Lake City high school he attended the University of Minnesota for three years, then was appointed to West Point from the Fifth Congressional District. Upon his graduation from the academy in 1897 he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the cavalry branch, and from then on until 1922, when he came to Minnesota as chief of staff of the 88th division, he was in the military service of his country on the southern and western frontiers and in the Philippine Islands.

Early in his career Colonel Munro signally distinguished himself by a display of courage, resourcefulness and strategy that resulted in an exploit often described as one of the "nerviest' of the Filipin Insurrection. In November 1890, when campaigning in the province of Neuva Viseaya, he accomplished the capture of a town with 800 prisoners. With a command of only 50 men, and no hope of reinforcements, he tapped a telegraph line and sent a message to the insurgent commander of the native garrison at Bayombong that a large force of Americans was about to attack him. He suggested to the general that the most prudent course would be immediate surrender, and added that in view of the overwhelming number of troops at his command he would send only a few to accept the surrender of the garrison.

The bluff worked and the young Minnesotan, without a shot fired, captured a fortified town, a general and many officers, 800 men armed with Mansers, ? Spanish and two American prisoners. The exploit made Lieutenant Munro known throughout the army for his upholding the finest military traditions. His service brought him close association with many of the outstanding men of the service: General Henry W. Layton (?) , Howard Leonard (?) and General . . ., General Frederick H. Panston (?) and others.

After the Insurrection campaign was ended, Captain Munro served four years at western posts, being transferred again in the Philippines in 1905, where he remained until 1911, as Major with the Philippine Scouts, a native organization. Upon his return to the States, he served on the Mexican border during the Madero insurection, and later was assigned to the Mexican border patrol, with the Fourteenth cavalry.

Another achievement often recalled in Army circles was Colonel Munro's work during the World War. He was an officer in command at Remount Depot, Fort Reno, Okla., and in charge of the Southern Remount zone. He was directed to buy a hundred thousand (100,000) horses for the National Army between Sept 5, 1917 and January 1, 1918, and succeeded in having every one of the horses ready for service on that date. Following the end of that work he again was on duty on border patrol for a time, and was promoted to the permanent rank of Colonel in July 1920.

Colonel Munro was a graduate of the three schools for senior officers in the Army, the School of the Line and the Staff class, at Fort Leavenworth, and the Army War College, Washington, DC. When he graduated from the War College in 1922 he was detailed to the organized reserves, Seventh Corps area, and came to Minneapolis as chief of staff of the 88th division in July 1922. After a year in this state he became chief of staff of the 85th division with headquarters at Detroit, Mich.

Upon Colonel Munro's retirement in 1925 he set about carrying out a plan he had long contemplated, a permanent home in the part of Minnesota he knew and loved, and the development of a reforestation project which he had long been studying. He acquired many acres of the well known Garrard estate near Frontenac, much of which had never felt the touch of a plow, and there he set out hundreds of trees, and made beginnings on an ambitious plan mapped out over a period of years and which he had submitted to the criticism and study of a number of forestry and landscape design experts of the state. There a beautiful residence was constructed three years ago and there Colonel and Mrs. Munro established themselves, there he brought his chestnut horse, "Algornon" pensioned off after many years of service in the cavalry and there Algornon has the run of the place. Work on carrying out his plan had to be given up by Colonel Munro last year when his illness developed, which now has resulted in his death at the age of 50.

Mrs Munro, who was Lullu H. Mubey, Daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Mabey of Lake City, survives him, as do his father, James Munro of Lake City, and his sisters, Mrs Fred Gibbs, Mrs. Jean Andrews and Mrs Grace Galbraith, all of Vancouver Wash.

Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday) at 2:30 pm from the family home at Frontenac. Interment will be in Lakewood cemetery at Lake City. Pallbearers will be from the ranks of army men of the Twin Cities.

Wabasha County Herald
Oct. 31, 1929

COLONEL, HERO IN PHILIPPINE WAR, DIES AT59
James N. Munro Was Army Officer of Old School

Col. James N. Munro, U.S.A. retired, former chief of staff of the Eighty-eighth division, U.S.A., with headquarters in Minneapolis, died at his home In Frontenac, Minn, early today. He was 59 years old. Colonel Munro was a native of Minnesota and one of the outstanding Minnesota heroes of the Philippines war. His boyhood home was in Wabasha county.

Colonel Munro was the first cadet appointed to West Point military academy from the Fifth Congresslonal district, being named In 1893 by Congressman Loren Fletcher, after having studied three years at the University of Minnesota.

Captured Town
Soon after graduation he was sent to the Philippines where he made a brilliant record. Among his exploits was one whereby he and his command of 60 men captured a fortified town. He tapped wires, informed the insurgent general that overwhelming forces were approaching and advised immediate surrender to prevent annihilation. When the half-hundred men marched Into the fortification they took prisoner 800 men, soldiers well supplied with arms and ammunition, besides recapturing 75 Spanish and American prisoners.

Most of the colonel's service was spent in the Islands and the southern border and western posts. He was a graduate of the three schools for senior officers of the army; the school of the line, and the staff class at Fort Leavenworth, and the Army War College at Washington, D. C.

Came Here in 1922
Upon finishing War college he was detailed to the organized reserves, Seventh corps area, and was stationed In Minneapolis for a year following July, 1922, as chief of staff of the Eighty-eighth division. Then he was detailed to the Eighty-fifth with headquarters at Detroit until his retirement in 1925, when he returned to Minnesota.

Besides his father, James Munro of Lake City, and his widow, who was Miss Lulu B. Mabey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Mabey, pioneers of Lake City, three sisters, all living In Vancouver, Wash., survive Colonel Munro. Miss Nelly E. Mabey of The Minneapolis Tribune Is a sister-in-law.

The Minneapolis Star
Minneapolis, Minnesota
22 Oct 1929, Tue ? Page 10

James married Lulu Bird Mabey on 25 Jan 1902 in Lake City, Wabasha County, Minnesota, United States. Lulu (daughter of Joseph Edward Stephen Mabey and Lucinda Perley) was born on 3 Apr 1873 in Long Prairie, Minnesota, United States; died on 20 Jun 1953 in Wabasha County, Minnesota, United States; was buried in Lakewood Cemetery, Lake City, Wabasha County, Minnessota, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]