Tag: Whipple (Amiel W.)

Wikipedia says: Lt. Amiel Weeks Whipple (October 15, 1818 – May 7, 1863) was an American military engineer and surveyor. He served as a brigadier general in the American Civil War, where he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Fort Whipple, the Arizona Territory’s first capital, was named in his honor, as well as Fort Whipple, Arlington County, Virginia, now Fort Myer. He was the topographical engineer/surveyor in charge of the 1853-4 Pacific Railroad Survey from Arkansas to Los Angeles in 1853 and 1854, for a potential transcontinental railroad route. Numerous plants taxa were named in his honor, including the genus Whipplea and species Hesperoyucca whipplei.

…At the outbreak of the Civil War, Whipple served for a time under General Irvin McDowell as commander of the nascent balloon reconnaissance unit. He made a balloon ascent over the Confederate lines at Bull Run. He then became chief topographical engineer under General George B. McClellan in the Army of the Potomac. His maps were used on many Virginia battlefields. In 1862, as brigadier general of volunteers, he led the defense of Washington, D.C., on its Virginia side. In September 1862 Whipple was assigned to the Third Army Corps, and on December 13–15 participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg. Whipple was severely wounded by a sharpshooter at Chancellorsville on May 4, 1863, received last rites on the battlefield and was taken to Washington. Just before Whipple’s death on May 7 President Lincoln, a friend of Whipple’s, promoted him to major general of volunteers. Lincoln rode in an open carriage as part of Whipple’s funeral cortege. He was later awarded posthumously more brevets for his wartime services, and both of his sons received presidential appointments to the military academy of their choice. He was buried in the Proprietors’ Cemetery, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.