Random West Point Goats In Civil War (12 items)

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  (#12) The Longest-Serving West Point Goat

  Dempsey, Charles A., Class of 1865, Union. Dempsey hailed from Virginia but decided to side with the Union. The class of 1865 was chomping at the bit to be in the fight; however, Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered a few weeks before graduation. Dempsey was commissioned into 17th Infantry and sent to Texas. Life was difficult on the frontier, and scrimmages with the Native Americans were few and far between. Accordingly, the pace of promotions significantly slowed. It took Dempsey 23 years to make Captain and an additional 10 years to make Major. In 1898, he participated in the San Juan (Cuba) Campaign and received a Silver Star. During the Spanish-American War, he was raised to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He retired from active service in 1901 after 36 years. In 1914, he was re-activated for WWI and retired (again) in 1918 at the rank of Brig. General. Dempsey died in Richmond on June 4, 1941 – on the eve of WWII – after serving for 46 years.
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  (#5) George Pickett

  • Dec. at 50 (1825-1875)

  Pickett, George Edward, Class of 1846, Confederate. Ironically, Pickett would become one of the most famous Virginians in history, but he was appointed to West Point from Illinois. Pickett was a popular cadet. According to Brig. Gen. William M. Gardner, he was "a man of ability, but belonging to a cadet set that appeared to have no ambition for class standing and wanted to do only enough study to secure their graduation." Pickett amply displayed bravery in the face of the enemy during the Mexican War and while fighting Indians in the Pacific-Northwest. During the Civil War, he led men at the Second Battle of Petersburg (VA), Gettysburg, and Appomattox. He led his men in the disastrous assault on Union positions on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg, which is known as Pickett’s Charge. Fearing a court martial after the War Between the States, he and his family fled to Canada where they remained until 1866. In 1866, they returned, and Pickett took up the careers of insurance agent and farmer in Norfolk, Virginia. It was said that he was haunted by the loss of his men until his death in 1875. 

  His widow, LaSalle, liked to embellish her husband’s exploits. She convincingly told the tale that young Pickett unknowingly met Congressman Abe Lincoln and confessed his desire to be a soldier. Soon afterward, he received his appointment to West Point. The tale quickly unravels because Pickett had already graduated when Congressman Lincoln was in office.
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  (#9) So, How Many Pieces Does a 12-pound Artillery Shell Break Into?

  Borland, Harold, Class of 1860, Confederate. Borland and George W. Vanderbilt of New York ran a neck-and-neck race to the bottom. During an exam, Borland was asked how many pieces would a 12-pound shell burst into. After pondering over the answer for some time, he responded with “more than two.” When Borland accepted his diploma and walked back to his seat, his fellow graduates broke out in a loud cheer. He was assigned to the Mounted Rifles, but he resigned to join the Confederate Army as an infantryman. He became the assistant adjutant on Gen. Slaughter’s staff. It was under these circumstances that he was captured aboard the Alice Vivian, which was trying to run the Mobile-Havana blockade. He spent a little over a year in a prison in Boston Harbor – until he was exchanged for Major Forbes of Boston on October 1, 1864. After the war, he became a federal tax collector.
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  (#2) Albert Gallatin Edwards

  • Dec. at 80 (1812-1892)

  Edwards, Albert Gallatin, Class of 1832, Union. After graduation from West Point, Edwards was stationed near St. Louis, Missouri, with the Mounted Rangers and Dragoons. He retired shortly after his marriage to Louise Cabanne and became a merchant and bank commissioner. He was appointed Brig. Gen. of the Missouri Volunteers. Although he didn't see any action, President Lincoln appointed him as Assistant Secretary of the U. S. Treasury. In 1887, at the age of 75, he founded the brokerage firm A.G. Edwards & Son Stock and Bond Traders.
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  (#4) The Goat Who Exemplified The True Meaning Of The Term

  Crittenden, William Logan, Class of 1845, American. While Crittenden died before the Civil War, his spirit and bravery make him the epitome of the Goat. After graduation, he fought with merit in the Mexican-American War. In 1851, he resigned his commission to take part in the liberation of Cuba from Spain. He joined the Narciso Lopéz expedition. He and his men were cut off from the main forces, and he made the decision to return to Florida. They commandeered four small fishing boats, but they were captured by the Spanish warship Habanero and returned to Havana where they were brought up on charges of piracy and condemned to death by firing squad. The condemned were led out to the execution site in groups of 10. The firing squad commander demanded that Crittenden order his men to turn their backs to the firing squad and to kneel. Crittenden responded plainly, “[a] Kentuckian turns his back on no man and kneels only to God.” The execution was carried out on August 16, 1851. 
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  (#1) West Point’s First Goat

  Pratt, John Taylor, Class of 1818, Did Not Fight in the Civil War. Pratt was denied his commission because of partisan politics, so he returned to Kentucky and became a merchant and state senator. When the Civil War broke out, he volunteered to do his part since he was still vigorous in his old age. His offer was politely declined by the Confederate forces.

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