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These pages are dedicated to the memory of all the men from North Carolina that fought in the Civil War. West Point North Carolina Standard Raleigh August 20, 1862 The following particulars of the history of prominent officers of the Confederate and U.S. military, graduates of West Point, are believed to be reliable. Up to 1850 the facts stated are taken from the register of that institution compiled in that year. Each cadet, after graduating, is entitled to the rank of Second Lieutenant, his commission bearing a date according to his proficiency in his studies, in drill, etc. The discipline and standards of scholarship are very high as may be inferred from the fact that on average two thirds of the cadets who enter the Academy are dropped in the four year course from ill health, bad conduct, laziness or inability to keep pace with their more able classmates, leaving about one third to finish their course and attain the rand of 2nd Lieutenant in the regular army. The numbers subjoined compilation denote the respective class rank--#1 being the highest rank, etc.; the first five being regarded as particularly distinguished, while those having lower numbers must be highly accomplished officers—much more thoroughly educated than graduates of other colleges. The class rank was adopted in 1818. Class of 1815 Samuel Cooper of New York entered the artillery; Lt. Col. For gallant conduct in Mexico; compiler of a work on tactics; Adj’t General C.S.A. Note: Charles Davis, author of “Legendre”, “Bourdon”, etc., was a member of this class. Class of 1818 23 Members Richard Delafield of New York, #1, entered Engineers; a member of the Board of Engineers since 1845 Note: Major Delafield, Mordecai and McClellan were appointed to visit Europe during the Crimean War and report upon the military system of the Allies and Russians. Major Delafield now has charge of the harbor defenses in New York City. Harvey Brown of New Jersey, #6, entered light artillery, Brevet Major for gallantry in the Seminole War 1836; Brevet Lt. Col. At Contreras and Churubusco; now commanding at Fort Pickens. Class of 1819 29 Members Daniel Tyler of Connecticut, #14, entered light artillery; translator of a work on artillery; resigned 1834; civil engineer since 1834; now Brigadier General U.S.A. Note: George W. Whistler, the distinguished engineer who died in the service of Russia, was #12 in this class. Class of 1820 30 Members John H. Winder of Maryland, #11, entered artillery; brevetted major in 1847 for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brigadier general C.S.A. Class of 1822 40 Members J.F.K. Mansfield, Connecticut, #2, brevet major for gallantry at Ft. Brown, Texas, 1846, wounded severely in storming of Monterey and was brevetted lt. col., and col. For gallantry at Buena Vista; chief engineer in General Taylor’s army; member board of engineers; now major general C.S.A. Walter Gwynn, Virginia, #8, entered artillery, resigned in 1832, civil engineer since 1832; brigadier general in army of N.C. until its transfer to the Confederate government. Isaac R. Trimble, born Virginia, entered as a cadet from Kentucky, #17, entered artillery; resigned in 1832; civil engineer since 1832; brigadier general C.S.A. David Hunter, District of Columbia, #25, entered infantry; captain 1st Dragoons, 1833; resigned 1836; was paymaster in the war with Mexico; now brigadier general U.S.A. George A. McCall of Pennsylvania, #26(?), entered infantry; brevetted major and lt. col., for gallantry at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma; now major general U.S.A. Class of 1823 35 Members Alfred Mordecai, North Carolina, #1 in this class Class of 1824 31 Members Dennis H. Mahan, born New York, cadet from Virginia, #1, entered engineers; Professor Of Mathematics and Civil Engineering at West Point; author of works on “Field Fortifying” and “Civil Engineering”, etc. Robert P. Parrott, New Hampshire, #3, entered artillery; resigned in 1836; superintendent of West Point Iron and Cannon Foundry since 1836; inventor of the Parrott Gun. Dixon S. Miles, Maryland, #27, entered infantry; brevet major 1846 for gallantry at Fort Brown, Texas and brevet lt. col., Monterey; now colonel U.S.A. Class of 1825 37 Graduates Daniel S. Donelson, Tennessee, #5, entered artillery; resigned 1826; counselor at law; planter in Alabama; brigadier general C.S.A. Benjamin Huger, South Carolina, #8, entered artillery, brevet major for gallantry at Vera Cruz; brevet lt. col., at Molino Del Rey; brevet col., at Chapultepec; now major general C.S.A. Robert Anderson, Kentucky, #15, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry in the Seminole War; severely wounded at Molino Del Rey; brevet major for gallantry in that battle; major when in command at Fort Sumter; then brigadier general U.S.A.; now resigned Charles F. Smith, Pennsylvania, #19, entered artillery service; brevet major for gallantry