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

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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.[1]

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. [a]:183
1819 William H. Swift Captain, Topographical Engineers Resigned 1849. President of the Board of Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. [a]: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. [a]:210
1821 Julius A. d'Lagnel Captain, Ordnance Died 1840. [a]:220
1822 David Moniac Brevet Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Resigned 1822. Major, Regiment of Creek Volunteers. KIA, Battle of Wahoo Swamp 1836. [a]:239
1823 Egbert B. Birdsall Captain, 8th Infantry Died 1845. [a]:256
1824 W. Beverhout Thompson First Lieutenant, 5th Infantry Resigned 1830. Chief Engineer, railroads. [a]:268
1825 Samuel R. Allston First Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Resigned 1836; died the same year. [a]:288
1826 E. Kirby Smith Captain, 5th Infantry DOW, Battle of Churubusco 1847. Older brother of Edmund Kirby Smith. [a]:307
1827 Nelson N. Clark Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Died 1832. [a]:324
1828 Philip R. Van Wyck Not commissioned, due to hearing loss. U. S. Asst. Civil Engineer. Drowned 1832. [a]:337
1829 Richard B. Screven Captain, 8th Infantry; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, USA. Died 1851. [a]:359-360
1830 Stephen B. Legate Second Lieutenant, 3rd Infantry Resigned 1835; died the same year. [a]:379
1831 John Conrad First Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Died in Florida 1838, during the Second Seminole War. [a]: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. [a]:419; [2]
1833 Nathanaiel W. Hunter Captain, 2nd Dragoons Died 1849. [a]:443-444
1834 Alexander Montgomery Lieutenant Colonel, Quartermaster Deputy Quartermaster General. Retired 1874. [a]:462; [c]:104
1835 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. [a]:493; [x]:676
1836 Charles H. E. Spoor Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Died 1838. [a]:518
1837 William Hardia First Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons Dismissed 1840 for habitual drunkenness. [a]:547
1838 Zebulon M. P. Inge First Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons KIA, Battle of Resaca de la Palma 1846 [a]:571
1839 John H. Hill First Lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons Died in Mexico 1847, during the Mexican-American War. [a]:591-592
1840 John D. Bacon First Lieutenant, 6th Infantry DOW, Battle of Churubusco 1847. [a]:619
1841 Rudolph F. Ernst Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry DOW, Battle of Molino del Rey 1847 [b]:36-37
1842 James O. Handy Second Lieutenant, 8th Infantry Died in Texas 1845. [b]:71.
1843 Charles G. Merchant First Lieutenant, 8th Infantry; Brevet Captain, USA. Died 1855. [b]:98-99
1844 George W. Hawkins First Lieutenant, Mounted Rifles Dismissed 1853, under Sect. 3, Law of Jan. 31, 1823. [a] [b]:112
1845 William L. Crittenden Second Lieutenant, 1st Infantry Resigned 1849. Colonel in López filibustrering expedition against Cuba. Executed in Havana 1851. [b]:139
1846 George E. Pickett Captain, 9th Infantry; Brevet Captain, USA. Resigned 1861. Major General, PACS. [b]:179-180; [x]:790
1847 Henry Heth Captain, 10th Infantry Resigned 1861. Major General, PACS. [a]:206; [x]:526-527
1848 George W. Howland Major, 2nd Cavalry; Brevet Major, USA. Retired 1869. [b]:226 [f]:549
1849 James McIntosh Captain, 1st Cavalry Resigned 1861. Brigadier General, PACS. KIA, Battle of Pea Ridge 1862. [b]:252-253; [x]:669
1850 Donald C. Stith Captain, 5th Infantry Dismissed 1861. Colonel, Assistant Inspector General, PACS. [b];277-278; [x]:926
1851 Lawrence S. Baker First Lieutenant, Mounted Rifles Resigned 1861. Brigadier General, PACS. [b]:304; [x]:184
1852 Hezekiah H. Garber Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Died 1859. [b]:332-333
1853 William Craig Captain, Quartermaster Resigned 1864. [b]:372.
1854 John McCleary Captain, 6th Infantry; Brevet Major, USA. Died 1868. [b]:391-392; [c]:246
1855 George McGunigle Dick Second Lieutenant, 1st Infantry Died 1856 in Texas. [b]:418
1856 Arthur S. Cunningham First Lieutenant, 10th Infantry Resigned 1861. Lieutenant Colonel, Assistant Adjutant General, PACS. [b]:446; [x]:344
1857 Lafayette Peck First Lieutenant, 8th Infantry Resigned 1861. Major, PACS. Died 1864. [b]:467; [x]:780
1858 Charles E. Jesup Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Resigned 1860; died the same year. [b]:480
1859 Henry A. F. Worth Captain, 6th Infantry Disabled by wound; resigned 1863. Quartermaster's Clerk 1863. [b]:493-494
1860 Harold Borland Brevet Second Lieutenant of Infantry Resigned 1861. Captain, Assistant Adjutant General, PACS. [b]: 519; [x]:231
1861
(May) 		Sheldon Sturgeon Captain, 6th Cavalry; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, USA. Retired 1876, for disability contracted in the line of duty. [b]:548; [c]: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. [b]:568-569; [c]:304-305
1862 Charles N. Warner First Lieutenant, 4th Artillery; Brevet Captain, USA. Honorably mustered out of service, 1871. [b]:586; [c]:304-305
1863 James R. Reid Captain, 10th Infantry Resigned 1866. [b]:596
1864 Samuel H. Kinney First Lieutenant, 2nd Artillery; Brevet Captain, USA. Died 1868 at Sitka, Alaska. [b]:608; [c]:326
1865 Charles E. Dempsey Colonel, 30th Infantry. Retired 1901. [b]:625; [c]:345; [d]:170; [e]:150
