Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-19

The States Selected FrOm-Their
Subsequent Careers = How Many
Were "LOyaI'' and How Many "Reb-
ell" etc. etc.
From the New York Evening Post.
1t is not every year that so valuable a
book appears as the Biographical Regis
ter of the Officers and Graduates of the
United States Military Academy" edited
by Gen. George w. Cullum, and published
by Mr.. ID. Van Nostrand. OF course, the
paramount interest Of this book is for those
whose names figure on its pages, and for
their friends; but il is also an important
contribution to the history Of the country.
Gen. Cullum has been indefatigable in his
exertions 10 make the work accurate and
/ complete. He says in his preface every
source of information, official and private,
/ has been exhausted. Archives
have been ransacked, tons of manuscript,
| letters by thousands written, and interroga-
tories almost countless put wherever hope
Of cleaning any information at all trust
worthy existed"
The body Of the book consists of verv
condensed sketches of the careers of the
graduates, both in military and in civil life.
To this Register" however, are prefxed
several interesting tables From these we
learn that since the Academy was opened
in 1902 il has graduated 22lS cadets. OF
this number l79 were appointed to the
corps Of engineers, 844 TO the infantry. 79S
to the artillery, 55 TO the cavalry, 136 to
the dragons, and the rest were distributed
among the other branche8 of the service.
One graduate entered the civil service and
two failed TO receive commissions. Three
were retired, 400 died in service, 1873 were
killed in battle, 7l2 resigned, "A we're dis
banded, 26 mustered out, l. discharged, 20
dropped, 80 dismissed, 10 cashiered and
declined promotion, 659 are in active ser
vice, aRd 50 in retired service.
With regard to the representation Of the
different States and territories in the Acad-
emy, 30 cadets have been appointed from
Alabama, from Arkansas, 2 from Cali
fornia, from Colorado 63 from Connect
cut from Dakota, l9 from Delaware, so
from the District of Columbia, z from Florida,
AZ from Georgia, 30 from Illinois, So from
Indiana, from Iowa, IS from Kentucky.
IL from Louisiana, SO from Maine, so from
Maryland, l39 from Massachusetts, I9 from
Michigan, from Minnesota, II from Mis-
sissippi, 29 from Missouri, from Nebras-
ka, from Nevada, 43 from New Hamp-
shire, 81 from New Jersey, from New
Mexico, 353 from New York, 68 from North
Carolina, l34 from Ohio, 2 from Oregon,
2lS from Pennsylvania, % from Rhode
Island, 62 from South Carolina, 81 from
Tennessee, from Texas, from Utah, II
from Vermont, $50 from Virginia, . from
Washington, and 10 from Wisconsin. One
hundred and seventy-four were appointed
at large
OF those graduates who entered civil life,
3 became members Of the Cabinet, Minis
ters TO foreign countries 6 held subordinat-
positions in the diplomatic service, II enc
tered Congress- 68 were chosen to civil |
Offices, five served as Presidential electors, |
8 became Governors, 2 Lieutenant Govern |
ora, 60 were elected to State Legislatures,
IL 10 Constitutional Conventions, and "a TO /
State Offices; l2s served in the militia, |
were elected 20 The Mayoralsy and "A to !
other municipal Offices; 26 became Presi-
dents Of colleges, % principals Of acade-
mics, and 50 professors and teachers; Il
were chosen surveyor generals, II
State engineers, 35 Presidents of rail
ways and other corporations, As chief
engineers Of railways and other public
works, A superintendents Of railways and
other public works, treasurers of railway
and other companies. l55 became civil en-
gineers, 10 Judges, ll9 lawyers, Is clergy
men, . doctors, 78 merchants, 80 manu-
facturers, artists, 4 architects, I0l plant
ers and farmers, s bankers, 5 bank presi-
dents, bank officers 3 editors, and rs
authors. One became bishop, was APP
pointed superintendent of the Coast Sur
vey, and were chosen regents and chan
Cellors of universities.
The most interesting table in the volume
is that which is headed, " Rebellion Record
of Graduates" Ofthe 1243 graduates sup
posed TO have been living in 1861, 2S3, or
less than % per cent, Joined in the rebel
lion. OF the $50 graduates in the army at
that time, lS4, or about 22 per cent, Joined
in the rebellion. Sixteen Of these officers
were of Northern birth. OF the 80 gradu- |
ates in civil life who entered the Rebel
army, all but one were born in slave States.
Ont Of $50 graduates born in Southern
States who were in service at the outbreak |
Of the rebellion, l62 or nearly one-half |
remained loyal. OF the $50 loyal gradu.
ates in civil life, 10 (about One-half of |
whom were beyond the meridian
Of liie) re-entered the military ser
vice, and of the remainder Of all |
less than forty-fve years old became
officers of the regular or volunteer armies,
except thirty-nine who from disability or
other causes did not take an active part in
the war, though many performed useful
services in civil capacities requiring mill
tary knowledge, while others who had
rendered their services were unable to
procure COMMISSIONS Ofthe whole num-
Der of loyal graduates in the regular aud
volunteer armies one-ffth were killed, and
more than one-third we're wounded.
General Cullum adds that "the entire
cost Of educating the whole Of the seeding
graduates in money was not more than was
saved by the military knowledge of its !
West Points, loyal graduates on cUery |
ddy Of he rebellion.
General Cnllum gives the names and |
positions OF some 6S6 forts, military posts
and srsenals, and the names Of 72 battles
and actions in the war Of 1912; of 16S in
the Indian war of As in the war with
Mexico, and of some 50i in the war Of the
rebellion, in all of which West Point
graduates took part. OF course, the in
Vulnerable skiTmishes with the Rebel
forces are not included in this list