at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma; brevet lt. col., Monterey; brevet colonel Contreras and Cherubusco; brigadier general U.S.A.; now dead. Note: Alexander D. Bache of Pennsylvania, the superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey, was #7 in this class and Thompson S. Brown of New York, the chief engineer of the New York Erie Railroad and of St. Petersburg and Moscow Railroad was #4. Class of 1826 40 Members Albert Sidney Johnson, born Kentucky, cadet from Louisiana, #8, entered infantry service in the Black Hawk War as assistant adjutant general; resigned 1834; secretary of war, Texas, 1838; colonel of the First Regiment Texas Volunteers in the war with Mexico; re-appointed paymaster in the U.S. Army 18?9 (one number illegible); commanded the Utah Expedition; general C.S.A.; killed at Shiloh. S.P. Heintzelman, Pennsylvania, #17, entered infantry; brevet major for gallantry at Huamantia(?), Mexico, now major general U.S.A. Silas Casey, Rhode Island, #39, entered infantry; severely wounded at Chapultepec; brevet major for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet lt. col., Chapultepec; now major general U.S.A. Note: The distinguished Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at West Point, H.C. Bartlett, cadet from Missouri, was number one in this class. Class of 1827 38 Members James A.J. Bradford, born Tennessee, cadet from Kentucky, #4, entered artillery; member of the North Carolina military board; Col. Ordinance, C.S.A. Leonidas Polk, North Carolina, #8, entered artillery; resigned 1827; Bishop of Louisiana; now major general C.S.A. Gabriel J. Rains, cadet from North Carolina, #13, entered infantry; wounded at (illegible); brevetted major for gallantry now brigadier general C.S.A. Phillip St. George Cooke, Virginia, 323, entered infantry; major in dragoons 1847; brevet lt. col., for meritorious conduct in California; now brigadier general U.S.A. Class of 1828 33 Graduates Hugh W. Mercer, Virginia, 33, entered artillery; resigned 1835; cashier at Planter’s Bank of Savannah since 1841; brigadier general C.S.A. Jefferson Davis, born Kentucky, cadet from Mississippi, #23, entered infantry; resigned 1835; member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi 1845; Colonel 1st Mississippi Volunteers (Rifles) in Mexican War; severely wounded at Buena Vista; re-appointed brigadier general U.S. Army 1847 (declined); member of U.S. Senate 1847; Secretary of War under President Pierce; President C.S.A., 1862 Thomas f. Drayton, South Carolina, #28, entered infantry, resigned 1836; civil engineer; planter since 1838, brigadier general C.S.A. Albert E. Church, cadet from Connecticut, a distinguished Professor of Mathematics at West Point and author of “Elements of Differential and Integral Calculus” was #1 in this class. Class of 1829 46 Graduates Robert E. Lee of Virginia, #2, entered engineers; assistant astronomer for demarcation of boundary lines between Ohio and Michigan, 1835; chief engineer General Wool’s army in Mexico; brevet major for gallantry at Cerro Gordo; brevet lt. col., Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet colonel at Chapultepec where he was wounded; member of the board of engineers; now commanding general C.S.A. Joseph E. Johnston of Virginia, #13, entered artillery; resigned 1837; re-appointed first lieutenant topographical engineers 1838; brevet captain for gallantry in the Florida war; brevet major and colonel for gallantry at Cerro Gordo where he was severely wounded twice; lt. col., of volunteers, 1847; wounded in the attack on the city of Mexico, disbanded as lt. col., Voltigeurs, 1848; reinstated by act of Congress as captain in topographical engineers; brevet lt. col., for gallantry at Chapultepec; now general C.S.A. O. McNight Mitchell, born Kentucky, cadet from Ohio, #15, entered artillery; resigned 1832; counselor at law; civil engineer 1836-37; Professor of Astronomy at Cincinnati College; founder of an observatory at Cincinnati; author of “Stellar World”; now brigadier general U.S.A. Albert G. Blanchard, Massachusetts, #26, entered infantry; resigned 1840(?), merchant at New Orleans from 1840; captain in Louisiana Volunteers, Mexican War; reappointed major 1847; disbanded 1848; now brigadier general C.S.A. Theophilis H. Holmes, North Carolina, #44, entered infantry; brevet major for gallantry at Monterey; now major general C.S.A. Class of 1830 42 Graduates Paul O. Herbert, Louisiana, #1, entered engineers; resigned 1845; Chief Engineer, state of Louisiana 1845-47; re-appointed lt. col., infantry, 1847; brevet col., for gallantry at Molino del Rey; disbanded 1848; now brigadier general, C.S.A. William Gilham, born Indiana, cadet from Virginia, #5, entered artillery; resigned 1846; professor of physical science V.M.I. 1846; author of “Gilham’s Tactics”; now colonel C.S.A. William T. Sherman, Ohio, #6, entered artillery; now major general U.S.A. John P. McCown, Tennessee, #10, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry