List of United States Military Academy bottom-ranking graduates (1818–1899)

U.S. Military Academy Coat of Arms

The United States Military Academy (USMA) is an undergraduate college in West Point, New York that educates officers for the United States Army. This article lists those alumni of the Military Academy who during the Nineteenth century graduated at the bottom, or last, in their class.

All USMA cadets are rated each year; and get a final rating when they graduate. The cadet with the lowest class rank is the one that has the worst combination of score, academical standing, additional merits and demerits. The United States Military Academy opened in 1802. The academy started the practice of ranking its graduates in 1818.

From the 1880s the bottom ranking graduates were known as the goats, before that they were known as the immortals.

Bottom-ranking graduates

Year	Name	Highest Rank	Remarks	Sources
1818	John T. Pratt	Second Lieutenant, 1st Infantry	Resigned 1819. Major General, Kentucky Militia. State Senator of Kentucky.	:183
1819	William H. Swift	Captain, Topographical Engineers	Resigned 1849. President of the Board of Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.	:196
1820	William W. Morris	Colonel, 2nd Artillery; Brevet Major General, USA	During the Civil War Morris served as a brigade commander primarily in charge of the defense of Fort McHenry and Baltimore Harbor.	:210
1821	Julius A. d'Lagnel	Captain, Ordnance	Died 1840.	:220
1822	David Moniac	Brevet Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry	Resigned 1822. Major, Regiment of Creek Volunteers. KIA, Battle of Wahoo Swamp 1836.	:239
1823	Egbert B. Birdsall	Captain, 8th Infantry	Died 1845.	:256
1824	W. Beverhout Thompson	First Lieutenant, 5th Infantry	Resigned 1830. Chief Engineer, railroads.	:268
1825	Samuel R. Allston	First Lieutenant, 4th Infantry	Resigned 1836; died the same year.	:288
1826	E. Kirby Smith	Captain, 5th Infantry	DOW, Battle of Churubusco 1847. Older brother of Edmund Kirby Smith.	:307
1827	Nelson N. Clark	Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry	Died 1832.	:324
1828	Philip R. Van Wyck	Not commissioned, due to hearing loss.	U. S. Asst. Civil Engineer. Drowned 1832.	:337
1829	Richard B. Screven	Captain, 8th Infantry; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, USA.	Died 1851.	:359-360
1830	Stephen B. Legate	Second Lieutenant, 3rd Infantry	Resigned 1835; died the same year.	:379
1831	John Conrad	First Lieutenant, 6th Infantry	Died in Florida 1838, during the Second Seminole War.	:398
1832	Albert G. Edwards	Brevet Third Lieutenant, 1st Dragoons	Resigned 1835. Merchant in Saint Louis. Brigadier General, Missouri Militia (Union) during the Civil War.	:419;
1833	Nathanaiel W. Hunter	Captain, 2nd Dragoons	Died 1849.	:443-444
1834	Alexander Montgomery	Lieutenant Colonel, Quartermaster	Deputy Quartermaster General. Retired 1874.	:462; :104
1835	Hugh McLeod	Brevet Second Lieutenant, 3rd Infantry	Resigned 1836. Brigadier General, Texas Militia. Adjutant General of Texas 1837-1841. Colonel 1st Texas Infantry, PACS. Died in Virginia 1862.	:493; :676
1836	Charles H. E. Spoor	Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry	Died 1838.	:518
1837	William Hardia	First Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons	Dismissed 1840 for habitual drunkenness.	:547
1838	Zebulon M. P. Inge	First Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons	KIA, Battle of Resaca de la Palma 1846	:571
1839	John H. Hill	First Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons	Died in Mexico 1847, during the Mexican-American War.	:591-592
1840	John D. Bacon	First Lieutenant, 6th Infantry	DOW, Battle of Churubusco 1847.	:619
1841	Rudolph F. Ernst	Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry	DOW, Battle of Molino del Rey 1847	:36-37
1842	James O. Handy	Second Lieutenant, 8th Infantry	Died in Texas 1845.	:71.
1843	Charles G. Merchant	First Lieutenant, 8th Infantry; Brevet Captain, USA.	Died 1855.	:98-99
1844	George W. Hawkins	First Lieutenant, Mounted Rifles	Dismissed 1853, under Sect. 3, Law of Jan. 31, 1823.	:112
1845	William L. Crittenden	Second Lieutenant, 1st Infantry	Resigned 1849. Colonel in López filibustrering expedition against Cuba. Executed in Havana 1851.	:139
1846	George E. Pickett	Captain, 9th Infantry; Brevet Captain, USA.	Resigned 1861. Major General, PACS.	:179-180; :790
1847	Henry Heth	Captain, 10th Infantry	Resigned 1861. Major General, PACS.	:206; :526-527
1848	George W. Howland	Major, 2nd Cavalry; Brevet Major, USA.	Retired 1869.	:226 :549
1849	James McIntosh	Captain, 1st Cavalry	Resigned 1861. Brigadier General, PACS. KIA, Battle of Pea Ridge 1862.	:252-253; :669
1850	Donald C. Stith	Captain, 5th Infantry	Dismissed 1861. Colonel, Assistant Inspector General, PACS.	;277-278; :926
1851	Lawrence S. Baker	First Lieutenant, Mounted Rifles	Resigned 1861. Brigadier General, PACS.	:304; :184
1852	Hezekiah H. Garber	Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry	Died 1859.	:332-333
1853	William Craig	Captain, Quartermaster	Resigned 1864.	:372.
1854	John McCleary	Captain, 6th Infantry; Brevet Major, USA.	Died 1868.	:391-392; :246
1855	George McGunigle Dick	Second Lieutenant, 1st Infantry	Died 1856 in Texas.	:418
1856	Arthur S. Cunningham	First Lieutenant, 10th Infantry	Resigned 1861. Lieutenant Colonel, Assistant Adjutant General, PACS.	:446; :344
1857	Lafayette Peck	First Lieutenant, 8th Infantry	Resigned 1861. Major, PACS. Died 1864.	:467; :780
1858	Charles E. Jesup	Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry	Resigned 1860; died the same year.	:480
1859	Henry A. F. Worth	Captain, 6th Infantry	Disabled by wound; resigned 1863. Quartermaster's Clerk 1863.	:493-494
1860	Harold Borland	Brevet Second Lieutenant of Infantry	Resigned 1861. Captain, Assistant Adjutant General, PACS.	: 519; :231
1861 (May)	Sheldon Sturgeon	Captain, 6th Cavalry; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, USA.	Retired 1876, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:548; :297
