George Washington Whistler on West Point Notables Site

From the USMA West Point site.

Considering the number of officers who have graduated from the United Stats Military Academy at West Point, the fact that George Washington Whistler is on a short list of notables is very impressive.

This list includes many Civil War generals on both sides (Robert E. lee in 1829, George Meade in 1830, William T. Sherman in 1840, Thomas Jackson 1846 and U.S. Grant in 1843), Jefferson Davis, 1903's Douglas MacArthur, 1907's Hap Arnold, 1909's George S. Patton and 1915's Omar N. Bradley and Dwight Eisenhower.

There is a short write up on each notable.  G.W. Whistler's:  "Eminent civil engineer, chosen by the Czar of Russia to build a railroad from Moscow to St. Petersburg."

--Brock-Perry

George Washington Whistler's Grave

From Find-A-Grave.

I wonder whi he might have been named after?

Born May 19, 1800 in Allen County, Indiana,. where his father, John Whistler, was commandant of Fort Wayne.  Died April 7, 1849, in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Stonington, Connecticut, New London County.

--Brock-Perry

George Washingtom Whistler-- Part 3: U.S. Military Career

He was born in 1800 at the military outpost at Fort Wayne (Indiana) where his father, John Whistler, was commandant.

Appointed to the USMA at West Point, he graduated in 1819 and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Corps of Artillery.

He served at topographical engineer at Fort Columbus in New York City from 1819-1821.  This fort was originally called Fort Jay but the name was changed to Fort Columbus in 1806.  During the Civil War, Confederate Major General W.H.C. Whiting died here, the highest Confederate officer to die in a northern prison.  I have written about him a lot in my Civil War Naval Blog, Running the Blockade.

When the U.S. Army reorganized in 1821, he became second lieutenant in the First Artillery.

--Brock-Perry

George Washington Whistler-- Part 1: William's Brother, John's Son

From Wikipedia.

Keeping it in the family since I have been writing about both John Whistler and William Whistler the last couple weeks.  I was unable to find out if he had any involvement in the War of 1812, but if he did, he would have been very young.

1800-1849.  Prominent American civil engineer in the first half of the 19th century.

Member of a noted military family, USMA graduate and served in the U.S. Army.

Railroad and locomotive builder.  His shops produced the first-known steam locomotives in the United States known to have a whistle.

Kind of a Whistler's Whistle, You Know.  Sorry  --Brock-Perry

William Whistler-- Part 1: Over 60 Years in U.S. Army

From Wikipedia.

John Whistler's son, who accompanied him to Fort Dearborn, was born in 1780 and died in 1863.

He was commissioned 2nd lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Infantry in June 1801 and promoted to 1st lieutenant in 1807 and captain in December 1812.

When the Army reorganized after the War of 1812, the 1st Infantry was redesignated the 3rd Infantry.

Brevetted to major in 1822 and served ten years at that rank.  In April 1826 he was assigned to the 2nd U.S. Infantry and became lieutenant colonel of the 7th Infantry in July 1834.

Colonel of the 4th U.S. Infantry July 1845.  Retired April 1861 and died December 4, 1863.

--Brock-Perry

John Whistler and the Founding of Chicago's Fort Dearborn-- Part 2

In 1875, Mrs. William Whistler (I imagine the wife of William Whistler) said that when they arrived that there were only four cabins or traders' huts occupied by Canadian French and their Indian wives.

In the spring 1804, John Kenzie, living near Niles, Michigan, bought land there and came with his wife and infant son.  He was the first Anglo-White and lived there until late 1827, except for the four years between the summer of 1812 to the fall of 1816 when Fort Dearborn was destroyed and finally rebuilt.

In 1810, John Whistler returned to Detroit and Captain Nathan Heald assumed command of Fort Dearborn.  Captain Heald was in command in the Fort Dearborn Massacre.

John Whistler then commanded Detroit until the arrival of General William Hull.

--Brock-Perry

John Whistler and the Founding of Chicago's Fort Dearborn

From the World History Project.

In the summer of 1803, Captain John Whistler, then stationed at Deroit, was ordered to take his company of soldiers to Lake Michigan to occupy the the site of what was to become Chicago and to build a fort there.

His soldiers traveled overland, led by Lt. James Swearingen.  Captain Whistler and his family came in the U.S. schooner Tracy from Detroit to the mouth of St. Joseph River. With him he had his wife, young son George and his eldest son, Lt. William Whistler and his young bride.  They continued to Chicago in a row boat.

--Brock-Perry

John Whistler-- Part 4: A Military Family

In 1817, he moved toSt. Charles, Missouri and was military storekeeper at the Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis.

He died at Fort Bellefontaine in 1829.

John Whistler had 15 children and three became military officers.    Colonel William Whistler served from 1801-1861 and Lt. George Washington Whistler, a railroad designer in America and Russia.

Two of his grandsons were officers in the Civil War:  Brigadier General Joseph N. G. Whistler and Colonel Joseph Nelson Garland Whistler.

Another grandson, James Abbott McNeil Whistler attended West Point, but did not graduate.  He went on to become a famous artists ("Whistler's Mother")

Quite the Military Family.  --Brock-Perry

John Whistler-- Part 2: Completed and Commanded Fort Dearborn

John Whistler joined the United States Army and was sent to the Western Frontier and was in the Hamar Campaign in 1790 and was severely wounded at St. Clair's Defeat in 1791.  He became a lieutenant in the Legion of the United States and helped build U.S. forts in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In 1797 he was promoted to captain and transferred to Fort Lemoult in Detroit.  In the summer of 1803, he and his company of the 1st United States Infantry moved from Fort Detroit to the southern shore of Lake Michigan where he completed Fort Dearborn, on the future site of Chicago.

He became the fort's first commandant.

--Brock-Perry

John Whistler-- Part 1: Served With British and U.S. Armies

From Wikipedia.

Back in May i was writing about the first USMA  at West Point graduate, Joseph G. Swift.  On May 22 I wrote that he had mentored younger engineers George Washington Whistler and William Gibbs McNeill.  Was this Whistler fellow somehow related to the famous artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler?

While researching him I found out that the artist's grandfather had been John Whistler who served in the American Revolution on the British side and the War of 1812 on the American side.

John Whistler was born in 1756 in Ulster, Ireland.  He ran away at an early age and joined the British Army and served with British General John Burgoyne in the American Revolution.  After the surrender at Saratoga, John Whistler returned to England and was honorably discharged.

He eloped with the daughter of his father's friend and emigrated to the  United States and settle in Hagerstown, Maryland.

--Brock-Perry