Henry Howard Whitney (December 25, 1866 – April 2, 1949) was a

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

military officer who attained the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

. He was known primarily for the spy missions he carried out in

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

and

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

prior to the start of the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

Early life

Whitney was born in

Glen Hope, Pennsylvania Glen Hope is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 127 at the 2020 census. Geography Glen Hope is located in southern Clearfield County at (40.798959, -78.500320), primarily on the northern side of Clearf ...

on December 25, 1866. The son of a clergyman and

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

veteran of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, he graduated from

Dickinson Seminary Lycoming College is a private liberal arts college in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church but operates as an independent institution. Through its history, it has been an ac ...

and passed a competitive examination for appointment to the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

in 1888. He graduated number 11 of 62 in the class of 1892, and was the class president for all four of his years at West Point. His fellow classmates included numerous men who would later attain

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

rank, such as

Charles Pelot Summerall General Charles Pelot Summerall (March 4, 1867 – May 14, 1955) was a senior United States Army officer. He commanded the 1st Infantry Division in World War I, was Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1926 to 1930, and was President of ...

Tracy Campbell Dickson Tracy Campbell Dickson (September 17, 1868 – May 17, 1936) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Biography Dickson was born in Independence, Iowa, on September 17, 1868. His father had served with the Nint ...

, Frank W. Coe,

William Ruthven Smith Major General William Ruthven Smith (April 2, 1868 – July 15, 1941) was a career United States Army officer who commanded the 36th Division during its deployment in France during the final months of World War I. He later became Superintendent of ...

James Ancil Shipton Brigadier General James Ancil Shipton (March 10, 1867 – February 15, 1926) was a senior United States Army officer. He served in the Philippine–American War and World War I, where he held various commands on the Western Front. Early life Jam ...

Louis Chapin Covell Louis Chapin Covell (June 22, 1875 – August 26, 1952) was a United States army officer and business. He served in the Spanish–American War and World War I, and later worked for several automotive companies, including General Motors. Early li ...

, Preston Brown,

George Blakely George Blakely (July 5, 1870 – November 16, 1965) was an army officer and an American Brigadier general active during World War I. Early life Blakely was born in Pennsylvania. In 1892 he graduated number four of sixty-two from the United Sta ...

Robert Mearns Brigadier General Robert Walter Mearns (July 16, 1866 – May 23, 1949) was a U.S. Army general during World War I. Early life and education Robert Walter Mearns was born on July 16, 1866, in Kemblesville, Pennsylvania, to Andrew James Mearns, a ...

Peter Weimer Davison Peter Weimer Davison (May 15, 1869 – February 12, 1920) was an American brigadier general during World War I. Early life and education Peter Davison was born on his family's farm near Waupun, Wisconsin on May 15, 1869. He attended the United S ...

Howard Russell Hickok Howard Russell Hickok (November 26, 1870 – July 7, 1926) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in World War I, among other conflicts. Biography Hickok was born on November 26, 1870, in Florida, M ...

Julian Robert Lindsey Major General Julian Robert Lindsey (March 16, 1871 – June 27, 1948) was a United States Army cavalry officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in the China Relief Expedition, the Pancho Villa Expedition and commanded a regim ...

John E. Woodward John E. Woodward (May 24, 1870 – August 4, 1944) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Moro Rebellion, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I, he served from 1892 ...

, John McAuley Palmer and

George Columbus Barnhardt George Columbus Barnhardt (December 28, 1868 – December 10, 1930) was a United States Army officer who served during World War I.Marquis Who's Who, Inc. ''Who Was Who in American History, the Military''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. P. 30IS ...

Start of career

Whitney was commissioned in the 4th Field Artillery. He was on special duty at the

War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War (1789–1947) See also * War Office, a former department of the British Government * Ministry of defence * Ministry of War * Ministry of Defence * Dep ...

from 1896 to 1898. In 1898, he was appointed Military Attaché to the American legation in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, and soon afterwards agreed to undertake a covert mission for the

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

in anticipation of the

Spanish–American War

Whitney disguised himself as an English sailor, evaded capture by Spanish authorities, and made a military reconnaissance of

and

, thereby gaining intelligence upon which General

Nelson A. Miles Nelson Appleton Miles (August 8, 1839 – May 15, 1925) was an American military general who served in the American Civil War, the American Indian Wars, and the Spanish–American War. From 1895 to 1903, Miles served as the last Commanding Gen ...

based the war's Puerto Rican Campaign, and General

William Rufus Shafter William Rufus Shafter (October 16, 1835 – November 12, 1906) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who received America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Fair Oaks. Shafter ...

based his campaign in Cuba. In 1918, Whitney was awarded the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

for heroism in carrying out this spy mission. The citation for the medal reads: Whitney served throughout the war as an assistant adjutant on the Miles's staff; after the war he was appointed as an aide-de-camp to Miles, and accompanied him on his around the world tour from 1902 to 1903. After the war, Whitney served in the Philippines; commanded the Presidio of San Francisco and Fort Point, San Francisco during the Panama–Pacific International Exposition; and served on the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa Expedition.

World War I

During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Whitney commanded the 63rd Field Artillery Brigade and was promoted to temporary brigadier general. He was later appointed a member of the staff of the

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought alon ...

headquarters, and was Chief of Staff for the Military District of Paris. Whitney retired as a colonel in 1920, and in 1930 he was promoted to brigadier general on the retired list as the result of a federal law which allowed World War I general officers to retire at the highest rank they had held.

Retirement and death

After the war, Whitney lived in California, where he was the president of a real estate finance company. He subsequently moved to New York City. Whitney died

Madison, New Jersey Madison is a borough in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 16,937. Located along the Morris & Essex Lines, it is noted for Madison's historic railroad station becoming one ...

on April 2, 1949. He was buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

, Section 3, Site 1920 EH.

Awards

In addition to the

, Whitney received the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

, French

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

(Officer), Romanian Order of the Crown (Commander), and

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

Order of Prince Danilo I The Order of Prince Danilo I ( cnr, Орден Књаза Данила I, translit=Orden Knjaza Danila I) was an order of the Principality and later Kingdom, of Montenegro. It is currently a dynastic order granted by the head of the House of P ...

(Commander).

Family

In 1897, Whitney married Ellen Wadsworth Closson, the daughter of Brigadier General

Henry W. Closson Henry W. Closson (June 6, 1832 – July 15, 1917) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the American Indian Wars and the American Civil War, he served from 1854 to 1896 and attained the rank of colonel. During the Civil Wa ...

; they were the parents of two children, Julie and Henry Wadsworth Whitney (1907–1958). Henry W. Whitney was a career Army officer who retired as a colonel; he is buried along with his father and mother at Arlington National Cemetery.Burial Detail: Whitney, Henry W
– ANC Explorer

References

Sources

* *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Whitney, Henry Howard 1866 births 1949 deaths American military personnel of the Spanish–American War United States Army generals People from Clearfield County, Pennsylvania United States Military Academy alumni Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Commanders of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Burials at Arlington National Cemetery United States Army generals of World War I Military personnel from Pennsylvania