ROBERT P. HUGHES
HUGHES, ROBERT P., soldier, major-general in the United States army, retired, was born in Pennsylvania, April 11, 1839. At the beginning of the Civil war, he was a student at Jefferson college, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and when hostilities opened he left college, enlisted with the Union forces and served through the war. During that struggle he received the following promotions: October 11, 1861, first lieutenant; May 20, 1862, captain; December 7, 1864, lieutenant colonel; April 2, 1865, brevetted colonel for gallant and distinguished service during the assault on Fort Gregg, Virginia.
After the close of the war he entered the United States army and on July 28, 1866, received appointment as captain in the 18th United States infantry. On February 19, 1885, he was made inspector-general, with the rank of major. While holding that appointment, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, March 11, 1885 and colonel, August 31, 1888.
During the Spanish-American war, he was sent to the Philippine Islands, with the expeditionary corps, on the staff of Major-General Otis and remained in the military service in connection with those islands until 1901. On June 3, 1898, he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers; was appointed chief of staff of the 8th corps, June 23, 1898, and provost marshal-general of the city of Manila and its suburbs, September 3, 1898. During his occupancy of the post, General Otis gave him official praise for the able manner in which he fought the great fire in Manila, his tact and vigilance alone saving the capital from complete destruction. On May 25, 1900, he was appointed a member of the commission to treat with the insurrectionary forces in the Philippine Islands; and on May 25, 1900, was made military commander of the Visayan Islands, receiving the rank of brigadier-general in the United States army, February 25, 1901.
After his return from duty in the Philippines, he succeeded to the command of the Department of California, was promoted major-general of the United States army April 1, 1902, and reached the age of retirement April 11, 1903.
