Edward A. Underwood

The grave of Pvt. Edward A. Underwood in Gettysburg National Cemetery

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Died of disease while serving at Camp Colt in Gettysburg, PA

Place of Birth:

Nellore, India

Date of Birth:

January 30, 1876

Place of Death:

Camp Colt, Gettysburg, PA

Date of Death:

October 6, 1918

Place of Burial:

Gettysburg, PA

Cemetery Name:

Gettysburg National Cemetery

Section 8, Row 1, Grave 6

Edward A. Underwood was an Englishman born in Nellore India in 1876, who would emigrate to the U.S. in November of 1910. He arrived in the Seattle port from Vancouver, British Columbia. Underwood would go on to serve at Camp Colt in the 1st Casual Company, Tank Corp. Prior to his military service, he lived in Saratoga, California, with his wife, Sheila.

In May of 1918, Edward declared his intent to become a citizen of the United States. On Underwood’s Declaration of Intent he is listed as being 42-years-old, weighing 153 pounds, and having gray hair and blue eyes. Prior to 1952, the Declaration of Intent was the first step in the naturalization process for those seeking U.S. citizenship. This declaration had the applicant formally renounce any allegiance to a foreign government. In his declaration, Underwood denounced his allegiance to King George V of the United Kingdom and pronounced his allegiance to the United States as a necessary step before he could apply for the petition of naturalization.

By the time Edward denounced his allegiance to King George V, the United States had been involved in the Great War for over a year. Beginning in April 1917, the U.S. entered into what was described at the time as the war to end all wars. The U.S. government was eager to build up American forces as quickly as possible, and to modernize fighting tactics and technology. The use of tanks on the Western Front was among the many new fighting methods the U.S. was looking to adopt. In order to do so, the Americans needed a way to train soldiers on using tanks. In March 1918, the U.S. Army established Camp Colt, a tank training camp, on the grounds of Gettysburg National Military Park. 27-year-old Captain Dwight D. Eisenhower was to be the camp's commander. 

Throughout 1918, Eisenhower faced tremendous challenges at Camp Colt. Training young men on how to become soldiers was difficult enough. Preparing them for tank warfare when the camp had no tanks for its first three months proved tougher. Eisenhower also had over 300 soldiers who were immigrants, looking to become American citizens during their service. 

We don't know the date that Edward Underwood arrived at Camp Colt as a private, but we know he was one of many who became an American citizen during his service at Camp Colt. 255 soldiers became citizens in June, with another 53 taking their oath of citizenship in July. 

By September, Eisenhower and many under his command were looking forward to their chance to leave Camp Colt and head to the Western Front in Europe. That fall, however, the global influenza pandemic struck Camp Colt, causing devastation among the men. Over 150 men in the camp died from the flu, including new American citizen Edward Underwood. Private Underwood died from influenza and bronchopneumonia on Ocober 6, 1918. He was buried in Gettysburg National Cemetery three days later.

While it was known as the Great War at the time, 116,516 Americans died in the conflict now known as World War I. Of that number, 63,114 deaths were from disease, including American citizen Edward Underwood, a private at Camp Colt in Gettysburg, PA.