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<em>Lewis Stone Sorley</em> was born in Liverpool, England, on 7 April 1867, while his parents were on an extended visit to Britain. His mother, nee Mary J. Stone, was from Mobile, Alabama, while his father was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, who migrated to the United States and became an American citizen in 1848. Young Lewis was raised in Galveston, Texas, where the elder Sorley was prominent in the banking and cotton businesses and very active in religious, Masonic, and civic affairs.</p>
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Lewis attended the University of Texas in Austin for two years. Then, having won a competitive examination for appointment to the Military Academy, he made the long trip from Texas to West Point to take the entrance examinations, which, in those days, were given only at the Academy. With about 200 others, he entered as a candidate. In a few days he was notified that he had passed the entrance examinations and thus became a new cadet in the class of ninety-one.</p>
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Upon graduation he was assigned to the 16th Infantry at Fort Douglas, Utah, which, in the nineties, was a delightful station for a young officer. About this time the War Department decided to organize Indian units in the Infantry and Cavalry regiments in the West, and Company I, consisting of 55 Sioux Indians from South Dakota, was added to the regiment. Sorley was assigned to this company. The non-coms were graduates of the Indian schools at Carlisle and elsewhere, and the company became a very successful organization. Mister (in those days) Sorley, though a mere second lieutenant, later commanded the company. In time, however, the project was abandoned.</p>
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In the summer of 1894, year of the great railroad strike, he was in Nevada with his organization on strike duty, guarding the railroad. In the fall of 1896 the 16th changed station, and he went to Fort Sherman, Idaho, on Lake Coeur d'Alene.<br />
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With the outbreak of the Spanish American War, the regiment went to Cuba. In the attack on San Juan Hill Sorley was wounded in the chest and arm; but, returning to the States, he recovered in a few weeks. He was later to receive the Silver Star and the Purple Heart as a result of his service in Cuba. While still on sick leave he married Nan Morrow of Galveston, to whom he had been engaged for some months. Then followed tours in the Philippines with fighting in the insurrection, transfer to the 14th Infantry, return to the States and duty with the 14th in San Francisco, where the regiment was rushed immediately after the great earthquake of 1906.</p>
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Now came four years as Commandant of Cadets at Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge. While here he wrote a history of the 14th Infantry, studied law, won his LL.B. degree at the University, was admitted to the bar in the State of Louisiana, and studied German. At the conclusion of this assignment he obtained a long leave and took the family on a six-month trip to Europe. In Berlin he attended a German language school for intensive further study and later spent two weeks with the German Army on field training and maneuvers.</p>
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Returning to the States, he was stationed in Montana and Washington (state) and, on promotion to major, transferred to the 12th Infantry stationed at the Presidio of Monterey and later the Presidio of San Francisco (in Pershing's brigade). Soon came border duty in Arizona, then to the School of the Line at Leavenworth, then to Hawaii.</p>
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After the outbreak of World War I he was ordered to Command the 13th Infantry of the 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California. In late October 1918, after their training period, the division moved East to leave for France. The armistice was expected to materialize soon, however, and this caused some uncertainty about sailing. Part of the division left for Europe, but the 13th Infantry, after some personnel of the regiment had actually gone aboard ship, was ordered to remain in the United States, and was distributed to Camp Mills, New York, Camp Merritt, New Jersey, and Hoboken, New Jersey, for mobilization duty.</p>
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Colonel Sorley, still commander of the 13th, was put in command of Camp Merritt, through which many thousands of troops were to pass as they were demobilized. He did a superb job here and received a letter from Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, saying that he (FDR) was directed by the President of the United States to express the appreciation and commendation of the Commander-in-Chicf for his (Sorley's) distinguished servicc as commanding officer of Camp Merritt, New Jersey. Sorley also received high praise from his immediate superior, Major General David C. Shanks.</p>
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In the spring of 1918 opportunity was given to field officers who had not had overseas duty during the war to visit the battlefields and military installations in Francc. Sorley applied for this tour and had a most interesting trip in Europe. En route back to the States he was appointed commanding officer of troops on the transport <em>Agamemnon</em>, sailing from Brest. The Navy had turned this ship over to the Army without a crew, just before the vessel was to sail for France. Because of the great pressure “to get the boys home” in a hurry, the Army had to get together quickly a sort of emergency crew composed of the poorest type of waterfront personnel, and on reaching France this crew was not allowed ashore. As a result the crew members were in an ugly mood, and on the trip home cossack posts of armed soldiers had to be kept on guard over them in the boiler and engine rooms all the way across the Atlantic.</p>