1861 (June)	George A. Custer	Lieutenant Colonel, 7th Cavalry; Brevet Major General, USV; Major General, USV; Brevet Major General, USA.	KIA, Battle of Little Bighorn 1876.	:568-569; :304-305
1862	Charles N. Warner	First Lieutenant, 4th Artillery; Brevet Captain, USA.	Honorably mustered out of service, 1871.	:586; :304-305
1863	James R. Reid	Captain, 10th Infantry	Resigned 1866.	:596
1864	Samuel H. Kinney	First Lieutenant, 2nd Artillery; Brevet Captain, USA.	Died 1868 at Sitka, Alaska.	:608; :326
1865	Charles E. Dempsey	Colonel, 30th Infantry.	Retired 1901.	:625; :345; :170; :150
1866	James B. Cole	First Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry	Honorable discharged on his own request, 1870. Lawyer.	:633; :357
1867	John H. Gifford	First Lieutenant, 2nd Artillery. Captain (Retired).	Retired 1898, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:645; :375; :157
1868	William H. Coombs	Second Lieutenant, 8th Cavalry	Resigned 1869. He lived on his estate in Napa County, California, entering the United States Revenue Service and later served as Civil Engineer in Charge in the State Geological Survey of California.	:392;
1869	Mason M. Maxon	Captain, 10th Cavalry	Retired 1891, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:404; :193
1870	Levi P. Hunt	Lieutenant Colonel, 3rd Cavalry. Colonel (Retired).	Retired 1909, by operation of law.	:422-423; :205; :176-177
1871	Julius H. Pardee	First Lieutenant, 23rd Infantry	Resigned 1885. Ranchman, New Mexico.	:435-436; :215; :768
1872	Frank P. Reap	Second Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry	Resigned 1874. Cashier of the Miners' Savings Bank of Pittston, Pennsylvania.	:451-452
1873	Joseph P. Huston	Colonel, 19th Infantry. Colonel (Retired).	Retired 1910, for a disability incident to the service.	:463; :240; :211-213
1874	J. Hansell French	Second Lieutenant, 9th Cavalry.	Resigned 1876. Returned to service 1878. KIA, with the Apache Indians in San Mateo Mountains, New Mexico 1880.	:474; :437
1875	Charles W. Williams	Lieutenant Colonel, Quartermaster	Deputy Quartermaster General. Died at Havana, Cuba, 1898.	:484; :274-275
1876	Hamilton Rowan	Major, Artillery Corps	Retired 1906 at his own request, after over 34 years of service.	:495; :274-275; :251
1877	F. Halverson French	First Lieutenant, 3rd Cavalry.	Retired 1885.	:511; :436
1878	Ormentiz J. C. Hock	Second Lieutenant, 17th Infantry	Died 1883.	:306; :533
1879	Guy R. Beardslee	Second Lieutenant, 9th Infantry	Resigned 1880.	:323; :203
1880	Percy E. Trippe	Lieutenant Colonel, Cavalry. Colonel (Retired).	Retired 1912 at his own request, after over 30 years of service.	:338; :314; :306
1881	Frederick T. Van Liew	Captain, 2nd Infantry	Dismissed 1899 by Order of a General Court Martial.	:353
1882	George P. Ahearn	Captain, 9th Infantry. Major (Retired).	Retired 1909,´for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:366; :339
1883	Clarence R. Edwards	Lieutenant Colonel, 47th Volunteer Infantry; Major General, National Army; Major General, USA. Major General (Retired). Major General, Massachusetts National Guard.	Chief Bureau of Insular Affairs. Commanded the 26th Infantry Division in World War I. Retired 1922 at his own request, after over 40 years of service.	:383-384; :353; :371; :207-208
1884	Powhatan H. Clarke	First Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry	Medal of Honor, 1891. Drowned 1893 while trying to save life of a soldier.	:398
1885	Edward P. Lowton	Captain, 19th Infantry. Major (Retired).	Retired 1908, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:412; :378-379
1886	David W. Fulton	Second Lieutenant, 24th Infantry	Died 1889	; 439; :440
1887	Frank Herman Albright	Colonel, 54th Infantry; Brigadier General, National Army. Colonel (Retired).	Commanded the 55th Infantry Brigade during World War I. Retired 1919 at his own request, after over 36 years of service	:459; :415; :485
1888	Mathew C. Butler, Jr.	Major, Ordnance, USV; Lieutenant Colonel, 7th Cavalry.	Died 1916.	:473; :428; :509
1889	Charles Young	Major, 9th Ohio Vol. Colored Cavalry; Lieutenant Colonel, 10th Cavalry. Colonel (Retired).	Retired 1917, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:489; :442; :536-537
1890	Vernon A. Caldwell	Lieutenant Colonel, 7th Infantry; Temporary Colonel, 365th Infantry; Brigadier General, National Army. Brigadier General (Retired).	Commandet 58th Infantry Brigade in World War I. Retired 1919 at his own request, after over 33 years of service.	:508; :458; :570-571; :313
1891	David P. Cordray	Captain, 26th Infantry. Major (Retired).	Retired 1913, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:530; :480; :614
1892	Horace G. Hembright	Second Lieutenant, 22nd Infantry	Died 1896.	:549
1893	Mathew E. Savile	Colonel of Infantry; Colonel of Infantry, National Army. Colonel (Retired).	Commander of Trains and Military Police, 91st Infantry Division, World War I. Retired 1920 at his own request, after over 31 years of service.	:565; :512; :680-681
1894	James A. Moss	Colonel of Infantry, National Army. Colonel, Quartermaster Corps. Colonel (Retired).	Commanded 367th Infantry during World War I. Retired 1922 at his own request, after over 30 years of service.	:582; :531; :714-715; :389
1895	Daniel Duncan	Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry	Died 1897.	:598
1896	Robert B. Powers	Major, 7th Cavalry, detailed as Quartermaster; Temporary Colonel of Cavalry. Lieutenant Colonel (Retired).	Retired 1920, for disability contracted in the line of duty.	:622; :570-571; :784-785
1897	Harold E. Cloke	Captain, Commissary of Subsistence, USV; Colonel of Field Artillery, National Army; Colonel, Coast Artillery Corps. Colonel (Retired).	Commanded 160th Field Artillery Brigade in World War I. Retired 1937.	:642; :593-594; :823; :456; :112
1898	David L. Stone	Colonel, National Army; Major General, USA. Major General (Retired).	Staff Officer in World War I; awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.	:657; :613; :855-856; :476; :117
1899	Albert N. McClure	Colonel, Quartermaster Corps. Colonel (Retired).	Retired 1929 for disability incident to service.	:668; :633; :901; :502-503

