Trivia 6-8-16 Making the Grade

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What Civil War officer recorded the highest grades attained at West Point in the nineteenth century?

credit: @57th Indiana Infantry

Edit - Advisory: I will be away from my computer Friday, Saturday, and most of Sunday. Though this thread can be expected to close at the normal time on Friday morning, I will not be able to score players' responses before Sunday night or Monday.

Hoosier
 
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The answer would "none". William Henry Chase Whiting had the highest grades of any civil war officer, but is far down the list as to the highest during the 19th century.

Top 5
1. Irving Hale, class of 1884—an overall average of 99.7783%
2. Charles Mason, class of 1829 academic average of 99.7750%
3. Alexander Dallas Bache, Class of 1825, 99.7105%
4. Henry Clay Newcomer, class of 1886, 99.5855%,
5. Eben Eveleth Winslow, class of 1889, 99.5391%


http://www.westpointaog.org/page.aspx?pid=3682
 
George B McClellan

Edit - McClellan finished second in the Class of 1846. I'm not sure whether the cadet who graduated first in that class served in the Civil War, so McClellan may have the distinction of having the highest average among Class of 1846 members who were also Civil War officers. However, I can find no source indicating that he had the highest average among all West Point graduates who served as Civil War officers.

Hoosier
 
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The highest points in the 19th Century were achieved by Charles Mason - but he never became a "Civil War officer". The second highest points were achieved by Robert E. Lee, who did, so he's the answer.

Mason and Lee were tied for the head of the class in Artillery, Tactics, and Conduct, but Mason bested Lee in all other subjects and graduated with an overall score of 1995.5 points out of a possible 2000, compared to Lee's 1966.5. Mason resigned his commission two years after graduation in 1831. They also finished first and second in the entire history of the school, and are still the best to this day, the third best being Douglas MacArthur.
 
William Henry Chase "Little Billy" Whiting
Brigadier General, CSA


He entered the United States Military Academy in 1841 and graduated at the head of his class on July 1, 1845. (He had just turned 21, March 22nd) His grade average was the highest of any previous student at West Point, where he was first in every subject all four years.

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwhew

220px-Whiting2.jpg


"Little Billy" Whiting was considered a boy genius of his time.
Graduated English High School of Boston at 12 years old, outstanding student, nations first public high school
Graduated Georgetown College (now University) at 16 years old, 2nd in class


Wounded in the right thigh and hip he was captured in the Second Battle of Fort Fisher. Angry that his superior, General Braxton Bragg, failed to use the division of Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke to attack the Federal rear while the fort was under assault, Whiting requested an investigation of his superior's actions from his prison cell.

Taken prisoner with the rest of fort's defenders, and weakened by war service and the injuries suffered at Fort Fisher, Whiting died of dysentery at the Union military hospital at Fort Columbus on Governors Island in New York City on March 10, 1865.
 
What Civil War officer recorded the highest grades attained at West Point in the nineteenth century?

credit: @57th Indiana Infantry
Robert Edward Lee . When he graduated (second in his class of 46) in 1829 he had not only attained the top academic record but was the first cadet (and so far the only) to graduate the Academy without a single demerit. Lee graduated second in his class behind Charles Mason, who resigned from the Army a year after graduation.
 
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