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The ship also was heavily overloaded with passengers. There was every variety of military personnel, including the entire West Point Class of 1921 (designation now changed to 11 June 1919), plus Red Cross girls and more than 100 war brides. Last but not least there was a Congressional Committee with wives, who were given the best accommodations. Because of the great overloading of the ship, the majority of those aboard could have only two regular meals each day, and at noon sandwiches and coffee were served by volunteers. The West Point class, through its commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Harrison, volunteered to help in any way possible. Class members performed guard duty, helped in regulation of the mess hall and in serving sandwiches at noon. Speaking of this class, Sorley said: “they were the only disciplined and co-operative group on the ship of disgruntled casuals...As an outstanding example of discipline and co-operation amidst many whose attitude was one of complaint and criticism, the Class of 1919 has ever had a unique place in my affections.’'</p>
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Sorley was now assigned to duty in the Office of the Adjutant General in Washington for two years, after which he attended the Army War College. Then he was sent to Potsdam, Germany, where, for three years he worked in the Reichsarchiv, selecting documents and translating them for the Historical Section of our Army War College. This was a most interesting mission, much enjoyed also by his wife and two young daughters, who spent part of the tour in Berlin and part in Paris and soaked up lots of German and French.</p>
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Upon returning from Germany in 1925, Sorley was appointed Chief of Staff of the 79th Division, an eastern Pennsylvania reserve division with headquarters in Philadelphia. This was one of the most thoroughly enjoyable assignments of his career. Here he made a great number of fine and lasting friendships and was in constant demand as a speaker at functions of many kinds in his area. It was a great pleasure to work with the personnel of the division, many of whom were dedicated, idealistic men.</p>
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In 1931, after six years on this rewarding assignment and 40 years of active service, he retired, electing to remain in this area where he and his family had so many fine friends and gratifying associations. He spent considerable time in writing and speaking on national defense and similar matters.</p>
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In 1943 Major General (now Lieutenant General) Milton G. Baker, Superintendent of Valley Forge Military Academy, organized for the War Department a training center for candidates for commissions in the Air Corps, and invited Sorley to teach the candidates military law. This project went so well that General Baker asked him to remain as a pennancnt instructor for the cadets at Valley Forge. Here Sorley taught German until 1949 when, at the age of 82, he retired from teaching. The Corps of Cadets conducted a retirement parade in his honor; and standing with him at this formation were his two sons, then on active duty and en route to class reunions at West Point.</p>
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In 1954 his beloved wife Nan died. This was a terrible blow from which he recovered very slowly, despite travel to California and visiting friends in many locations on his way back East. He moved to Washington to be near his two daughters. Years later he was to be saddened further by the death of his younger son, Morrow (USMA '24), in February 1965.</p>
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Lewis Sorley was truly devoted to West Point. During these last years he attended June Week at the Academy practically every year and was very proud to be, on some occasions, the oldest graduate present, especially after the death of his old friend and one-time West Point mathematics instructor, Major General Henry C. Hodges Jr., Class of '81. Sorley's last visit to the Academy was in June 1965 when, at age 98, with the Superintendent, Lieutenant General James B. Lampert, he proudly and without assistance led the alumni to Thayer monument and placed the wreath thereon.</p>
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Later in the year he had a successful operation for cataracts, but his general health began to deteriorate. He could not go to West Point in June 1966. Although weakened he felt well and remarked how fortunate he was, at that age, to have "no aches or pains”</p>
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On 15 August 1966, suddenly and without warning, he had a “massive heart attack"—his first and only. Taken to Walter Reed, he died that evening, eight months short of 100 years of age. He was buried at Arlington beside his adored wife Nan; “the brave little soldier" as he sometimes referred to her. He is survived by his two daughters, Mrs. Frederick B. Lyon and Mrs. Nan S. Volckmann, both of Washington, D.C.; Colonel Lewis Sorley Jr., USA, retired, (USMA 11 June 1919), of Wayne, Pennsylvania; six grandchildren, one of whom is Major Lewis S. Sorley III, (USMA ’56); and seven great-grandchildren.</p>
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Colonel Sorley was a Marshal. Somerset Chapter, Magna Charta Barons, and was a member of the Colonial Order of the Crown of the Americans of Royal Descent, and of the Sons of the Revolution.</p>
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Lewis Sorley was a man of the highest principles and a worthy son of the West Point of which he was so proud. He was kind, understanding, and generous; a fine husband and father, with the deepest affection for his family; and a true friend to his friends. His death brought great sorrow not only to his family but to his many firm friends in many places, who wrote touching tributes to Mac Sorley, '91. His work is done; his course on earth is run; and it can certainly be said to him, "well done, be thou at peace.”</p>
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<em>- LSS Jr.</em><br />
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