Eggnog Riot The Eggnog Riot , sometimes known as the Grog Mutiny , was a riot that took place at the United States Military Academy in West Point , New York , on 24 – 25 December 1826 . It was caused by a drunken Christmas Day party in the North Barracks of the Academy . Two days prior to the incident , a large quantity of whiskey was smuggled into the academy to make eggnog for the party , giving the riot its name . The riot eventually involved more than one - third of the cadets by the time it ceased on Christmas morning . A subsequent investigation by Academy officials resulted in the implication of seventy cadets and the court - martial ing of twenty of them and one enlisted soldier . Among the participants in the riot — though he was not court - martialed — was future Confederate States President Jefferson Davis . Background . The large number of small dairy farms in Colonial America in the early 19th century made milk , cream , and eggnog more accessible to the American public . George Washington drank eggnog that contained not only rum , but also significant amounts of sherry , brandy , and whiskey . In 1817 , Sylvanus Thayer took command at the United States Military Academy . By 1826 , the Academy had 36 men serving as faculty and staff with four recognized departments – mathematics , engineering , natural philosophy ( now the physics , chemistry and life sciences departments ) , and military tactics . Alcohol possession at the Academy was prohibited along with drunkenness and intoxication , both of which could lead to expulsion . Tobacco use and gambling could lead to demerits , minor incarceration , or a loss of privilege s . By 1826 , concern had been raised that drinking was starting to get out of hand among the 260 cadets at the Academy . The cadets were informed that , due to the alcohol prohibition on the site , their Christmas eggnog would be alcohol - free , prompting the decision to smuggle liquor into the academy to add to the eggnog . Timeline of events . 22 December 1826 . 20 : 50 – 22 : 15 . At Martin ' s Tavern , cadets William R . Burnley ( Alabama ) , Alexander J . Center ( New York ) , and Samuel Alexander Roberts ( Alabama ) almost got into a fight with the proprietors of another tavern concerning getting whiskey back to West Point . Private James Dougan , the duty security guard , agreed to let the three cadets take a boat across the Hudson to smuggle the whiskey . The cadets planned to purchase a half - gallon of whiskey as an alcohol base for the eggnog party that would take place in the North Barracks two nights later . Phillip St . George ( Virginia ) was the 24 - hour duty cadet guard of the day . Burnley , Center , and Roberts successfully obtained two gallons of whiskey , smuggling them into North Barracks Room # 33 . Cadet T . M . Lewis ( Kentucky ) also returned with a gallon of rum from Benny ' s Tavern to North Barracks Room # 5 . 23 December 1826 . 07 : 00 . Thayer met with George Bomford ( New York ) and Robert E . Lee ( Virginia ) . Bomford was questioned about his parental correspondence by Thayer while Lee questioned Thayer about trigonometry problems for artillery gunnery . Classes and barracks inspections continued as usual that day . 17 : 45 . A Christmas party took place at Thayer ' s residence at which wine was served . Reverend Charles McIlvane , the Academy chaplain , was among the attendees . During the party , a conversation ensued between Thayer and Major William J . Worth , the Commandant of cadets , about Jefferson Davis ' ( Mississippi ) disciplinary problems . Entertainment was provided by the West Point band . The party ended at 21 : 30 . 18 : 00 . Four cadets , Walter B . Guion ( Mississippi ) , Davis , John Stocker ( Pennsylvania ) , and David Farrelly ( Pennsylvania ) , met at Benny Haven ' s tavern . Most of the discussion was about everyday life among the cadets . They left before Academy quartermaster Aeneas Mackay arrived . Meanwhile at the North Barracks , cadets were planning the party . Preparations included stealing bits and pieces of food during their visits to the mess hall . During this time , cadets residing in the South Barracks found out about the North Barracks ' planned Christmas party . 24 – 25 December 1826 . 22 : 00 to 04 : 15 . Nathaniel Eaton ( Massachusetts ) was the cadet in charge of the external post of the North Barracks . Captain Ethan Allen Hitchcock , a faculty member in military tactics , was also stationed in the North Barracks . Eaton and Hitchcock met and discussed the smuggled liquor in the North Barracks . The eggnog party started among nine cadets in North Barracks Room No . 28 . Numerous cadets appeared as the party progressed , while another party began in Room No . 5 , mentioned by seven cadets including Davis . Farrelly went again to North ' s or Havens and returned with another gallon of whiskey early on Christmas morning . Cadet Charles Whipple ( Michigan Territory ) , the division superintendent during the first part of the incident , went to North Barracks Room No . 5 at 02 : 00 after hearing a commotion , interrupting a round of singing among eight cadets , including Davis . Whipple returned to his room after a verbal exchange with Davis and the other cadets . Hitchcock made another patrol around the barracks at 03 : 00 . Lieutenant William A . Thornton was asleep while the events unfolded . By 04 : 00 , voices from the floor above Hitchcock were loud enough to cause the faculty member to investigate Room No . 