Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-22

Graduated at West Point military
Academy from its Establishment
In ISO2, 10 the Present time-Also.
Cadets Appointed from Florida
but Born observation-disclosures In
the United States Army.
ATLANTA, April 16.-In my article entitled
Georgia at West Point" published in the
MORNING NEWS of the 18th, devoted few in
troductory paragraphs to the early operations
of the Military Academy, and it will not be
necessary to repeat them as Introductory to
the present article.
Georgia was first represented by a -GtiUe
| Georgian in the graduating class of foi5, cut
1 florida seems not to have been similarly tayor-
4 ed until 1915, at which time Gen. e. Kirby
1 Smith finished his course of study. Capt K.
Kirby Smith, who graduated in 1870, was ap-
pointed from Florida but was native OF Con-
necticut.
The roll, as have compiled it from official
records is not large yet it contains the names
of officers whose military genius and heroic
deeds are a proud legacy to the State in which
they were born, or at whose hands they re-
ceived their appointments.
No. 1855. Edmund Kirby Smith, 1916 Re-
signed in 1861. Was Lieutenant General in
Confederate States Army Now Professor at
University of the South.
No. 14O9 Stephen v. Benet, 1S49. Brigadier
G6n6Tdl y. o. As duu OAlCA VI OIuHAhC0 0o-
partment Retired.
No 1449 James Mcintosh, 1849. Resigned
1861, and became Brigadier General in COnfed
/ crate army. Killed at battle or Pea Ridge,
1852. Appointed "At Large" to academy.
10. 1903. James L. White, 1858. Resigned in
| 1856 and entered Confederate service. Civil
engineer in Marion county, Fla, since 1878.
ed Ut La Large being as son Of Col. A. II. Bow
man, of the Engineer Corps. Became Brevet
Major U. s. A, and Captain OF Fourth Cavalry.
GeS Died in service, at Camp Verde, Texas, in
No 2OO7. Josiah H " Field, 1858. Appointed
"At LARGE Became First Lieutenant OF Ord
nance. and died in service, in 1864, at Cumber-
| land, Md
No. 2725. John R. TotSen, 1873 Appointed
from Nebraska. Son of Brig. Gen. James Tot
ten, who was on duty in Florida in 1849. Is
Second Lieutenant of Fourth Artillery.
NO. 2lSS Allyn Capron, 1867. This seems to
be doubtful case Gen. Cullum's West Point
| Register has him a native of Rhode Island, and
appointed from North Carolina But the Army
Register makes him native of Florida. He is
First Lieutenant of the First Artillery. and
! son OF Capt. K. A. Capron, of Connecticut,
| killed in the Mexican war.
Several natives of other States have been ap
| pointed to the Military Academy from Florida,
as will be seen from the following list. Some
Of these officers attained more than ordinary
reputation in active service
| No. 469. e. Kirby Smith 1926. Born in Con.
necticut. Captain of Fifth Infantry. Mortaly
| wounded in Mexican war and died near battle
| field September ID, 1647.
| No. Isl. John Sanders, 1884 Born in Ken
tucky. Graduated No. 2 in his class. Brevet
Major U. S. A. and Captain of Engineers Died
at Fort Delaware, Del in 1858.
No. 1850 Henry D. Wallen, 1910. Born In
Georgia. Brevet Brigadier General u. S. A.,
and retired with rank of Colonel.
No. 2170 Charles Shaler. 1867. Born in Penn
sylvania. Captain of Ordnance U. s A., and
Chief Ordnance officer of the Department of
No. 2427. Charles A. Barnum, 1872 Born In
New York, but appointed from Florida. First
Lieutenant of Seventh Cavalry.
Florida has furnished several Professors and
instructors at the Academy. Brevet Captain
Edmund Kirby Smith was Assistant Professor
of Mathematics in 1849 First Lieutenant
Stephen V. Benet was Assistant Professor of
Geography, History, etc, in 1883, and Instruc-
tor of Ordnance and Gunnery from 1861 to
1854; Second Lieutenant John r. Totten was
Assistant Instructor of Artillery Tactics in
1873.
