Dan Tyler Moore
Encyclopedia
Dan Tyler Moore was a career U.S. Army officer and an aide to President
Theodore Roosevelt
. An avid amateur boxer, and a sparring partner for Roosevelt, he struck the President in the eye, causing him to lose much of the sight of that eye.
on February 9, 1877. He came from a family with a strong military heritage, and was the great-great-nephew of Aaron Burr
. He grew up in Hanover
, Germany
and was educated in Switzerland. In 1898, he graduated from the Eidgenössische Polytechnische Schule
in Zurich
, two classes ahead of Albert Einstein
.
Moore returned to the United States just before the Spanish-American War
and was commissioned in the 15th Infantry. He served in Cuba from 1899 until 1901, then transferred to the artillery and served in the Philippines from 1902 until 1904. In 1904, he was made a military aide to President Roosevelt. While serving in that capacity, he served as a sparring partner for Roosevelt, who was an enthusiastic amateur boxer. While boxing with the President, Moore struck Roosevelt so hard in the eye that the President lost sight in it. Moore did not learn of the result of the blow until 1917, and only from reading Roosevelt's statement of how he came to lose sight in that eye, in which Roosevelt did not name Moore, but Moore realized that only he fit the description. Moore stated, "But could you ask for any better proof of the man's sportsmanship than the fact that he never told me what I had done to him?"
(how guns may be trained on a target that cannot be seen. Roosevelt wrote to Kaiser Wilhelm II, calling Moore "my young cousin" and secured his admission to the German artillery school, the first foreigner to attend. Moore spent much of 1909 and 1910 at the school, and was careful to appear to be a lazy but amiable officer, while soaking up all the knowledge he could. He returned to the United States in April 1910, prolonging his stay in Europe for six weeks so he would qualify as a non-resident for customs fees.
Following his return to the United States, in 1911, Captain Moore was sent to Fort Sill
, Oklahoma
, where he was to found the U.S. Army School of Fire (today the Field Artillery School). He was given complete authority to design the training of Army privates, non-commissioned officers, and officers at the school, which was initially run on a shoestring. He remained at the school until late 1914. He was then sent to Washington, where he joined the staff of the Army War College. His houseguest there was Franz von Papen
, later Chancellor of Germany
during the Weimar Republic
(and Vice Chancellor briefly under Hitler
)—von Papen had been Moore's roommate in Germany. Unbeknownst to Moore, von Papen was running a spy ring out of Moore's house, for which the German was later expelled from the United States.
In World War I
, Moore, by now a Lieutenant Colonel, commanded a field artillery brigade. Upon his return to the United States in 1919, he resigned from active duty, though he maintained a reserve commission until his 1941 death. He left a widow, Bessie Moore, a son, and four daughters. He is buried in the National Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston
, Texas.
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. An avid amateur boxer, and a sparring partner for Roosevelt, he struck the President in the eye, causing him to lose much of the sight of that eye.
Early life
Moore was born in Montgomery, AlabamaMontgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
on February 9, 1877. He came from a family with a strong military heritage, and was the great-great-nephew of Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
. He grew up in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Germany
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and was educated in Switzerland. In 1898, he graduated from the Eidgenössische Polytechnische Schule
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, two classes ahead of Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
.
Moore returned to the United States just before the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and was commissioned in the 15th Infantry. He served in Cuba from 1899 until 1901, then transferred to the artillery and served in the Philippines from 1902 until 1904. In 1904, he was made a military aide to President Roosevelt. While serving in that capacity, he served as a sparring partner for Roosevelt, who was an enthusiastic amateur boxer. While boxing with the President, Moore struck Roosevelt so hard in the eye that the President lost sight in it. Moore did not learn of the result of the blow until 1917, and only from reading Roosevelt's statement of how he came to lose sight in that eye, in which Roosevelt did not name Moore, but Moore realized that only he fit the description. Moore stated, "But could you ask for any better proof of the man's sportsmanship than the fact that he never told me what I had done to him?"
Military pioneer
In 1907, the Artillery was divided, with separate divisions to deal with field artillery, and shore artillery. Moore remained with the "Redlegs", as the field artillery was known. At the time, only Germany had a workable system of indirect fireIndirect fire
Indirect fire means aiming and firing a projectile in a high trajectory without relying on a direct line of sight between the gun and its target, as in the case of direct fire...
(how guns may be trained on a target that cannot be seen. Roosevelt wrote to Kaiser Wilhelm II, calling Moore "my young cousin" and secured his admission to the German artillery school, the first foreigner to attend. Moore spent much of 1909 and 1910 at the school, and was careful to appear to be a lazy but amiable officer, while soaking up all the knowledge he could. He returned to the United States in April 1910, prolonging his stay in Europe for six weeks so he would qualify as a non-resident for customs fees.
Following his return to the United States, in 1911, Captain Moore was sent to Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, where he was to found the U.S. Army School of Fire (today the Field Artillery School). He was given complete authority to design the training of Army privates, non-commissioned officers, and officers at the school, which was initially run on a shoestring. He remained at the school until late 1914. He was then sent to Washington, where he joined the staff of the Army War College. His houseguest there was Franz von Papen
Franz von Papen
Lieutenant-Colonel Franz Joseph Hermann Michael Maria von Papen zu Köningen was a German nobleman, Roman Catholic monarchist politician, General Staff officer, and diplomat, who served as Chancellor of Germany in 1932 and as Vice-Chancellor under Adolf Hitler in 1933–1934...
, later Chancellor of Germany
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
during the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
(and Vice Chancellor briefly under Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
)—von Papen had been Moore's roommate in Germany. Unbeknownst to Moore, von Papen was running a spy ring out of Moore's house, for which the German was later expelled from the United States.
In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Moore, by now a Lieutenant Colonel, commanded a field artillery brigade. Upon his return to the United States in 1919, he resigned from active duty, though he maintained a reserve commission until his 1941 death. He left a widow, Bessie Moore, a son, and four daughters. He is buried in the National Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
, Texas.