USMA West Point Class of 1854 Signatures. WITH: Original Ink-Drawn Map and Watercolor View

A CLASS DIVIDED: A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES OF WEST POINT ALUMNI SOON TO BE DIVIDED BY THE CIVIL WAR. WITH: FINELY DRAWN INK MAP OF WEST POINT BY ALEXANDER STEWART WEBB AND ELEGANT WATERCOLOR VIEW. FROM THE COLLECTION OF JEB STUART. The Signatures: The present collection includes two large displays of signatures, on sheets featuring numerous small boxes printed onto them filled in by each individual with their name and a location, perhaps their current residences. The effect these documents give is the impression of an informal assortment of hand-written calling cards amassed after a social function of West Point alumni. Predominately, the sheets are signed by most of the Class of 1854, a fateful group who were soon be divided by the impending Civil War. Beyond this outstanding group, other graduating classes are represented as well as certain individuals who were not graduates of the USMA but no less salient figures of wartime America-including Albert J. Myer, inventor of wigwag signalling, and James Wiley Magoffin, lessor for the land upon which Fort Bliss would be built. The terminus ad quem for the collection of signatures is most likely 1854, the earliest death of any signee, in this case John L. Grattan, who died after encountering Sioux troops in the Dakota Territory. Yet, a number of signees are from later graduating classes-so either, if the signatures were assembled all on one date, these individuals were still current students, or possibly these sheets represents a longer project of collecting the signatures. The providences of those who signed these papers alone reflect the many sacrifices made by the servicemen. Michael Ryan Morgan (Class of '54) survived the War, retired in 1897 and lived to be nearly 80, and Albert J. Myer lived on to propagate his widely-successful wig-wag flag signalling system across the world. William Dorsey Pender and Stephen Hinsdale Weed (both Class of '54) perished, as so many did, at Gettysburg in the early days of July 1863-only three decades of age each. John T. Magruder (Class '57), by solemn contrast, was killed only one year after his graduation from West Point; the Sacramento Daily Union edition of 17 August 1858 published the notice: Information has been received of the sudden death of Lieut. Magruder, of Washington City, while on his way to Great Salt Lake with the Utah army. His death was caused by another man, a quarrel having arose between them, which resulted in the shooting of Lieut. Magruder. His parents reside at Washington. Yet, unlike his peers who would shortly be fractionalised among the Union and Confederate armies, Magruder never knew the domestic horror of the Civil War-neither the extent of violence on American soil nor the growing schism between his fellow class-men. An enumeration of each of the 53 signees is provided below, along with brief biographical details. Two West Point Illustrations from Signed JEB Stuart Scrapbook - A Fine Map in Ink by Alexander Stewart Webb and a Watercolour Study: In a largely dilapidated scrapbook owned by JEB Stuart (signed faintly in pencil "JEB Stuart | June 1853", the summer between his Junior and Senior years at West Point), two impressive illustrations have been preserved. The first is a topographic map in ink by Alexander Stewart Webb (Class of '55), JEB Stuart's underclassman by one year. Brevetted Brigidier General and Major General on 13 March 1865, Webb was recognised "for gallant and meritorious services in the campaign terminating with the surrender of the insurgent army under Gen. Lee.", and his wartime letters are now held at Yale University's Beinecke Library (see "Webb, Samuel Blatchley", in Appleton, p. 403). The present drawing, possibly depicting an aerial view of either Trophy Point or Constitution Island, is remarkable for the meticulous line shading to capture the region's elevation and natural features. The second illustration, a miniature watercolour study in sepia, offers a scenic view from the Plai.…