Assault at West Point

• Author: Reviewed by Captain Stephanie L. Stephens
• Pages: 08

The American Civil War ended in 1865 Fifteen years later, Johnson Chestnut Whittaker was the only black cadet at West Point. On the morning of 6 Apnl 1880, hawever, he gained distinction for another ~eason.

Cadet Urnittaker was absent from the 0600 cadet reveille formation. The Cadet Officer of the Day, George R.Burnett, went to look far Whittaker, assuming he had overslept. Burnett found 'Wittaker lying on the floor, looking as though he had fallen out of bed. Coming closer, Burnett saw that Vhttaker'a legs were tied to the bed and that he was covered with blood. The mom showed signs of ma)-hem."' b'httaker's hands were bound ~nfront of his body. In addition to the blood on his face, neck, ears, feet, and underclothes, blood was on the mattress, the wall above the bed, the floor, the doorjamb, and Vhttnttaker's pillow, blanket, and comforter. Other evidence, including a blood-atamed Indian club, a braken mirror, a wet sock, charred papers, bunches of Whittaker's hair,a pocket knife, and a blood-soaked handkerchief, was scattered about the roam.

Johnson Whittaker was alive, but U ~ C O ~ S C I O U S .

Two years of turmoil would fallow him. The Academy Superintendent, General John M. Schofield, ordered the Commandant af Cadets, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Henry M Ladle, to investigate the incident. Despite Whittaker's claim that he had been attacked in the night by three masked men dressed in civilian clothes, and his praduetian of a warning note left in his room while he was at dinner the evening before he attack, LTC Lazelle's cursory investigation placed the blame on Whittaker. A day and a half after the attack, LTC Lazelle opined to General Sehofield that Whittaker had writ. ten the warning note, mutilated himself, and faked unconsciousness. General Sehofield informed Whittaker of the findings, and

' JOHn P hUliWIK. ASSILLT AT WEST Poi\r, THE CounrM*Rnar OF JOHNSONU - H I P I m R tEew York, Macmillan Publiehing Company, 19941 289 pages. $12 00 (aofi eoYelJ lorlglnally published CoLsr MARTlil A B U C K MA\ IR AMERICA (New York,Scribner, 1972)~

** Judge Advocate Geneiah Carp%. United Stater Army Wnften when amgned 81 B Student. 4Slh Judge Advocate Officer Graduate Course, The Judge Advocate General'@ School. United State: Army, Charlotrebville, Yirmnia

1 M*RSLILEK. "Upra note

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offered him the choice of resignation, a Court of Inquiry, or a Caurt..\lartial Whittaker immediately demanded a court of Inquirg-. The ~nquiry comened on 9 April 1880 and issued Its dew s o n on 29 May 1880 After almost seven weeks of testimony and argument, the panel of four officers issued an opinion that affirmed the canclusiant of LTC Lazelle's mvestigatmn n'hittaker's motiw. tion in committing thew acts upon himseif. according 10 the court of inquiry. was to gain qmpathy from his instructors m light of the upcoming final examinations.

The story of the alleged assault of B black cadet st Kest Point gained national attention. However, a8 the transcript of the Court of Inquiry slowly made ita way through the War Department the Judge Advocate General, and finally, to the President of the United States. media attention subsided. While Cadet Whittaker awaited his fate, President Rutherford B. Hayee placed the case on the back burner Finally, an 20 December 1880, almost seven months after the inquiry delnered Its conclusions, President Hayes, in one of his last actions as President. ordered B murt.mertia1 to t q Johnson Whittaker. The court-martial convened on 20 January 1881, uith Cadet hhttaker accused of conduct...