The West Point Cemetery
- THE OLD CADET CHAPEL, completed
in 1837, is an example of the Greek Revival style
of architecture popular in America during the 1830's. Above
the altar is the painting of "Peace and War"
by Robert Walter Weir, Professor of Drawing at West Point from
1883 to 1876. Imbedded on the walls are black memorial tablets
to the Revolutionary War generals of the Continental Army and
to West Point graduates who died in the Mexican War. On the east
side of the choir loft is the tablet to General Benedict Arnold,
a tribute to his service to the nation during the invasion of
Canada and at the Battle of Saratoga; only his rank and date of
birth appear on the tablet. The old Chapel was previously located
on the corner adjacent the library across from the clock tower.
It was moved to the present site in 1910 and has continued to
be used for church services.
- DADE MONUMENT,
located on the left near the entrance to the cemetery. Erected
in 1845 as a memorial to Brevet Major Francis Langhorne Dade and
his command massacred by the Seminole Indians on a march to Fort
King, Florida in 1835.
- MARGARET "MOLLY" CORBIN,
Revolutionary War heroine took the place of her mortally wounded
cannoneer husband during the Battle of Fort Washington. For her
gallantry she was awarded a pension by General Washington. Recognition
of Molly's heroism and service came in 1926 when the Daughters
of the American Revolution verified her records and had her remains
transferred to the West Point Cemetery.
- COLONEL DAVID "MICKEY" MARCUS,
a graduate of the Class of 1924, became Brigadier, Supreme Commander
Jewish Force, Jerusalem Area after World War II, and was accidentally
killed while serving in Palestine in 1948, his grave marker is
made of pink granite from Israel.
- THE ANDERSON FOUNTAIN,is
a memorial to Brigadier General Robert Anderson, West Point graduate
and outstanding artillery officer. He became the first union hero
of the Civil War. His grave number is 16.
- GENERAL LUCIUS CLAY,Commander-in-Chief,
European Command and Military Governor of the U.S. Zone, 1947-49,
was graduated with the Class of June 1918.
- COLONEL EDWARD H. WHITE II,
the first American astronaut to walk in space during the Gemini
4 flight, died in an accidental flash fire aboard the Apollo I
spacecraft preparing for another flight. Colonel White was graduated
in the Class of 1952.
- MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE W. GOETHALS,
distinguished Army engineer, is best known as the "Builder
of the Panama Canal."
- MAJOR GENERAL FREDERICK DENT GRANT,
son of President Ulysses S. Grant, was graduated in the Class
of 1871.
- WOOD'S MONUMENT,was
erected in memory of Colonel Eleazor Wood, engineer officer and
graduate of West Point in 1806, killed while leading a sortie
from besieged Fort Erie in 1814. This monument appears in old
prints of West Point located on a knoll near the flag pole. Both
it and the Cadet Monument (number 12) served as guides to river
boats navigating the bend in the river above West Point.
- ENSIGN DOMINICK TRANT,
a native of Cork, Ireland and a soldier in the Ninth Massachusetts Infantry,
died at West Point in 1782. His grave is the oldest in the cemetery.
- SUSAN WARNER AND ANNA B. WARNER,
lived on Constitution Island, which they gave to U.S.M.A.; wrote
many books and songs, including the childrenís song, "Jesus
Loves Me."
- THE CADET MONUMENT,
erected by cadets and officers, is dedicated to the memory of
Cadet Vincent M. Lowe who was killed by the premature discharge
of a cannon on January 1, 1817. Names of cadets and professors
who died while at West Point appear on the monument.
- LIEUTENANT GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT,
served for fifty-four years in the United States Army and participated
in all the major wars from the War of 1812 through the Civil War.
He died at West Point in 1866.
- COLONEL SYLVANUS THAYER,
"Father of the Military Academy" served as Superintendent
from 1817 - 1833. He is credited with establishing the foundation
for the present West Point academic system.
- MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER,
colorful Civil War leader and Indian fighter, died with most of
his command at the Battle of Little Big Horn, June 25, 1876. The
base of his marker, originally topped with a bronze statue, stood
adjacent the Headquarters Building. Mrs. Custer took exception
to the statue and had it removed. Subsequently, the pedestal with
the addition of an obelisk became the grave marker for this legendary
figure.
- BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT ANDERSON,
gained fame as the hero and defender of Fort Sumter, the first
battle of the Civil War.
- MAJOR GENERAL DANIEL BUTTERFIELD,
a native New Yorker but not an Academy Graduate, had a distinguished
career as an officer during the Civil War. The sixteen ornate
columns on his monument record the forty-three battles and skirmishes
in which he participated. The composition of the familiar military
air, "Taps" has been attributed to General Butterfield.
- BRIGADIER GENERAL EGBERT L. VIELE,
a West Point graduate in the Class of 1847, was the chief engineer
of the projected Central Park in New York City in 1856 and the
engineer for Prospect Park, Brooklyn. His TOPOGRAPHICAL ATLAS
OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, "showing the original water courses
and made land" published in 1876 is still used by New York
City engineers.