Sedgwick's Spurs

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Past in Review SEdgwICK’S SPURS By J. PhoENIX, ESQUIRE A statue of MG John Sedgwick, Class of A bachelor who enjoyed a good practical 1837, stands facing Battle Monument on joke, he often walked the front lines to Trophy Point. Sedgwick fought at Vera show his contempt for enemy fire. At Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Churubusco, and Spotsylvania on May 9, 1864, he just had Chapultepec during the War with Mexico, voiced his opinion that the Confederate garnering two brevet (honorary) snipers couldn’t hit an elephant at such a promotions for bravery. He also fought the long distance when he was killed by a Seminoles, Cheyennes, Kiowas, and Confederate marksman. There is an Comanches; monitored the Cherokees on equestrian statue honoring Sedgwick at the Trail of Tears; and took part in the Gettysburg, a tall obelisk at his grave in Mormon expedition. He was known as a Connecticut, and an imposing Sedgwick good and honest man who took care of his monument with a cannon stands across soldiers. His men, in turn, rewarded his from the cemetery, but the most interesting devotion with the nickname “Uncle John.” homage to him involves his statue at West Point, dedicated on October 21, 1868. During the Civil War, he was wounded twice at Glendale on June 30, 1862 as he Because of his concern for his soldiers and rode into battle while ill. Then he was his fondness for practical jokes, a tradition promoted to major general and returned to arose that his spirit would assist cadets command his 2nd Division, II Corps, at experiencing difficulties in academics, but Antietam in September. Wounded thrice receiving this assistance required a bit of when his division was destroyed in a trap, risk on their part; a little contempt for he returned to command the 23,000-man “enemy fire.” VI Corps early in 1863, performing A recent survey of cadets indicated that fully satisfactorily at Chancellorsville in May. 90% were aware of the Sedgwick legend As Meade later advanced the Army of the and 5% actually had spun his spurs in Potomac into Pennsylvania, he encountered hopes of academic intervention. The Lee at Gettysburg on July 1 and called greatest number of cadets recalled first upon Sedgwick to advance his corps from hearing of the legend during Manchester, MD, as soon as possible. Uncle Beast Barracks, while others John marched his corps through the night, cited another cadet, books, sometimes singing, sometimes in silence, the web and tours as their covering 34 miles and arriving at 5 p.m. on source of information. July 2 to be used as reinforcements. According to the West Point website, “Legend holds that if a cadet is deficient in academics, the cadet should go to the monument at midnight the night before the term-end examination, in full dress, under arms, and spin the rowels on the Cadet Jared M monument’s spurs. With luck, the cadet osby ’05, now Captain M will pass the test.” osby. Photos: Courtesy of Class of 2005 48 WestPointAOG.ORG.

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