A New York City lawyer, Whittlesey was a socialist and a pacifist. He was also a patriot and that patriotism caused him to take officer’s training at Plattsburg in 1916, and in 1917 to join the Army.
| Charles W. Whittlesey | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Lawyer, military officer |
| Military service | |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
For four days Whittlesey and his men resisted not only the German sniper attacks, but also German soldiers armed with grenades, trench mortars, and flame throwers. It was at this time that Whittlesey and his men became known as the “Lost Battalion.”
A month after the United States had entered the First World War in 1917, Whittlesey took a leave of absence from his law firm to join the Army.
In May 1917, a month after the American entry into World War I, Whittlesey took a leave from his partnership and joined the United States Army. He shipped for the Western Front as a captain in the 308th Infantry, 77th Division.
That’s the conclusion many have come to, for the most part, after Whittlesey’s disappearance from a ship bound from New York to Havana. It was widely agreed to be a suicide, the commander of the Lost Battalion truly lost.
Classmates nicknamed him “Chick” and “The Count,” reflecting his reputation as friendly but enigmatic. After graduating from Williams in 1905 and from Harvard Law in 1908, Whittlesey began a promising career as a Wall Street lawyer.
Charles White WhittleseyNickname"Galloping Charlie"Born(1884-01-20)January 20, 1884DiedNovember 26, 1921(1921-11-26) (aged 37) (Presumed)Place of birthFlorence, Wisconsin10 more rows
Whittlesey was never seen again. He was reported missing the next morning. It is presumed that he committed suicide by jumping overboard, although no one had seen him jump and his body was never recovered.
Some believed that his suicide was caused by feelings of guilt: the possibility that he had given incorrect coordinates to the 'Pocket', thereby causing friendly fire, or having refused to surrender to the Germans, leading to increased loss among his men.
Charles White Whittlesey (January 20, 1884–November 26, 1921) was a United States Army Medal of Honor recipient who led the Lost Battalion in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive during World War I. He committed suicide by drowning when he jumped from a ship en route to Havana on November 26, 1921, at age 37.
Whittlesey (also Whittlesea) is a market town and civil parish in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, England. Whittlesey is 6 miles (10 km) east of Peterborough.
"The Lost Battalion" is the true story of a group of 800 American soldiers, attached to the 77th American Division, who were ordered to advance into the Argonne Forest, against heavy German resistance, and hold their position at whatever the cost.
BATTALION. Battalions consist of four to six companies and can include up to about 1,000 soldiers. They can conduct independent operations of limited scope and duration and are usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel.
Charles W. WhittleseyCharles W. Whittlesey of the 308th led the “Lost Battalion.”
the Smithsonian Museum of American HistoryToday, Cher Ami is on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History to preserve his memory. Since then, his story has lived on in the hearts and minds of Americans across the decades, and his bravery will never be forgotten.
Whittlesey received the Medal of Honor for his actions over several days, beginning October 2, 1918, when the 77th, as part of a massive American attack, was sent forward against a heavily fortified German line.
This is a 99% true story of the 77th Division, 308th Battalion of World War I. I say 99% because there were so many other horrific incidents that actually happened that are not in this picture.
A century ago Charles Whittlesey left his job as a lawyer in New York to to fight in World War I. Outwardly the mild-mannered, bespectacled Whittlesey didn’t appear to have the grit needed for the brutality of a conflict that had already left hundreds of thousands of men dead and maimed.
Meg Jones was a longtime reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the author of “World War II Milwaukee.” She passed away in December 2020.
During the American Civil War, Whittlesey recruited infantry Company I, of the 22nd Connecticut volunteers, and served as its captain. After being mustered out of the army, Whittlesey remained in Alexandria, Virginia, where he practiced law. He also edited the Alexandria Virginia State Journal, then moved to Richmond, Virginia (which had once again become the state capital) and renamed it the Richmond State Journal. Whittlesey also participated in the April 17, 1867 meeting of Republicans at Richmond's First African Baptist Church.
Born in Litchfield, Connecticut to Eliphalet Whittlesey and his wife Martha Strond, Charles had two brothers (Philander and George) who had died by the time their father wrote his will in 1856 and named his son Walter to serve as executor along with his brother in law, Lot Norton. After education, Charles Whittlesey became a lawyer and practiced in Connecticut for several years, even serving as a judge. He married Ann Whittlesey, and had adopted a son, also named Charles, who survived him.
His widow applied for and received a pension in Washington D.C. in 1893. His body was returned for burial in Spring Grove Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut .
Every movement was observed by German snipers and efforts to retrieve water from a nearby stream were halted because so many men were killed in the effort.
Charles Whittlesey was not one to acknowledge the accolades of others. He was a humble man but remained loyal to those with whom he served. His service in the First World War was the thing of legend and perseverance against insurmountable odds that still inspires today.