William Denison Whipple

Bvt. Maj. Gen. William Denison Whipple (August 2, 1826 – April 1, 1902) was an officer of the U.S. Army who fought against the native Americans in the New Mexico Territory and served the Union during the American Civil War. Biography Whipple was born in Nelson, New York on August 2, 1826, to Jerusha Whipple. He entered West Point in 1847 before graduating on July 1, 1851, and was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant. During his time there he would be treated for phlegmon three times, catarrhs twice, diarrhea twice, and several other diseases. He graduated near the bottom of his class, but would go on to have a prominent career. In the spring of 1852, Whipple marched a detachment of recruits from Newport Barracks to Jefferson Barracks, joining a larger detachment and taking a steamer to Fort Leavenworth before going on to join the 3rd regiment in the New Mexico Territory. He was promoted to first lieutenant on December 31, 1856, and served frontier duty across New Mexico until 1860. While there Whipple participated in the Gila Expedition of 1857 against the apaches, the Navajo conflict of 1858, from Fort Defiance, and the Second Battle of Fort Defiance on April 29, 1860. Whipple would also study Navajo vocabulary for the U.S. military over the course of his service there. American Civil War In 1860, Whipple's regiment was ordered to Texas where he would serve as a quartermaster in Indianola. He would remain there until the Twiggs agreement the following year. Whipple, still in Indianola, would try to get the troops under his command back to the North, however, they were captured at their post in by Van Dorn due to delays by other officers and the Confederates seizing schooners hired by Whipple to take the troops back North.