William Hamden Sage
Major General, United States Army

Born at Centerville , New York , April 6, 1859, he graduated from West Point in 1882; from the Army War College in 1907.

He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, 5th United States Infantry, June 13, 1882 and was promoted through the grades to Colonel, 12th U.S. Infantry, June 13, 1915; temporary Major General, National Guard, August 5, 1917. He was professor of Military Sciences and Tactics, Central University of Kentucky, Richmond, Kentucky, 1892-93; on garrison duty in Texas, 1894-95; Aide-de-Camp to General Ovenshine in the Philippines in 1898; served as Adjutant General, 1st and 2nd Brigades, 1st Division, XIII Army Corps; Adjutant General, 3rd District, Mindanao and Jolo, Philippines; Malsbang, Philippines, 1906; at the War College, 1906-07; Adjutant General, Department of the Columbia, 1907; Mexican Border Service, 1916-17; Commander, Camp Shelby, Hattisburg, Mississippi, September 1917-March 1918; served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France in World War I. 

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for service during the Philippine Insurrection, at Zapote River , Philippines , June 13, 1899.

He died on June 4, 1922 and was buried in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery . His wife, Elizabeth Mclean Sage, is buried with him. His father, William Newton Sage, Major , United States Army, is buried in Section 1.

SAGE, WILLIAM H.

Rank and organization: Captain, 23d U.S. Infantry. Place and date: Near Zapote River , Luzon, Philippine Islands , 13 June 1899. Entered service at: Binghamton , New York . Birth: Centerville , New York . Date of issue: 24 July 1902.

Citation:

With 9 men volunteered to hold an advanced position and held it against a terrific fire of the enemy estimated at 1,000 strong. Taking a rifle from a wounded man, and cartridges from the belts of others, Captain Sage himself killed 5 of the enemy.

Photo courtesy of Raymond L. Collins

Photo By Michael Robert Patterson, 1999