William Whistler (c. 1780 – 1863) served for over 60 years in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

from 1801 to 1861. His career was one of the longest in the history of the U.S. Army. He was the uncle of the famous artist

James Abbott McNeill Whistler James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834July 17, 1903) was an American painter active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He eschewed sentimentality and moral allusion in painting and was a leading pr ...

Biography

Parents

He was the son of Major John Whistler (1748–1849) who served in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

and it the United States Army from 1791 to 1815. His mother was Anne Bishop Whistler (1748–1814).

Early career

Whistler was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Infantry in June 1801 and was promoted to 1st lieutenant in 1807. He was promoted to captain in December 1812. When the Army was reorganized after the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

the 1st Infantry was re-designated as the 3rd Infantry. He was brevetted to the rank of major in December 1822 for serving ten years in the same grade. He was promoted to major and assigned to the 2nd Infantry in April 1826. He became the lieutenant colonel of the 7th Infantry in July 1834. Whistler became the colonel of the 4th Infantry in July 1845. He retired from the Army in October 1861 and died on December 4, 1863.Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army. Francis B. Heitman. Vol. 1. pg. 1026.

Family

Colonel Whistler was the father of six children - * John Harrison Whistler (1807–1873) * Caroline Frances Whistler Bloodgood (1810–1893) * Mary Ann Whistler Paul (1815–1871) * Gwinthlean Harriet Whistler Kinzie (1818–1894) * Brevet Brigadier General Joseph N. G. Whistler (1822–1899) * Louise Ann Whistler Helm (1828–1883) He was the brother of

George Washington Whistler George Washington Whistler (May 19, 1800 – April 7, 1849) was a prominent American civil engineer best known for building steam locomotives and railroads. He is credited with introducing the steam whistle to American locomotives. In 1842, Tsa ...

(1800–1849), a prominent civil engineer who was the father of the famous artist

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whistler, William 1780 births 1863 deaths United States Army officers