Which graduates of the West Point classes of 1811 to 1820 fought in the Civil War?

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 21:19:01 -0400

These graduates fought in the Florida Indian war, served on the frontiers and in the Mexican war prior to the civil war. Most of their classmates were killed or died earlier. Several were killed during the civil war.
GEN (CSA) Samuel Cooper, class of 1815, was the highest ranking CSA General.
Brevet MG Harvey Brown, class of 1818, was promoted to Brevet BG for his skillful defense of Fort Pickens, FL. In 1861.
Pictures: Brevet MG Harvey Brown; GEN (CSA) Samuel Cooper; COL (CSA) Angus W. McDonald; BG (CSA) John Henry Winder

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Apr 8 at 2016 9:21 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 21:21:09 -0400

My response.
Brevet MG James Wolfe Ripley, class of 1814, fought in the war of 1812 and the Mexican War. Served in the Civil War as Chief of Ordnance as a BG. From 1861 until he retired in 1863. Springfield, MA Armory is Ripley’s monument.
Brevet BG Benjamin L.E. Bonneville, class of 1815, fought in and was wounded in the Mexican War and retired as disabled in 1861. Recalled as COL from 1861 to 1865 and promoted to Brevet BG. In the early 19th century he was western explorer whose explorations were memorialized by Washington Irving. Bonneville was graduate number 155.
CPT (CSA) James Breckenridge, non-graduate of class of 1820, served as a CSA CPT in the 2nd Regiment Fitz Lee Cavalry Brigade where he commanded the Regimental Sharpshooters and was killed in combat at Five Forks on 1 April 1865.
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) Samuel Cooper, class of 1815, fought in the Florida Indian War and Mexican War. Served as a CSA AG and IG General. Cooper was graduate number 156.
B. COL (CSA) Angus W. McDonald, class of 1817, served as BG in the Virginia Militia from 1840 to 1861. He served as a COL in Virginia Cavalry and was killed at Richmond on 1 Jan 1865. McDonald was graduate number 173.
C. Brevet MG Harvey Brown, class of 1818, fought in the Florida Indian War and Mexican War. He was promoted to Brevet BG for his skillful defense of Fort Pickens, FL. In 1861. He retired in 1863 and was promoted to Brevet MG in 1866. Brown was graduate number 185.
D. BG (CSA) John Henry Winder, class of 1820, fought in the Mexican War. He was promoted to BG in the CSA in 1861 and served as Commissary General for all of the CSA prison camps east of the Mississippi River in 1864. Winder was noted for commanding prisoner-of-war camps throughout the South during the war, and for charges of improperly supplying the prisoners in his charge. Winder was graduate number 242.
Brevet BG Gustavus Loomis, class of 1811, fought in the Florida Indian War and in the Mexican War. He fought in the Civil War as a COL until 1863. Promoted to Brevet BG in 1865. Loomis was graduate number 62.
BG Rene Edward De Russy, class of 1812, served in corps of engineers in Mexican war. Fort DeRussy was named after Union Brigadier General Rene Edward DeRussy, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (1833-1838) who was responsible for the defense of San Francisco, CA 1861 to 1865. De Russy was graduate number 89.
Brevet BG Charles S. Merchant, class of 1814, served in the Florida Indian War, northwest frontier duty and the Mexican War. He served in the Civil War as a Colonel until retiring in 1863. He was promoted to Brevet BG in 1865. Merchant was graduate number 92.
COL (CSA) Lewis Gustavus De Russy, class of 1814, served in the northern frontier. He served in the Louisiana volunteers during the Mexican war and in Louisiana Militia from 1841 to 1861 as an MG. Fought in the Civil War as a Colonel of the Louisiana volunteers from 1861 to 1864. De Russy was graduate number 96.
Brevet MG James Wolfe Ripley, class of 1814, fought in the war of 1812 and the Mexican War. Served in the Civil War as Chief of Ordnance as a BG. From 1861 until he retired in 1863. Springfield, MA Armory is Ripley’s monument. Ripley was graduate number 102.
Charles Mynn Thruston, class of 1814, fought in the Florida Indian War. In the “rebellion of the seceding states” he served as BG of volunteers from 1861 to 1862 while he was mayor of Cumberland, Maryland. Thruston was graduate number 105.
MG (CSA) William Henry Chase, class of 1815, served as COL and later MG of Florida troops in the Civil War. Chase was graduate number 150.
Brevet BG Benjamin L.E. Bonneville, class of 1815, fought in and was wounded in the Mexican War and retired as disabled in 1861. Recalled as COL from 1861 to 1865 and promoted to Brevet BG. In the early 19th century he was western explorer whose explorations were memorialized by Washington Irving. Bonneville was graduate number 155.
COL (CSA) Richard Bland Lee, class of 1817, fought in the Florida Indian War where he was wounded twice. He served in the Civil War as a CSA COL. Lee was graduate number 169.
MG Ethan Allen Hitchcock, class of 1817, fought in the Florida Indian War and Mexican War. He served as MG of US volunteers from 1862 to 1867. Hitchcock was graduate number 177.
Brevet MG George Douglas Ramsay, class of 1820, fought in the Mexican War. He served as BG Chief of Ordnance from 1863 to 1864 and retired in 1864. Ramsay was graduate number 257.
Brevet MG William Walton Morris, class of 1820, fought in the Florida Indian War and Mexican War. He served in the Civil War and was promoted to Brevet MG. Morris was graduate number 261.
Former cadets who didn’t graduate:
CPT (CSA) James Breckenridge, non-graduate of class of 1820, served as a CSA CPT in the 2nd Regiment Fitz Lee Cavalry Brigade where he commanded the Regimental Sharpshooters and was killed in combat at Five Forks on 1 April 1865.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Apr 8 at 2016 9:21 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 21:21:34 -0400

LTC Stephen F. I am going to go with all of them. No cheating here.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made Apr 8 at 2016 9:32 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 21:32:30 -0400

The civil war was definitely a war where weapons outpaced tactics. Often forces that went up against hills of occupied by the enemy army went in a tight column. The rationale was then enough numbers could break through the defenses, however it made available for the defending army to mass musket and canon fires much to the detriment of the maneuvering force.

Response by SSgt Robert Marx made Apr 8 at 2016 10:25 PM

SSgt Robert Marx — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 22:25:23 -0400

Those gentlemen all certainly served the nation for many decades. To still be on duty after about 50 years of duty is exemplary.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2016 12:16 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 00:16:10 -0400

Heroes all