1866 James B. Cole First Lieutenant, 4th Cavalry Honorable discharged on his own request, 1870. Lawyer. [b]:633; [c]:357
1867 John H. Gifford First Lieutenant, 2nd Artillery. Captain (Retired). Retired 1898, for disability contracted in the line of duty. [b]:645; [c]:375; [d]: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. [c]:392; [4]
1869 Mason M. Maxon Captain, 10th Cavalry Retired 1891, for disability contracted in the line of duty. [c]:404; [d]:193
1870 Levi P. Hunt Lieutenant Colonel, 3rd Cavalry. Colonel (Retired). Retired 1909, by operation of law. [c]:422-423; [d]:205; [e]:176-177
1871 Julius H. Pardee First Lieutenant, 23rd Infantry Resigned 1885. Ranchman, New Mexico. [c]:435-436; [d]:215; [x]:768
1872 Frank P. Reap Second Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry Resigned 1874. Cashier of the Miners' Savings Bank of Pittston, Pennsylvania. [c]:451-452
1873 Joseph P. Huston Colonel, 19th Infantry. Colonel (Retired). Retired 1910, for a disability incident to the service. [c]:463; [d]:240; [e]: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. [c]:474; [x]:437
1875 Charles W. Williams Lieutenant Colonel, Quartermaster Deputy Quartermaster General. Died at Havana, Cuba, 1898. [c]:484; [d]:274-275
1876 Hamilton Rowan Major, Artillery Corps Retired 1906 at his own request, after over 34 years of service. [c]:495; [d]:274-275; [e]:251
1877 F. Halverson French First Lieutenant, 3rd Cavalry. Retired 1885. [c]:511; [x]:436
1878 Ormentiz J. C. Hock Second Lieutenant, 17th Infantry Died 1883. [d]:306; [x]:533
1879 Guy R. Beardslee Second Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Resigned 1880. [d]:323; [x]:203
1880 Percy E. Trippe Lieutenant Colonel, Cavalry. Colonel (Retired). Retired 1912 at his own request, after over 30 years of service. [d]:338; [e]:314; [f]:306
1881 Frederick T. Van Liew Captain, 2nd Infantry Dismissed 1899 by Order of a General Court Martial.[b] [d]:353
1882 George P. Ahearn Captain, 9th Infantry. Major (Retired). Retired 1909,´for disability contracted in the line of duty. [d]:366; [e]: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. [d]:383-384; [e]:353; [f]:371; [h]:207-208
1884 Powhatan H. Clarke First Lieutenant, 10th Cavalry Medal of Honor, 1891. Drowned 1893 while trying to save life of a soldier. [d]:398
1885 Edward P. Lowton Captain, 19th Infantry. Major (Retired). Retired 1908, for disability contracted in the line of duty. [d]:412; [e]:378-379
1886 David W. Fulton Second Lieutenant, 24th Infantry Died 1889 [a]; 439; [x]: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 [d]:459; [e]:415; [f]:485
1888 Mathew C. Butler, Jr. Major, Ordnance, USV; Lieutenant Colonel, 7th Cavalry. Died 1916. [d]:473; [e]:428; [f]: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. [d]:489; [e]:442; [f]:536-537
1890 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. [d]:508; [e]:458; [f]:570-571; [h]:313
1891 David P. Cordray Captain, 26th Infantry. Major (Retired). Retired 1913, for disability contracted in the line of duty. [d]:530; [e]:480; [f]:614
1892 Horace G. Hembright Second Lieutenant, 22nd Infantry Died 1896. [d]: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. [d]:565; [e]:512; [f]:680-681
1894 James A. Moss Colonel of Infantry, National Army. Colonel, Quartermaster Corps. Colonel (Retired). Commanded during World War I. Retired 1922 at his own request, after over 30 years of service. [d]:582; [e]:531; [f]:714-715; [h]:389
1895 Daniel Duncan Second Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Died 1897. [d]: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. [d]:622; [e]:570-571; [f]:784-785
1897 Harold E. Cloke Captain, Commissary of Subsistence, USV; Colonel of Field Artillery, National Army; Colonel, Coast Artillery Corps. Colonel (Retired). Commanded in World War I. Retired 1937. [d]:642; [e]:593-594; [f]:823; [h]:456; [i]: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. [d]:657; [e]:613; [f]:855-856; [h]:476; [i]:117
1899 Albert N. McClure Colonel, Quartermaster Corps. Colonel (Retired). Retired 1929 for disability incident to service. [d]:668; [e]:633; [f]:901; [h]:502-503
Notes
  1. ^ An Act concerning the disbursement of public money. Sec. 3: "That every officer or agent of the United States, who shall offend against the provisions of the preceding sections, shall, by the officer charged with the direction of the department to which such offending officer is responsible, be promptly reported to the President of the United States, and dismissed from the public service."[3]
  2. ^ Found guilty to charges of disobeying orders, misappropriating public money to his own use and benefit, and wrongfully receiving money. [5]

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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

^ 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.

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

  1. ^ "The Goat." West Point Bicentennial. Retrieved Oct. 10, 2021.
  2. ^ "Class of 1832 members who served in the Civil War." West Point Officers in the Civil War. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  3. ^ Acts of the Seventeenth Congress of the United States. Washington, DC, p. 723.
  4. ^ Thirty-Second Annual Reunion of the Association of the Graduates of the United States Military Academy, June 8th, 1901 Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Adjutant General's Office (1900). General Orders and Circulars, 1899. Washington, DC, "General Orders No. 186."
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