[WEST POINT]. An Expose of Facts, Concerning Recent Transactions, Relating to the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy, at West-Point, New-York.

Item Details

Newburgh, NY, Uriah C. Lewis, 1819, Original paper wraps

First

[WEST POINT]. An Expose of Facts, Concerning Recent Transactions, Relating to the Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy, at West-Point, New-York. Newburgh, NY: Printed by Uriah C. Lewis, 1819. 1st ed. vii,68pp. [bound with] RAGLAND, Thomas. Defence before a General Court-Martial, Held at West-Point, in the State of New-York, in the Month of May, Eighteen Hundred and Nineteen. [second title]: Memorial to Congress. Newburgh, NY: Printed by Uriah C. Lewis, 1819. 1st ed. 29; 9 pp. Orig. unprinted wrappers, sewn as issued. Very old water-staining along edges of upper margins and on the bottom corner of the final few leaves, otherwise near fine. Uncut leaves.  Rare in the trade. Shaw and Shoemaker 47932, 49231, 48677 (this last should not be listed separately as The Memorial is conjugate with the Defence). Inscribed in ink on the front wrapper, "Honb: / T[homas]. Butler /Congress U.S. / Washington City" Thomas Butler (1785-1847) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1818 to 1821 representing the state of Louisiana. He served one and a half terms as a Democratic-Republican. Butler was born near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1806 and commenced practice at Pittsburgh, Pa.; moved to Mississippi Territory about 1807; admitted to the bar there in 1808; captain of a Cavalry troop in the Mississippi Territory Militia in 1810; purchased land in the parish of Feliciana, Orleans Territory and settled there in 1811; appointed parish judge December 14, 1812; appointed judge of the third district by Governor Claiborne of Louisiana March 4, 1813; elected as a Republican to the Fifteenth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas B. Robertson in 1818 and was re-elected the same year to the 16th Congress.  A rare expose, printed by five former cadets accused of leading a revolt at the Academy. Rebelling against the Commandant of Cadets’ use of physical force, the five were placed under arrest and confined to quarters for twelve months, court-martialed, and subsequently reinstated. They resigned and petitioned President Monroe, Secretary of War Calhoun, and Congress for redress and to bring public attention to improprieties in the management of the U.S. Military Academy.  Only 25 copies found in Worldcat.