Samson L. Faison

Faison was born in Faison, North Carolina (Duplin County) to Elias James Faison and Elizabeth Maria Lane.{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Henry Blaine Jr.|title=Generals in Khaki|publisher=Pentland Press, Inc.|year= 1998 |isbn= 1571970886|oclc=40298151|page=123 }} He had four brothers and two sisters. A North Carolina state historical marker stands today in the town bearing his name, birthplace, and accomplishments.{{cite web|url=http://www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?sp=Markers&k=Markers&sv=F-29 |title=Marker: F-29 |publisher=Ncmarkers.com |date= |accessdate=2015-02-27}} Faison married Eleanor Sowers in 1906 and had two children, S. Lane Faison Jr. and Eleanor. His son Lane had a distinguished career as an art historian, member of the OSS's Art Looting Investigation Unit in World War II, and long-time faculty member at Williams College.

File:USMA Cadet SL Faison 1883.jpg

Several of his classmates at West Point would go on to become general officers in their careers, such as Charles W. Kennedy, George H. Cameron, Harry C. Hale, George W. Read, John W. Heard, Ira A. Haynes, Omar Bundy, William C. Langfitt, Robert D. Walsh, Lawrence Tyson, Charles G. Morton, Tyree R. Rivers, John W. Ruckman, Isaac Littell and Clarence R. Edwards.

Following his graduation, he served in the Arizona Territory with the 1st Infantry from 1883 to 1886 during the final years of the Apache Wars. In 1885, Lt. Faison was selected by General George Crook to lead Apache Scout Companies into Mexico to help track down the Apache war leader, Geronimo. Faison was in the field for 11 months during 1885–1886 and was one of the few officers present at the council between Crook and Geronimo in March 1886, famously documented by photographer C. S. Fly. General Crook later recognized Faison and six other officers "for bearing uncomplainingly the almost incredible fatigues and privations as well as the dangers incident to their operations" while they "commanded expeditions or Indian Scouts in Mexico."General Orders and Circulars, Adjutant General's Office, 1891. Washington, Government Printing Office In 1898 Faison wrote a memoir of his experience in the 1885-1886 Geronimo Campaign, which was published posthumously in 2012 in the Journal of the Southwest.{{cite web|url=http://www.highstead.net/pdfs/Faison%20Memoir.pdf |title= Lieutenant Faison's Account of the Geronimo Campaign|author=Edward K. Faison|publisher=Highstead.net |accessdate=2015-02-27}}

File:Council between General Crook and Geronimo.jpg

From 1896 to 1899, Lt. Faison was senior instructor of infantry tactics at the United States Military Academy.{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Henry Blaine Jr.|title=Generals in Khaki|publisher=Pentland Press, Inc.|year= 1998 |isbn= 1571970886|oclc=40298151|page=123}} In 1899, Captain Faison left West Point to participate in the Philippine–American War where he served in several combat operations against the Philippine insurrection with the 13th Infantry. He also served as adjutant general and later as judge advocate of military commissions and as judge of the provost court in the Philippines until 1902.{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Henry Blaine Jr.|title=Generals in Khaki|publisher=Pentland Press, Inc.|year= 199 |isbn= 1571970886|oclc=40298151|page=123 }} That fall he returned to the US and assumed command of Fort Mason in San Francisco.

Major Faison attended the United States Army War College from 1910 to 1911. Upon graduation, he served briefly as an instructor and administrator.

File:The US Army on the Western Front, 1917-1918 Q9255 (cropped).jpg, along with Major General Edward M. Lewis, commander of the U.S. 30th Division, review elements of Lewis's division in France, August 6, 1918. Stood behind the King is Brigadier General Samson L. Faison, commanding the 30th Division's 60th Brigade.]]

After the United States entered the war, Colonel Faison accepted a wartime promotion of brigadier general in August 1917 and command of the 60th Brigade of the 30th Infantry Division. General Faison commanded the Division for several periods during both its training phase in South Carolina and while in France. During the 2nd Somme offensive in September–October 1918, Faison's 60th brigade is said by at least one source to have been the first Americans to break through the German Hindenburg Line at Bellicourt, France.{{cite web|last=Ingram |first=Charles M. |url=http://ncpedia.org/biography/faison-samson-lane |title=Faison, Samson Lane |publisher=NCpedia |date= |accessdate=2015-02-27}} Faison's Distinguished Service Medal citation reads as follows:

{{Quote|For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services. He commanded with great credit the 60th Infantry Brigade in the breaking of the enemy's Hindenburg line at Bellicourt, France, and in subsequent operations in which important captures were made, all marking him as a military commander of great energy and determination.{{cite web | url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/Cullums_Register/3009*.html | title=Samson W. Faison • Cullum's Register • 3009 }}}}

General Faison commanded with great credit the 60th Infantry Brigade, 30th Division, in the breaking of the enemy's Hindenburg line at Bellicourt, France, and in subsequent operations in which important captures were made, all marking him as a military commander of great energy and determination.{{cite web |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/libmedia/archives/aogreports/V1941.PDF |access-date=2023-06-09 |title=Seventy-Second Annual Report |date=June 10, 1941 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318004007/http://digital-library.usma.edu/libmedia/archives/aogreports/V1941.PDF |lang=en |archive-date=March 18, 2013}}

File:Samson L. Faison.jpg

After the world war, Faison returned to his permanent rank of colonel, but was officially promoted to brigadier general in 1922. He retired from active duty later that same year because of physical disabilities. Faison died in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 17, 1940, at the age of 79 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General Faison:

• Strategy and Tactics{{cite web|last=Ingram |first=Charles M. |url=http://ncpedia.org/biography/faison-samson-lane |title=Faison, Samson Lane |publisher=NCpedia |date= |accessdate=2015-02-27}}
• {{cite book |title=Borrowed Soldiers: Americans under British Command, 1918 |first=Mitchell A. |last=Yockelson | author-link = Mitchell Yockelson |others=Foreword by John S. D. Eisenhower |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |date=30 May 2008| isbn=978-0-8061-3919-7}}

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• [http://1-22infantry.org/commanders/faisonpers.htm 1-22infantry.org]

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Category:1860 births

Category:1940 deaths

Category:People from Faison, North Carolina

Category:United States Military Academy alumni

Category:United States Army War College alumni

Category:American military personnel of the Philippine–American War

Category:United States Military Academy faculty

Category:United States Army generals of World War I

Category:Military personnel from North Carolina

Category:United States Army personnel of the Indian Wars

Category:Apache Wars

Samson

Category:United States Army War College faculty

Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)

Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour

Category:American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)

Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery

Category:United States Army generals