Coxe, Alexander Bacon, Sr., 1872-1965

Alexander Bacon Coxe was born in December 1872 and died in February 1965 at the age of ninety-three. He was born at Fort Seldon, New Mexico, and claimed to be the first white child born in that state. His parents were Lt. Robert E. Coxe (U.S. Army) and Helen Bacon Coxe. Coxe was a member of the Minnesota National Guard, which was mobilized during the Spanish-American War. With the 39th Volunteer Infantry, Coxe saw active duty in the Philippine Insurrection and later with the Allied Forces in subduing the Boxer Rebellion in Peking, China. Upon completion of these duties he was commissioned an officer in the Regular Army. Coxe served in the cavalry at various Army posts until 1917. Just prior to U.S. entrance into World War I, he assisted Col. Ralph H. Van Deman in setting up the first United States Army Intelligence organization, G-2. Coxe served on the General Staff in France during the last year of the war. He was subsequently involved in military intelligence on the domestic front including the Mexican border crisis of 1919. From 1920 to his retirement in 1936 Coxe held various duties including secretary of the cavalry school at Fort Riley, Kansas; commander of the 13th U.S. Cavalry; Chief of Staff, U.S. Military District, Washington, D.C.; and Chief of Staff, Army Headquarters, Ft. Bliss, Texas. Coxe was brought out of retirement on 1940 and ordered to Washington to help reestablish and expand the Army Intelligence System. He retired for good by order of the President on March 15, 1941.