The Class of 1861: Custer, Ames, and Their Classmates after West Point

Abstract

George Armstrong Custer wrote about his friend Pierce Manning Butler Young, who left West Point to become a Confederate general: remember a conversation held at table at which I sat during winter of '60 '61. I was seated next to Cadet P. M. B. Young, a gallant young fellow, a classmate of mine, then since war an intimate valued friend a major-general in Confederate forces during war a member of Congress from his native State [Georgia] at a later date. The approaching war was as usual subject of conversation in which all participated, in freest most friendly manner. . . . Finally, in a half jocular, half earnest manner, Young turned to me delivered himself as follows: 'Custer, my boy, we're going to have war. It's no use talking: I see it coming. All Crittenden compromises that can be patched up won't avert it. Now let me prophesy what will happen to you You will go home, your abolition Governor will probably make you colonel of a cavalry regiment. I will go down to Georgia, ask Governor Brown to give me a cavalry regiment. And who knows but we may move against each other during war. . . .' Lightly as we both regarded this boyish prediction, it was destined to be fulfilled in a remarkable degree.Ralph Kirshner has provided a richly illustrated forum to enable West Point class of 1861 to write its own autobiography. Through letters, journals, published accounts, George Armstrong Custer, Adelbert Ames, their classmates tell in their own words of their Civil War battles of their varied careers after war.Two classes graduated from West Point in 1861 because of Lincoln's need of lieutenants, forty-five cadets in Ames's class in May thirty-four in Custer's class in June. The cadets range from Henry Algernon du Pont, first in class of May, whose ancestral home is now Winterthur Garden, to Custer, last in class of June. Only thirty-four graduated, remarked Custer, and of these thirty-three graduated above me. West Point's mathematics professor librarian Oliver Otis Howard, after whom Howard University is named, is also portrayed.Other famous names from class of 1861 are John Pelham, Emory Upton, Thomas L. Rosser, John Herbert Kelly (the youngest general in Confederacy when appointed), Patrick O'Rorke (head of class of June), Alonzo Cushing, Peter Hains, Edmund Kirby, John Adair (the only deserter in class), Judson Kilpatrick (great-grandfather of Gloria Vanderbilt). They describe West Point before Civil War, war years, including Vicksburg campaign battle of Gettysburg, courage character of classmates, ending of war.Kirshner also highlights postwar lives, including Custer at Little Bighorn; Custer's rebel friend Rosser; John Whitney Barlow, who explored Yellowstone; du Pont, senator author; Kilpatrick, playwright diplomat; Orville E. Babcock, Grant's secretary until his indictment in Whiskey Ring; Pierce M. B. Young, a Confederate general who became a diplomat; Hains, only member of class to serve on active duty in World War I; Upton, the class genius.The book features eighty-three photographs of all but one of graduates some of nongraduates. Kirshner includes an appendix entitled Roll Call, which discusses their contributions lists them according to rank in class.George A. Plimpton provides a foreword about his great-grandfather, Adelbert Ames-Reconstruction governor of Mississippi last surviving Civil War general-and President Kennedy.