West Point Class Petition Asking to Graduate Early
4/15/1861
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The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduated enough professional officers each year to staff a peacetime army – but not nearly enough for the more than 2,000 regiments raised by the Union during the Civil War. The 27 members of the class of 1861 who signed this petition persuaded Secretary of War Simon Cameron to let them graduate early and join the war effort.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Adjutant General's Office.
National Archives Identifier: 4656205
Full Citation: Petition from West Point Class to Secretary of War Simon Cameron Asking to Graduate Early; 4/15/1861; Correspondence Relating to the Military Academy, 1819 - 1866; Records of the Adjutant General's Office, Record Group 94; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/west-point-class-petition, September 7, 2024]Activities that use this document
- The Civil War: Commemorate or Celebrate?
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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