28 , where Hitchcock knocked on the door and found six cadets drunk from the eggnog , as well as two others sleeping on a bed . Hitchcock ordered two of the cadets back to their rooms . After they left , Hitchcock woke the two sleeping cadets and ordered them to leave as well . Then he confronted Cadet James W . M . " Weems " Berrien ( Georgia ) , who responded with equal force . Hitchcock read the Riot Act to the residents of the room for possessing alcohol on the premises . The captain left the room at 04 : 15 . Berrien began verbalising his rage toward Hitchcock , which led William D . C . " Billy " Murdock ( District of Columbia ) to lead an effort to organize a riot against Hitchcock . 25 December 1826 . 04 : 30 to 06 : 05 . Hitchcock went down to his room to sleep . Three times he heard knocks on the door only to find no one there . After finding another cadet drunk , Hitchcock saw Davis head over to Room No . 5 where thirteen cadets were partying . Davis , seeing Hitchcock ' s arrival , warned the other cadets . The captain entered the room , ordering one of the cadets to open up another cadet ' s footlocker , but the cadet refused . Hitchcock ordered no more disorder , left the room , and started looking for Thornton around 04 : 50 . Meanwhile Thornton had strolled the North Barracks between 21 : 00 on the 24th and 02 : 00 on Christmas Day observing the ongoing partying , before going to sleep at 02 : 00 . He was awoken by loud yells and , once out of his room , was attacked by two cadets . Thornton then put cadet William P . N . Fitzgerald ( New York ) under arrest for brandishing a weapon . Fitzgerald retreated from Thornton , then told two cadets in Room No . 29 about the arrest . At this point , noises erupted from the South Barracks which distracted Thornton . While going to investigate that commotion , Thornton was knocked out by Roberts , who had been ejected from Room No . 28 by Hitchcock earlier that evening . Davis was asleep , but other cadets went looking for Hitchcock . Three other cadets were discovered by Cadet James G . Overton ( Tennessee ) , a relief sentinel and not involved in the parties , and questioned about their actions . They gave a drunken explanation about needing drums and a fife . At around 05 : 00 , Hitchcock found another inebriated cadet wandering the academy . By this point , several window panes had been broken . Hitchcock returned to the room where he was staying , No . 8 . Several cadets then attacked his door , Guion drawing his pistol and firing a shot into the room . Hitchcock opened the door and yelled at the cadets to stop . The captain then began arresting cadets . Hitchcock ordered Eaton to find Worth ' s headquarters . Overton asked Hitchcock to find Thayer and Hitchcock replied " No , Mr . Overton . Fetch the ' com ' ( Commandant Worth ) here ! " Several of the drunken cadets thought Hitchcock had stated the Bombardiers would be the ones to quell the riot , using heavy weapons , causing several cadets who were not drunk to take up arms in defence of the North Barracks . Thayer had been awoken at 05 : 00 by the sound of drums . He ordered his aide , Patrick Murphy , to get Major Worth because of what he could hear going on in the North Barracks . Hitchcock continued restoring order in the North Barracks , getting into a fight with Cadet Walter Otey ( Virginia ) . Thornton awoke from the stairway where he had been knocked out and returned to his room . Hitchcock greeted him in his room at 05 : 45 . By 06 : 00 , other cadets who were not drinking were also involved in restoring order . The main rioters were attempting to recruit other cadets , but with no success . Overton could not find Cadet Eaton , who was checking the South Barracks , but did find Major Worth . Hitchcock met Worth and told him what had transpired . By this time , Thayer ' s aide had arrived in the North Barracks ' guardroom . The Second Artillery had arrived at the North Barracks by the time of Reveille at 06 : 05 . 06 : 05 – 18 : 30 . Reveille sounded at 06 : 05 , along with gunfire , the sound of glass breaking , profanity by cadets , cries of pain , and threats on Academy officials . North Barracks residents who were not drunk from the eggnog were appalled by the damaged property . Cadets in the South Barracks were well rested , while other cadets in the North Barracks were disheveled . Some of the cadets remained in their rooms drinking , although some appeared in parade formation despite being drunk . Worth met with Superintendent Thayer after the first formation to discuss what had happened in the North Barracks the previous evening . Thayer instructed Worth to get the officers into the North Barracks and restore order . Captain Mackay , Academy quartermaster , took down details of the damages to the property at North Barracks so repairs could take place in the following days . Many cadets who were drunk made it to company roll call at 06 : 20 , though they were subdued . The mutiny officially ended when Cadet Captain James A . J . Bradford ( Kentucky ) called the corps to attention and dismissed them from the mess hall after breakfast . Chapel formation took place after breakfast , followed by two hours of service , with most of the drunk cadets still recovering . Thayer was advised by Worth regarding the events at North Barracks . Captain Hitchcock and Lieutenant Thornton were bruised , while several cadets suffered minor injuries , and Fitzgerald suffered a hand injury . Worth told Thayer that between fifty and ninety cadets had been involved in the mutiny . Later that day , Thayer met with Gouverneur Kemble , an ordnance manufacturer in Cold Spring , New York , to discuss different items , including the events at West Point . Kemble asked Thayer what he would do about the misconduct , to which Thayer replied he did not know . 