Surgeon Thomas c. Madison, born in Vir
ginia, was appointed from Florida in 1910. with
the rank of Major. Resigned in August, 1861.
Assistant surgeon VIM. j. L'Engle, born in
Florida, was appointed from South Carolina
in 1856, with the rank of First Lieutenant. Re-
signed in April, 1861.
First Lieutenant John Drysdale, born in
Florida, was appointed from that State. TO the
Third Artillery, in 1855, but dropped" from
the rolls in the fall of 1860.
Colonel William W. Loring, commander of
the regiment of Mounted Rilemen. Born in
INOEbu OdTOllIlds anu dppOiuJcQ dpthlu III OI6
army, from Florida, in 1916. Resigned in 1861,
and became Major General in Confederate
army. Was then General in Egyptian army.
Now residing at Gainesville, Fla. Is the one
armed hero Of four wars-Florida Indian war
of 1895, the Mexican war, the late war. and in
the Egyptian service-although q young aud
vigorous looking man.
Florida is represented in the regular army
at the present time by the following appoint
mentS from civil life:
Captain Thomas F. Riley, born in Florida.
kxAlE
of the Twenty-frst Infantry at the present
time
There was small Florida representation,
not recorded above in the army when the State
seeded, which may as well be added here:
First Lieutenant Allen Smith, born in Flor
ida, and appointed Second Lieutenant from
Pennsylvania in 1866, Adjutant of the First
Infantry, then Captain in 1880.
Assistant Surgeon Joseph Y. Porter, born in
and appointed from Florida, appointed Assist
ant Surgeon, with rank of First Lieutenant, in
1875.
Second Lieutenant Charles B. vodges, born
in Florida, was appointed "At Large" to the
First Infantry in 1880.
Brigadier General Stephen A Moreno. of
Pensacola, was appointed cadet at West
Point in 1858, but 1 think he was one of the
SouUherners who preferred to retire in 1851
and give their support to the Confederacy
rather than remain and graduate.
The appointments In 1877 to West Point from
Florida, were Francis Joseph Herman and
Hiram Blanchard Potter; in 1873 Albert
Waller GilchriSt OF the history of these
cadets know nothing, but presume they are
still at the academy.
There are two distinguished West Point
graduates now residing in Florida, who are
known to me. There may be others. Colonel
Francis l.. Dancy, of North Carolina, who
graduated in 1895, and after ten years in the
service resigned and became noted engineer
in charge of government works at st. Angus
tine, Fla. Has resided at his Buena Vista
orange grove, below Palatka, for about forty
years. Has held numerous important public
positions in the State.
The other graduate is Colonel (Rev.) Robert
T. p Allen, of Maryland, who graduated in
1884, but resigned two years later. Established
several military institutes, and was a Methodist
preacher and educator of much ability for
many years. Commanded Texas regiment in
the Confederate army. Resides with his son
near Orlando, in Orange county. His noble
wife is fondly remembered by hundreds OF ca
diets in the South, who shared her mOtherly
devotion during their school days under
Colonel Allen.
General Alfred Iverson, Of Georgia, now re-
siding at Lake Maitland, in Orange county,
entered the army in 1856 as First Lieutenant
of the First Cavalry, and resigned In 1851 to
enter the Confederate service, where he be-
came a dashing cavalry commander.
In future article l shall give list Of all the
officers born in or appointed from Florida.
whose names appear on the official records of
the army for the past one hundred years and
also of all the cadets who have been appointed
to the Military Academy from Florida since
its establishment in 1902, but who failed to
graduate.
Any corrections Of the present article, or
additions which may be sent me within the
next three weeks, at Atlanta, Georgia will
be published with that article. found that
the official records confiicted in some cases,
and / have followed what appeared to nee
to be the most correct statement. One
record says Lieutenant Capron was born in
Rhode Island. while the other says Florida