Cerro Gordo; now brigadier general C.S.A. Richard S. Ewell, born District of Columbia, cadet from Virginia, #13, entered dragoons; brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; now brigadier general C.S.A. James G. Martin, North Carolina, 314, entered artillery; lost an arm at Cherubusco; brevet major for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; adjutant general North Carolina; now brigadier general C.S.A. Reuben P. Campbell, North Carolina, 327, entered dragoons, brevet captain for gallantry at Buena Vista; Colonel C.S.A.; killed at Chickahominy Thomas Jordan of Virginia, #41, entered infantry; brigadier general C.S.A. Class of 1841 52 Members Josiah Gorga(?), born Pennsylvania, cadet from New York, #6, entered ordinance, now chief of ordinance, C.S.A. Nathaniel Lynn of Connecticut, #11, entered infantry, brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; wounded at Rolon(?) Gate, Mexico City; major general U.S.A.; killed at Springfield Samuel S. Anderson, Virginia, #18, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry Molino del Rey; brigadier general C.S.A., resigned. Samuel Jones, Virginia, 319, entered infantry; brigadier general C.S.A. John F. Reynolds, Pennsylvania, #26, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry at Monterey; brevet major at Buena Vista; now brigadier general U.S.A. Robert S. Garnet, Virginia, #27, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry at Monterey; brevet major at Buena Vista; brigadier general C.S.A; killed at Rich Mountain Don Carlos Buell, born Ohio, cadet from Indiana, #32, entered infantry; brevet captain for gallantry at Monterey; severely wounded at Cherubusco; now major general U.S.A. Israel B. Richardson, Vermont, 338, entered infantry; brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet major for gallantry at Chapultepec; now major general U.S.A. Anderson D. Nelson, born Kentucky, cadet from Ohio; 343, entered infantry, now major general U.S.A. William S. Rosecrans (not Rosencranz), Ohio, #5, entered engineers; now major general U.S.A. Gustavus W. Smith, Kentucky, #8(?), entered engineering, brevet 1st lt., gallantry at Serro Gordo; brevet captain at Contreras; now major general C.S.A. Mansfield Lovell, District of Columbia, #9, entered artillery; wounded at Chapultepec; brevet captain for gallantry at Chapultepec; now major general C.S.A. John Pope, born Kentucky, cadet from Illinois, #17, entered topographical engineers; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Monterey; brevet captain at Buena Vista; now major general U.S.A. Abner Doubleday, New York, #24, entered artillery, now brigadier general U.S.A. Daniel H. Hill, South Carolina, #28, brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet major at Chapultepec; resigned 1849; now major general C.S.A. Richard H. Anderson, South Carolina, #40, entered dragoons; brevet 1st lt., gallantry at San Augustine, Mexico; now major general C.S.A. Lafayette McLaws, Georgia, #48, entered infantry, now major general C.S.A. Earl Van Dorn, Mississippi, #52, entered infantry; brevet captain for gallantry at Cerro Gordo; brevet major at Contreras and Cherubusco; wounded in entering Mexico City; now major general C.S.A. James Longstreet, born South Carolina, cadet from Alabama, 334, entered infantry, brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet major at Molino del Rey; severely wounded at Chapultepec; now major general C.S.A. Class of 1843 39 Graduates William B. Franklin of Pennsylvania, #1, entered topographical engineers; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Buena Vista; now major general U.S.A. Roswell S. Ripley, born Ohio, cadet from New York, #7, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry at Cerro Gordo; brevet major at Chapultepec; author of history “War With Mexico”, now brigadier general C.S.A. John J. Peck, New York, #8, entered artillery, brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet major Molino del Rey; now brigadier general U.S.A. Samuel G. French, New Jersey, #14, entered artillery; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Monterey where he was severely wounded; brevet captain at Buena Vista; now brigadier general C.S.A. Ulysses S. Grant, Ohio, #21, entered infantry; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Molino Del Rey; now major general U.S.A. Joseph H. Potter of New Hampshire, #22, entered infantry; severely wounded at Monterey; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Monterey; now brigadier general U.S.A. Class of 1844 26 Graduates Simon B. Buckner, Kentucky, #11, entered infantry; wounded at Cherubusco; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco (declined); now brigadier general C.S.A. Class of 1845 40 Graduates William H.C. Whiting, Mississippi, cadet at large, #1, entered engineering; now major general C.S.A. Charles P. Stone, Massachusetts, #7, entered