Adna Romanza Chaffee was born at Orwell, Ohio, April 14, 1842. He
was educated in the public schools and entered the army July 22,
1861, serving first as a private, but the close of the war, March 31,
1865, found him a captain. In 1868, in fighting the Comanche Indians
on Paint Tree creek, Texas, he was made a major for gallantry in
that and other campaigns, and was finally made lieutenant-colonel.
At the breaking out of the Spanish-American war he was appointed
brigadier-general of the United States volunteers, commanding the third
brigade, fifth corps, in the Santiago campaign. He was promoted to
major-general United States volunteers, July 8, 1898, and was honorably
discharged as major-general, April 13, 1899, but was again appointed
brigadier-general United States volunteers, one year later and assigned
to the command of the United States forces for the relief of the United
States legation at Pekin, China. In 1901 he was made a major-general
United States army.