Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-11

1902 it was many years thereafter before its
entire list Of graduates reached as high fig
ure as is attained by single class at the pres
ent day. Up to 1912 there had been but seven
ty one graduates sent forth from the institu
ton. The single class Of 1877 numbered seven
ty-six graduates.
1t is singular fact that the North and the
South were equally represented in the first
graduating class composed of only two mem
bers) which had a term Of instruction cover
ing but few months. AS one member, Cacet
Joseph G. Swift was from Massachusetts, and
the other member, Cadet Simon II. Levy, was
It is also singular fact that Cadet (GeneraD
Swift lived to ripe old age, dying in 1865.
crowned with many high honors, while his
classmate Cadet Nieutenantl Levy, was cut
off at the very opening of his bright career,
dying in Georgia, it is supposed. during the
wear 1867. two years after reSignlng from the
army. at which time he was serving in the
corps of engineers on the Southern coast
From this small beginning of two graduates,
in 1902, representing both sections or the coun-
try, the list had swollen in 1861, the period 70
which this brief review is confined, to 1,SS7
graduates, the class of that year numbering
forty-one of whom twenty y-seven were from
the North and West and fourteen from the
South
It was not until 1915 that Georgia appeared in
the list at which time Cadet William w. COR
don and Cadet Robert NJ Forsyth finished their
course. between buHL Qdb6 aIlu 1851 bn0GO MClC
a few Georgia graduates, but after that year
the Georgia graduates became more frequent.
The following is a list of all the native Geor-
CLANS VINO grad9ated az Ine Acaeey my ,ntt. ir9nn
year, if ! have made no error 10 compiling the
names from Gen. Cullum's Register" OF the
Academy
same year and died 1s42, at Savannah.
No. IA Robert M. Forsyth, 1918. Dismissed
1873 and died year later.
No. 263 Clarke Burdine, 1891 Resigned
1925 and died in Kentucky, 1885.
No 405 Matthew j. Williams, 1925. Re
signed 1897, and died 1873. Named NJ. R. I.
Harrison when he graduated
No 427 Joseph Clay, 1925. Died in service
at Fort Gratiot Michigan, in 1882.
No. 459. William H, Sims. 1926. Resigned
following year, and died in New Orleans. 1S7.
signed in 1888, and died three years later in
New Orleans. General R. E. Lee graduated
No. in this class. and Cadet Hartford stood
No. 54S John Mackay, 1929. Died in service
at Savannah, 1S46
Nc. 569 James H. Wright, 1929 led in SER
vice, at Jefferson Barracks, Mo, 1880. Appoint
ed from South Carolina.
No. 582 James S. Moore, 1920. Resigned
same year, and died at Warriors Stand, Ala,
1869.
No. 5Ss William E. Basinger, 1880. Killed in
Dade Massacre, Florida, by Indians 1885.
No. 65s. James s. Williams, 1881. Resigned
1887, and died in New York, 1871.
No. 746. Joseph P. Harrison, 1888 Resigned
1899, and died same year. Appointed from
No 749. Nathaniel W. Hunter, 1888. Re-
signed same year, but reappointed in 1896.
Died in service at Charleston. $. G., 1S49.
No. 774. Goode Bryan, 1884. Resigned the
year following but served again during the
Mexican war.
No SCI Philip R. Thompson 1885. Cashier
ed in 1855, and died two years later in the Gulf
of Mexico.
No SAC. Montgomery c. Meigs, 1886. Late
Quartermaster General U. s. A., and now on
retired list. Appointed from Pennsylvania.
No. 913. George Tay lor, 1887. Drowned in
service off Capes of Delaware, 1853
No 1886. William Henry Talbot Walker, 1887.
Resigned 1860, Killed battle of Atlanta, 1864.
as Major General Of g. s. A.
No. 954. Henry G. Wayne, 1898 Resigned
1860 Was Major General in Confederate SER
vice. Living in Savannah.
No 966. William J. Hardee 1888. Resigned
1861. and died in 1873. Lieutenant General OF
No 1850. Henry D. wallen. 1910. On retired
list of .. s. A, with rank OF Colonel. Ap-
No 1853 Lafayette McIIaws, 1842. Resigned
1861 and became Major General in Confed-
crate army. Now Postmaster at Savannah.
No. 1241. Henry Coppee, 1916. Resigned in
1855, and is now an eminent educator and
author in Pennsylvania.
No. 1906 William d. Smith, 1916 Resigned
in 1861, and died at Charleston, S. c., the fo,.
lowing year.
No. 1921. Thomas R. Connell, 1915. Resigned
ten years after, and died at Marietta in 1851
No. 1923. William Montgomery Gardner, 1886
Resigned 1851. Was terribly wounded at first
Bull Run, and became Brigadier General c. S.
