Henry County, Indiana - Chapter 27, 1906

Chapter 27

-History of the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York - History of the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland - Henry County Representatives in the Military Academy - Biographical Sketches of Captain George Whitfield Hazzard and Family - Cadet William Ralph Henry and Family - Cadet John Edwin Holland and Family - Major Omar Bundy - Cadet Charles La Fayette Calvert and Family - Lieutenant Luther Scott Welborn and Family - Henry County Representatives in the Naval Academy - Biographical Sketches of Cadet Courtland Cushing Clements and Family - Lieutenant William Henry Elliott and Family - Recapitulation.

The United States Military Academy is a school for the practical and theoret- "ical training of Cadets for the military service of the United States. Upon -completing its course satisfactorily, Cadets are eligible for promotion and commission as second lieutenants in any arm or corps of the Army in which there may be a vacancy, the duties of which they may have been judged competent to perform.

The occupation of West Point as a military post took place January 20. 1778. and has been continuous since that date. As early as October i, 1776, Congress passed a resolution appointing a committee to prepare a plan for "A Military Academy at the Army." The result was the resolution of June 20, 1777, providing for a Corps of Invalids '^to serve as a military school for young gentlemen previous to their being appointed to marching regiments." The Invalid Corp? was organized in July, 1777, and in 1781, at the request of Washington, was marched from Philadelphia to form part of the garrison at West Point, where an - engineer school, a laboratory, and a library had been established in three separate buildings. In 1783, after the cessation of hostilities, Washington, having been called upon for his views as to the peace establishment, laid tlie matter of a Military iVcademy before his officers at Newburgh. He referred to it again in his message on December 3, 1793. The law of May 9, 1794, authorized the organization of a Corps of Artillerists and Engineers with two Cadets to a company, thus creating the new grade of "Cadet" in the American Army. A school for the Artillerists and Engineers and for the Cadets attached to them was established, on the recommendation of Washington, by order, at West Point, in 1794. The destruction of its buildings by fire in 1796, however, caused its suspension. On July 20, 1801, the Secretary of War directed that all the Cadets of the Corps of Artillerists should report at West Point for instruction and on September I, 1801, a school was opened with four army officers and a civilian as administrators and instructors.

Academy, and it was due to his efforts, and those of other patriots of the Revolution, that the Academy was created by Act of Congress approved March 16, 1802. The Act authorized the President to organize and estabHsh a Corps of Engineers to consist of five officers and ten Cadets and provided that it should be stationed at West Point, in the State of New York, and should constitute a Military Academy. The Academy, with ten Cadets, was formallv opened Julv 4, the year of the Act.

Acts of Congress, in 1802 and 1808, authorized 40 Cadets from the .\rtillery, 100 from the Infantry, 16 from the Dragoons, and 20 from the Riflemen; but few of these were appointed, and no provision was made for them at the Academv. In 1 810, the Academy was deprived of nearly all means of instruction, and officers and Cadets had difficulty in obtaining their pay. During most of the year 181 1, and a part of 1812, although war was imminent, academic instruction was practically abandoned. In March, 1812, the Academy was without a single instructor. Up to and including this time. 88 Cadets had been graduated ; they had entered without mental or physical examination, at all ages from 12 to 34. and at any time of the year.

By Act of Congress of April 29, 1812, the Academy was reorganized. The provisions of this Act have furnished the general principles upon which the Military Academy has since been conducted and controlled ; a more adequate corps of professors was authorized ; a maximum of 250 Cadets was fixed ; and the age and the mental recjuisites for admission were prescribed.

In 1817, under the provisions of the Act of 1812, and the able superintendency of Major Sylvanus Thayer, Corps of Engineers, the present era in the Academy's history began.

Until 1843, a prescribed residence was not a legal qualification for appointment, but the selection of one Cadet from each Congressional district had grown to be customary. In this year the custom became the law. Congress prescribing that the Corps of Cadets should consist of one from each Congressional district, one from each Territory, one from the District of Columbia, and ten from the United States at large, to be appointed by the President.

By Acts of Congress approved June 6, 1900, and June 28, 1902, the Corps of Cadets as now constituted consists of one from each Congressional district, one from each Territory, one from the District of Columbia, two from each State at large, and forty from the United States at large, all to be appointed by the President and, with the exception of the forty appointed from the United States at large, to be actual residents of the Congressional or Territorial districts, or of the District of Columbia, or of the States, respectively, from which they are appointed. Under these Acts, and under the apportionment of Members of Congress according to the 12th Census, the maximum number of Cadets is 521.

George Whitfield Hazzard

George Whitfield Hazzard was appointed to the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, entering the Academy, July i, 1843. where

Served: in the War with Mexico, 1847-48, at Camargo; on frontier duty at posts on and scouting along the Rio Grande, 1848-49; in garrison at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1850, - Fort Washington, Maryland, 1850-52, - as Aid de Camp to Brevet Brigadier General Walljach. and Acting Assistant Adjutant General, 3rd Military Department, August i. 1852. to October 8, 1853, at Baltimore, Maryland; in garrison at Fort Hamilton, New York, 1853-54. - and Fort Brown, Texas, 1854-55; as Adjutant, 4th Artillery, April 13, 1855. to December 14, 1857, - at Baltimore, Maryland, 1855-56, - and in Florida Hostilities against the Seminole Indians, 1856-57; on frontier duty at Fort Leavenworth, during the Kansas Disturbances, 1857-58, - Fort Laramie, Dakota, 1858-59. - and on Exploration and Descent of Platte River from Fort Laramie to

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States. 1861-62: in command of Regiment in Kentucky, October, 1861, to March, 1862; in the Defenses of

Washington, commanding Company, March 22-31, 1862; and in the \'irginia Peninsular Campaign (Army of the Potomac), April to June, 1862, being engaged in the Siege of Yorktown, April 13 to May 4, 1862, - Battle of Fair Oaks. June I, 1862, - Battle of Peach Orchard, June 29, 1862, - Battle of Savage Station, June 29, 1862, - and Battle of White Oak Swamp, June 30, 1862, where he was mortally wounded.