Johnson Chesnut Whittaker

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Johnson Chesnut Whittaker was born on the Chesnut Plantation in Camden, South Carolina. He studied privately with Richard Greener, the first African American to graduate from Harvard college. Whittaker later attended the University of South Carolina, then a freedmen's school. He was one of the first black men to win an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1876 under congressman S. L. Hoge.

[edit] Assaulted at West Point

On the evening of Sunday, April 4th, 1880, Whittaker returned to his room after dinner to find a small envelope addressed to "Cadet Whittaker". Inside was a handwritten note that read,

"Sunday April 4th Mr. Whittaker, You will be 'fixed' Better keep awake A friend" (sic)

Twenty-one year old Whittaker was unsure what to make of the note. Harassment from the white cadets was nothing new to him, but this note bothered him because it seemed to imply physical harm. He spoke to Louis Simpson, the black attendant at the West Point bathhouse, about the note. He told Whittaker that while it might indeed be a warning, if he showed it to anyone in authority, he would only be laughed at.

The next day, in a letter to his mother, Whittaker said he was planning to show the note to General John M. Schofield, the superintendent of the academy. He never got to do so, however.

On Monday night, after a normal day of classes, Whittaker returned to his room, studied, and read his Bible. He went to bed soon after midnight. Sometime during the early morning hours, while it was still dark, Whittaker was abruptly awakened when he felt somebody pounce on top of him. Then he was seized and choked. Someone else punched him about the head and his nose started bleeding. By this time, Whittaker realized there were three men in the room. All three wore dark clothing and masks. They struck Whittaker about the head, and one of the attackers warned him, "Speak now and you are a dead man. Don't you holler."

The three men dragged Whittaker to the floor. He heard one of them say, "Let's mark him the way we mark hogs down South." The men then slashed Whittaker's ear lobes, the way Southern farmers slash the ears of pigs before slaughtering them. When they had finished, one of the men took a pair of scissors and snipped out clumps of Whittaker's hair.

The terrified Whittaker tried to fight off the trio of attackers but when he reached out for them, he was cut on the left hand. His hands were tied in front of him. One of the assailants, noting the blood streaming from Whittaker's nose and ears, said, "Look out, don't hurt him. See how much he bleeds..." Then he placed a handkerchief over one of Whittaker's bleeding ears.

One of the men picked up a small mirror, held it in front of Whittaker's face, and made him look at his image. He then struck Whittaker on the forehead with the mirror, which shattered. Before leaving, the trio took strips of white belting worn by cadets and tied Whittaker's legs to the rails of his cot. "Cry out or speak of this affair and you are a dead man", Whittaker was told again. Then the men left. Whittaker immediately called for help but his voice was weak and no one heard him. He wanted to shout louder but he was afraid his attackers would hear him and return as they had threatened. Exhausted and trembling, Whittaker lay helpless on the floor. Finally, he passed out.

After daybreak, when the cadets lined up for roll call, it was discovered that Whittaker was missing. Major Alexander Piper, the officer in charge, ordered George Burnett, the cadet officer of the day, to check Whittaker's room. Burnett hurried to Whittaker's barracks and up the four flights of stairs leading to his room and pounded on the door. When there was no answer, he opened the door and looked in. Whittaker, wearing only his underclothes, was lying on the floor, his legs tied to the railing of the cot. He was covered in blood. The room was a mess. Burnett made no effort to help Whittaker but ran to get Major Piper. He first alerted Cadet Frederick Hodgson, who occupied the room across the hall from Whittaker's. Hodgson peered in. "I believe he's dead", he said.

When Burnett returned to Whittaker's room with Major Piper, Whittaker was still unconscious. Piper checked his pulse and found it normal. Using scissors that he found on the floor, Burnett cut the belting to free Whittaker's legs and hands. Whittaker remained flat on the floor, his eyes shut, showing no signs of consciousness.

Piper sent for Major Charles Alexander, the Academy doctor. Dr. Alexander had a reputation for dealing harshly with "goldbrickers", cadets who tried to fake illness in an effort to avoid duties or work. When Dr. Alexander arrived and checked Whittaker's pulse, his brow wrinkled. "There's nothing wrong here", he said. He examined Whittaker for head injuries and other wounds. He attempted to rouse Whittaker by shaking him and pinching him. He drew back one of Whittaker's eyelids and examined the pupil. Whittaker showed no response.

When Lieutenant Colonel Henry M. Lazelle, the commander of cadets, arrived on the scene, Dr. Alexander told him that he thought Whittaker might be faking unconsciousness and that he was "not so badly hurt as he tried to make out." Lazelle stared down at Whittaker's motionless form and said, "Get up, Mr. Whittaker, be a man." At the same time, Dr. Alexander began shaking him again. Whittaker stirred and opened his eyes, then sat up. He said nothing. When Dr. Alexander ordered him to get to his feet, he did so. He then walked groggily to the washstand in his room and began to wash the blood from his face.

Dr. Alexander asked Whittaker to sit down so he could treat his injuries. When Dr. Alexander asked for an explanation of what had happened, Whittaker gave him a detailed description of what had happened. Dr. Alexander seemed skeptical. He kept questioning Whittaker, attempting to disprove his story. But Whittaker gave clear and reasonable answers to every question. As Dr. Alexander was treating Whittaker, General Schofield, the West Point superintendent, appeared. Rumours were circulating that Whittaker had been seriously hurt and perhaps killed. Major Piper was quick to assure the general that all was well. "It's not as bad as we thought," Piper declared. Schofield nodded. Then he glanced at Whittaker and asked about his injuries before leaving.