A. Resides near Rome,
No 1892 John q. Booth, 1S48 Resigned in
1856, and died at Fayetteville, N. G., 1862 APP
pointed from Alabama
No. 1925. Thomas Wright 1849. Died in SER
vice, at Fort Randall, d. T., 1857.
No. 1441. Alfred Cumming, 1S49 Resigned
1861, and became Brigadier General in G. s. A.
No 1853 James P. Flewellen, 1885, Resigned
four years later and became a resident of Ma
con.
No. 1491. j. Edward Maxwell, 1853. Killed in
battle with the Indians, in New Mexico, 1854.
No 1852. William r. Boggs, 1854 Resigned
in 1851 and became Brigadier General in Con-
federete army: Now residing in Virginia.
No. 1891. John s. Bowen, 1858. Resigned In
1856. and went from Savannah to st. Louis
Major General G. S. A, and died in service, in
Mississippi, during summer OF 1853.
No. 1885, Owen 4. Solomon, 1883 Died in
service. at Fort Laramie D. T., 1853.
No 1855 Abner Smead, 1854 Dropped from
army roll in 1861, on account of secession. Pro
fes sor in California O few years ago.
No 1870. John T. Mercer 1854. Resigned in
1861 and killed in Confederate service at Ply
mouth N. c., in 1864.
No 1892. John r. Church, 1885, Resigned in
1860, entered the Confederate service, and died
at Columbia, s. o. 1858,
No. 1862 E. Porter Alexander, 1857. Re
signed in 1861, and became Brigadier General
OF Artillery IN confederate states Army. Kali
road manager at Louisville, Ky.
No. 1770 Thomas j. Berry, 1857 Resigned
1861, and entered the Confederate service. Died
at Newman in 1865.
No. 1884. George A. Cunningham, 1857 Re
signed, 1861, to enter Confederate service. Was
living in Richmond, Va, q few years since. Ap- |
pointed sroEa Alabama.
Ia. 1887. Aurelus F. Cone. 1857. Resigned, |
1861, and entered Confederate service. Died at
Newman some years ago.
No. 1894 Robert H. Anderson, 1857. Resign |
ed, 1861, and became a Brigadier General in |
Confederate army. Now Chief of Police at |
No. 1907. Leroy Napier, 1858. Resigned in
1861 and entered Confederate service. Died in |
Macon in 1857.
No. 1919 Bryan NJ Thomas, 1858. Resigned
in 1861, and became Brigadier General in Con
federatS army. Has resided at Milledgevile
since the war.
No. 1913 Joseph Wheeler, 1859. Resigned in
1861, and rose to be Lieutenant General OF
Cavalry in Confederate service. Appointed
from New York. Resides at Wheeler, Ala, and
was elected to next Congyesg
OF this list of gradua6es but few can be Sc
lected who occupied, after graduating, official
posi-, 5oes at the Academy.
Second Lieutenant VIM. e. Basinger, Of the !
Second Artillery, was the first detail, and was |
Assistant Instructor of Infantry Tactics in 1881
and for two years after,
Gen. Henry q. Wayne, then Second Lieut. |
enant of Artillery, became an assistant instruc- |
tor in several branches as early as 1S4t and was
First Lieutenant and Quarter1naster in 1643
General John n. Cuyler mot graduate but |
native Georgian) then a surgeon in the army, |
became Chief Medical Officer in 1S4S He is |
now Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General IN |
the Medical Department of the army.
Captain Henry Coppee, First Lieutenant OF |
Artillery, was assistant professor of several |
branches of stujy from 1850 to 1855, when he |
resigned from the army,
General William Henry Talbot Walker, Cap |
tain OF the Sixth Infantry and Brevet Lieuten-
ant Colonel, was COmmandant of Cadets from |
1854 to 1855, being the first Georgia graduate to /
attain this high position.
General William j. Hardee, Major OF the /
Second Cavalry and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
succeeded General Walker as CoInmandant in
1856, and held that position until September |
1850 Both these officers were also instructors
General E. Porter Alexander, Second Lieu
tenant OF the Engineer Corps, seems to have
been the last detail, and was assistant profes-
sor, or instructor, in various departments from
1883 to July, 1864 when he was ordered 10 Cali
fornia.
The above, think is pretty reliable out
line sketch OF Georgias connection with the
Military Academy at West Point from the time
of its establishments. in 1902 to the secession of
the State in 1861. There may be errors, of
which am ignorant In the records from |
which much OF my information has been de.
rived, aud shall be glad of any suggested cor
rections.
Ia future review of a simiIar character /
shall present list Of the Georgia graduates
land those who retired in 18S1l from 1881 to the
- T~aI