26 December 1826 . 07 : 00 – 08 : 00 . A faculty and staff meeting took place , with all but Captain Thomas C . Legate of the 2nd Artillery A Battery and a few assistant professors in attendance . Thayer informed them that Major General Alexander Macomb , Chief of Engineers and Inspector General of the Academy , had been told of the riot , and that he was awaiting orders from Macomb . The superintendent also informed the attendees that an inquiry would take place during semester finals in January 1827 , so some of the cadets would face simultaneous examinations and inquiry . Cadet Battalion Order 98 was read at formation and posted at several prominent locations at the Academy . Twenty - two cadets were placed under house arrest until further notice ; among them was Davis , who had been reported as a malefactor by Hitchcock and Thornton . 6 January 1827 . Thayer reviewed Order 49 , dated 30 December 1826 and signed by Chief of Engineer Macomb , ordering a court of inquiry to be assembled as soon as possible to investigate the Christmas riots . No deadline was given by the War Department in Washington , DC , though the academy was expected to get it done as soon as possible . Major Worth was president of the inquiry , Lieutenant Henry H . Gird acting as secretary ( court reporter ) , and two other faculty and staff to be selected by Thayer for court duties . If the inquiry determined that further disciplinary action was necessary , Thayer was empowered to court - martial any cadet or other military personnel . Worth elected Hitchcock and Lieutenant William Bryant to the court , despite Hitchcock ' s involvement in controlling the riots in North Barracks . 7 January 1827 . In the midst of the academy exams , Gird informed the cadets of the court of inquiry , which was to begin the next day . 8 – 22 January 1827 . The inquiry included testimony from 167 witnesses . MacKay stated US $ 168 . 83 ( roughly $ 3 , 210 . 00 in 2008 US dollars ) worth of damages had occurred . Thayer testified he never ordered the Bombardiers , the Second Artillery , to police the barracks . The Academic Board recommended James W . Hamilton ( at - large ) be discharged for bad conduct and five others , all fourth classmen ( freshman or plebe ) , were dismissed for lack of aptitude in certain academic disciplines or bad conduct . Several other cadets also were dismissed . A final report was presented to Thayer on 19 January 1827 , which Thayer and Worth met to discuss after dinner that evening . Following testimony , the inquiry determined that seventy cadets had been involved in the riots . Thayer picked the worst offenders ( those who smuggled the whiskey , the cadets who incited the riots , and several others ) for prosecution at court - martial . 24 January - 8 March 1827 . In 1819 , Attorney General of the United States William Wirt opined " the Corps . . . form part of the land forces of the United States . . . " and its members were thus subject to military law and trials by court - martial . Wirt ' s opinion was supported by United States Secretary of War John C . Calhoun and President of the United States James Monroe , and the trials began on 26 January , with Lieutenant Gird serving as trial judge advocate . These court - martial trials were held one by one without break . 19th century American military justice was founded in the American Revolution . Swift and surprisingly fair , the sentences were reviewed by the Secretary of War , the United States Congress , and the president . A general court consisted of between five and thirteen officers serving as jurors and magistrates . The accused was his own lawyer , prepared his own defense , and could plead guilty to one or more charges against him while contesting other charges . A standard trial began with the charges being read , the defendant giving his plea , and opening statements by the prosecution and defense attorneys . Witness testimony then began , followed by closing statements given by the prosecution and defense attorneys , and the jury ' s decision . If the defendant was found guilty , then the sentencing ensued . Trials were held from 08 : 00 to 15 : 00 daily or during daylight hours , whichever was later . The twenty cases were divided into three parts by the War Department for administrative convenience . During the progression of the trials , Davis was released from house arrest along with two other cadets . However , Cadet Humphreys was arrested on 27 January . Gird stayed as trial judge advocate until 8 March , when he asked to be released . He was replaced by Lieutenant William H . C . Bartlett . 9 March - 3 May 1827 . Bartlett started his duties on 9 March at 10 : 00 , and the trials concluded on 16 March . Thayer forwarded the records to General Maccomb and then - Secretary of War James Barbour in late March ; Barbour then sent the information to president John Quincy Adams . Adams read the findings , and adjusted some of the verdicts for the cadets shown in the next section . The case was closed on 3 May . Personnel involved in the riot . Soldier . Private John Dougan was sentenced to one month of hard labor and forfeited a whiskey ration for the like period .