Which graduates of the West Point class of 1826 fought in the Civil War?

2016-04-06T12:05:40-04:00

In honor of the death of CSA GEN A.S. Johnston at Shiloh, TN who has been the highest ranking American General or Flag officer to be killed in combat ...
Most members of the class of 1826 fought in both the Florida Indian War 1837 to 1838 and the Mexican War. Most died before the Civil War and several were killed in the Civil War. Several were wounded in combat.
Most of those who fought in the Civil war fought for the Confederacy but some fought for the Union.
Three former cadets became admirals and one was the first non-brevet BG in the USMC.
GEN (CSA) Albert Sydney Johnston; MG Samuel Peter Heintzelman; Rear Admiral Andrew Hull Foote, USMC BG Jacob Zeilin may be the most familiar to you.
Pictured are GEN (CSA) Albert Sydney Johnston; MG Samuel Peter Heintzelman; MG Silas Casey; and Rear Admiral Andrew Hull Foote

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Apr 6 at 2016 12:09 PM

2016-04-06T12:09:31-04:00

Pictures: Death of CSA GEN A.S. Johnston at Shiloh; USMC BG Jacob Zeilin
Most of the class of 1826 died or was disabled from combat before the start of the Civil War. Three died as cadets.
MG Silas Casey developed the Infantry tactics that were used by the Union Army starting in 1862.
I was interested that three cadets who left before graduation became Rear Admiral sin the US Navy: Rear Admiral Andrew Hull Foote, Rear Admiral James Findlay Schenck, and Rear Admiral Henry Knox Thatcher and that was the Henry Knox Thatcher grandson of GEN Henry Knox.
Since RallyPoint truncates survey selection text I am posting information about the other members of the class of 1837 that were not included and then the full text of each survey choice below:
A. GEN (CSA) Albert Sydney Johnston fought in the Black Hawk War of 1832. He served as Secretary if war for the territory of Texas from 1838 to 1840. He was killed in action at the battle of Shiloh on 6 April 1862. Johnston was graduate number 436.
B. MG Samuel Peter Heintzelman fought in the Florida Indian War and the Mexican War. He was appointed BG of US volunteers in 1861 and was wounded at the Battle of Bull Run. Heintzelman was graduate number 445.
C. MG Silas Casey fought in the Florida Indian War and the Mexican War and was wounded in the Mexican War. He had frontier duty in Oregon and Washington state from 1856 to 1861. Appointed BG of US volunteers in 1861 and served as MG in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 and then in Washington DC from 1863 to 1865. He compiled French ‘Inf Tactics” which were adopted by the USA in 1862. Casey was graduate number 467.
D. Rear Admiral Andrew Hull Foote left West Point to join the navy. He made the USS Cumberland the first temperance ship and was chiefly responsible for the abolishment of the spirit ration in the US Navy. He cooperated in the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862.
GEN (CSA) Albert Sydney Johnston fought in the Black Hawk War of 1832. He served as Secretary if war for the territory of Texas from 1838 to 1840. He was killed in action at the battle of Shiloh on 6 April 1862. Johnston was graduate number 436.
COL (CSA) Edward Brickall White served as a civil engineer and artillery officer. White was graduate number 437.
COL (CSA) Francis Littleberry Dancy fought in the Florida Indian War. He was the CSA Adjutant General of Florida. Dancy was graduate number 438.
MG Samuel Peter Heintzelman fought in the Florida Indian War and the Mexican War. He was appointed BG of US volunteers in 1861 and was wounded at the Battle of Bull Run. Heintzelman was graduate number 445.
Brevet BG Edwin Burr Babbitt fought in the Florida Indian War and the Mexican War. He served as Quartermaster Pacific Division from 1861 to 1866. Babbitt was graduate number 438.
Brevet MG Amos Beebe Eaton fought in the Mexican War. He served as the Commissary General US from 1864 to 1874. Eaton was graduate number 464.
MG Silas Casey fought in the Florida Indian War and the Mexican War and was wounded in the Mexican War. He had frontier duty in Oregon and Washington state from 1856 to 1861. Appointed BG of US volunteers in 1861 and served as MG in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 and then in Washington DC from 1863 to 1865. He compiled French ‘Inf Tactics” which were adopted by the USA in 1862. Casey was graduate number 467.
Former cadets who didn’t graduate:
Rear Admiral Andrew Hull Foote left West Point to join the navy. He made the USS Cumberland the first temperance ship and was chiefly responsible for the abolishment of the spirit ration in the US Navy. He cooperated in the capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862.
Rear Admiral James Findlay Schenck resigned on being turned back. He entered the navy in 1825. He fought in the Mexican War. Schenck served as a Commodore in 1864 and was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1869.
Rear Admiral Henry Knox Thatcher was the grandson of GEN Henry Knox. He was appointed midshipman in 1821 and served in the navy during the Civil War and was appointed Rear Admiral in 1866.
USMC BG Jacob Zeilin entered the Marines Corps in 1831. He fought in the Mexican War and was present at the opening of Japan. He was wounded at the 1st Battle of Bull Run. He was the first BG, non-brevet, in the USMC and served as Commandant of the USMC from 1864 to 1876.

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Apr 6 at 2016 12:09 PM

2016-04-06T12:09:53-04:00

I think all

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Apr 6 at 2016 12:22 PM

2016-04-06T12:22:32-04:00

LTC Stephen F. If I am not mistaken, Gen. Johnston was the highest ranking officer of either the Union or Confederacy killed in combat during the civil war.

Response by SP5 Mark Kuzinski made Apr 6 at 2016 1:33 PM

2016-04-06T13:33:09-04:00

Great post - thanks you!