Notes

References

^ a: Cullum, George W. (1868). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802 to the Army reorganization of 1866-67. Vol. I. 1802-1840. New York, NY: D. Van Nostrand. Search this book on

^ b: Cullum, George W. (1868). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802 to the Army reorganization of 1866-67. Vol. II. 1841-1867. New York, NY: D. Van Nostrand. Search this book on

^ c: Cullum, George W. (1879). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. III. New York, NY: James Miller. Search this book on

^ d: Cullum, George W. (1900). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. IV. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press. Search this book on

^ e: Cullum, George W. (1910). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. V. Saginaw, Michigan: Seemann & Peters. Search this book on

^ f: Cullum, George W. (1920). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. VIA. Chicago, Illinois: R.R. Donnely & Sons. Search this book on

^ g: Cullum, George W. (1930). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. VIB. Chicago, Illinois: R.R. Donnely & Sons. Search this book on

^ h: Cullum, George W. (1930). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. VII. Chicago, Illinois: R.R. Donnely & Sons. Search this book on

^ i: Cullum, George W. (1940). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy, at West Point, New York, since its establishment in 1802. Supplement. Vol. VIII. Chicago, Illinois: R.R. Donnely & Sons. Search this book on

^ x: Heitman, Francis B. (1903). Historical Register and Dictionary of the Officers United States Army. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Search this book on

This article "List of United States Military Academy bottom-ranking graduates (1818–1899)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:List of United States Military Academy bottom-ranking graduates (1818–1899). Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies)

• John Hais Hardee Jr.
• Richard M. Jennings
• James Barrett (Civil War)
• C. J. Grisham
• H. L. Willis
• George P. Broussard
• Allison Paganetti

---