Adna Romanza Chaffee was born at Orwell, Ohio, on 14 April 1842; enlisted in the 6th Cavalry, July 1861; was promoted to sergeant and participated in the Peninsular and Antietam Campaigns, 1862; was advanced to first sergeant of Company K, September 1862; was commissioned a second lieutenant by direction of the secretary of war, May 1863; continued his Civil War service in the 6th Cavalry; was twice wounded and received the brevet of captain for gallant and meritorious service in action at Dinwiddie Court House, Virginia; was promoted to first lieutenant, February 1865, and captain, October 1867; married Kate Haynie Reynolds, 1868 (deceased 1869); served in the Indian wars against Central Plains and southwestern tribes, 1867?1894; was brevetted major for action at Paint Creek, Texas (1868), and lieutenant colonel for actions at Red River, Texas (1874), and Big Dry Wash, Arizona (1882); married his second wife, Annie Frances Rockwell, 1875; was promoted to major and posted to the 9th Cavalry, July 1888; was instructor in tactics at the Infantry and Cavalry School, Fort Leavenworth, 1894?1896; was promoted to lieutenant colonel and transferred to the 3d Cavalry June 1897; was commandant of the Cavalry School, Fort Riley, 1897?1898; as the War with Spain opened, was promoted to brigadier general (May 1898) and major general (July 1898) of volunteers, and was reappointed to both grades after procedural lapse, April 1899 and July 1900, respectively; commanded a brigade in the Santiago campaign and served as chief of staff to the military governor of Cuba, 1898?1900; was promoted to colonel, 8th Cavalry, in the regular establishment, May 1899; commanded the American contingent in the multinational relief force sent to China during the Boxer uprising, 1900?1901; was promoted to major general in the permanent establishment, February 1901; commanded the Department of the Philippines and served as military governor, July 1901?October 1902; commanded the Department of the East, 1902?1903; was promoted to lieutenant general, January 1904; was chief of staff of the United States Army, 9 January 1904?14 January 1906; established territorial divisions to supervise field departments, emphasized the need for canteen services to forestall disciplinary problems, sought increases in officer strength to counteract diversions from troop duty, and pressed for increases in quarters allowances; served on an Army and Navy board for cooperation between the services; retired from active service, February 1906; was president of the Board of Public Works for the city of Los Angeles; died in Los Angeles, California, on 1 November 1914.