ordinance; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Molino Del Rey; brevet captain at Chapultepec; now brigadier general U.S.A. under arrest. Fitz John Porter, New Hampshire, cadet at large, #8, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry at Molino Del Rey; brevet major at Chaptultepec; now brigadier general U.S.A. Edward Kirby Smith, Florida, #25, entered infantry, brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Cerro Gordo; brevet captain at Contreras; now major general C.S.A. Bernard E. Bee, South Carolina, cadet at large, #33, wounded at Cerro Gordo and brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at that battle; brevet captain at Chapultepec; killed at Manassas. Class of 1846 59 Graduates George P. McLellan, Pennsylvania, #2, (note, one line of his information is cut off); brevet captain at Chapultepec, now major general U.S.A. John G. Foster, New Hampshire, entered engineers; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; severely wounded at Molino Del Rey; and brevet captain for gallantry in that battle; now brigadier general U.S.A. Jesse L. Reno, born Virginia, cadet from Pennsylvania, #8, entered ordinance; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Cerro Gordo; brevet captain at Chapultepec where he was wounded; now brigadier general U.S.A. Thomas J. Jackson (Stonewall), Virginia, #17, entered artillery; brevet captain for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet major at Chapultepec; now major general C.S.A. David R. Jones, born South Carolina, cadet from Georgia, #41, entered infantry; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; now brigadier general C.S.A. Cadmus M. Wilcox, born North Carolina, cadet from Tennessee, #54, entered infantry; brevet 1st lt., for gallantry at Chapultepec; now brigadier general C.S.A. August 27, 1862 North Carolina Standard Raleigh West Point Soldiers I call attention to a few errors of the press and one or two by myself made through defective information Class of 1830 William M. Pendleton should be William N. Pendleton Class of 1832—It seems doubtful that Humphrey Marshall has resigned. Class of 1835—John W. Withers should be John M. Withers Class of 1836—Phelps is now Brigadier General instead of Colonel Class of 1838—McDowell is now a Major General. Also, it should be William J. Hardee not Harden Class of 1840—Paul Herbert should be Hebert Class of 1841—Josiah Gorgan, not Gorga Class of 1842—Generals Rosecrans, G.W. Smith, Lovell, Pope, Doubleday, D.H. Hill, R.H. Anderson, McLaws, VanDorn, and Longstreet were in the class of 1842 which had 56 graduates. Henry Prince of Maine was #30 in the class of 1835; was brevet Captain at Contreras and Major at Molino del Rey, now a Brigadier General in the U.S. It will be noticed that my last extends only to the class of 1848. Generals Stuart, Pender, George B. Anderson and others graduated since. North Carolina Standard Raleigh September 10, 1862 Addendums: Class of 1841, 52 graduates Zealous B. Tower, Massachusetts, #1, entered Engineers, brevet 1st major for gallantry at Cerro Gordo, brevet captain at Cherubusco and Contreras, brevet major at Chapultepec, now Brigadier General U.S.A. Horation G. Wright of Connecticut, #2, entered Engineers, now ----- General, U.S.A. Class of 1845, 41 graduates Thomas G. Rhett of South Carolina, cadet at large, #6, entered Ordnance; 2nd lieutenant mounted rifles 1834; brevet captain for gallantry at Puebla John P. Hatch, New York, entered Infantry; transferred to Mounted Rifles 1846; brevet 1st lieutenant for gallantry at Contreras and Cherubusco; brevet captain at Chapultepec, now Brigadier General U.S.A. Class of 1835, 56 Graduates Marsena R. Patrick, of New York, #48, entered Infantry, brevet major for gallantry in the Mexican War. Note: Montgomery Blair, cadet from Kentucky, afterwards resided at St. Louis, Missouri, was #18 in this class. General Taylor, U.S.A. reported wounded was probably Oliver H.P. Taylor of Rhode Island who was 91 in the class of 1846. He entered the Dragoons; was brevet 1st lieutenant for gallantry at Emudo and Taos The U.S. General Morgan at Cumberland Gap, is probably Edwin W. Morgan, cadet from Pennsylvania, #3 in the Class of 1847. He resigned, was an engineer until re-appointed major; disbanded 1848. Superintendent of the Western Military Institute in Blue Licks, Kentucky, since 1849. Note: The distinguished Superintendent of Coast Survey, A.D. Boche, was number one in the class of 1825. The lamented William H. Wright of N. Carolina was number one in Beauregard’s class of 1838. General Beauregard was number two. Col. William Beverhout Thompson was a cadet from New York, #31 in the class of 1824; resigned 1830; civil engineer since. Class of 1840, 43 graduates John G. Parke of Pennsylvania, #2, entered Topographical Engineers, now Brigadier General U.S.A. Class of 1848, 38 graduates John Buford, Jr., was born in Kentucky, a cadet from Illinois, #16, entered Dragoons now Brigadier General U.S.A. |