Dustin White
Editor

Before James Abbott McNeil Whistler painted Arrangements in Grey and Black No. 1, more commonly known as Whistler’s Mother, his family found fame through their military exploits. Regarded as a famous family of soldiers, one Whistler would take that reputation to Dakota Territory, and help lay the foundation for development in the state.

The name Whistler had been prominent in the army from the time of the founding of the United States. John Whistler, the patriarch of a family who would see four generations of men fighting for their nations, was a British soldier during the Revolutionary War. Captured at the battle of Saratoga, he remained loyal to England throughout the war.

After the Revolutionary War, John Whistler received an honorable discharge from the British Army, and then returned the United States, to become a citizen. Still drawn to the life of a soldier, he would enlist with the First United States Infantry, where he would serve during the Indian campaigns through the end of the eighteenth century.

John would eventually be severely wounded, and in 1815, retired. At the time of his retirement, he held the rank of Major in the United States Army.



John and his wife would have a large family, with three of his sons becoming officers in the army. George Washington Whistler, the father of James Abbott McNeil, William Whistler and John Whistler.

Artist and the soldier
James Abbott McNeil, would at first try to follow in the footsteps of his father, George Washington. Attending West Point, as his father had, James began as a cadet in 1851.

Trying to live up to his father’s reputation, who had graduated with honors, James would find himself falling behind. At the end of his second year, he was unable to pass the mathematical examination, and thus left the academy.

However, while James ultimately failed in becoming a solider, he, nevertheless, followed his father in a different pursuit.

While George was attending West Point, he earned the nickname “Pipes,” as he was a fine musician. George also excelled in other areas, including with the brush and pencil, which made him known throughout the art circles.

Using his talent, George would rise to the ranks of Major, as his father had, and became one of the greatest engineers the service had produced up to that point. Part of his legacy would live on as being one of the men who designed the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

Continuing in the art direction, James would also find a good deal of success. Years after leaving the academy, he would become known as one of the world’s most famous artists.

George’s brother, William, would also have a son who made a large impact. Continuing in the family tradition, Joseph Nelson Garland Whistler would find himself in Dakota Territory, where he would help protect railroad interests.

J.N.G. Whistler
Joseph was born on Oct. 19, 1822, to William and Julia (Fearson) Whistler, in Green Bay, Wis. Bound for life in the military, Joseph began his education at College Hill, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and then entered West Point Military Academy.



Graduating in 1846, 47th of 59 in his class, alongside Thomas Jackson, George McClellan and A.P. Hill, he was appointed to the Eighth Infantry as a Brevet Second Lieutenant, on July 1. Just a month later, on Aug. 15, he married Eliza Cobham Hall, in Albany, N.Y.

Beginning his military career, Joseph served during the Mexican War in 1846, where he would serve in the Third Infantry, formerly the First; as his father and grandfather had done before him, after being promoted to Second Lieutenant in 1847.

Participating in the Battles of Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Cherubusco, Chapultepec and the capture of Mexico City, he would be brevetted to First Lieutenant in August 1847, because of his “gallant and meritorious conduct.”

Following the Mexican War, Joseph was stationed in New Mexico, were the United States was involved in the Apache and Navajo War. It would be the beginning of his long career on the frontier.

As the Civil War broke out, Joseph was stationed at Fort McIntosh, Texas. With Texas seceding from the Union in 1861, tensions were high among the Union Army that had found themselves suddenly surrounded in enemy territory.

Enroute to a new post at Indianolo, Texas, Joseph would be captured by the Confederates. He would eventually be paroled as a prisoner of war, which prevented him from fighting in the Civil War, under penalty of death.

Returning to West Point, Joseph served as the assistant instructor in Infantry tactics, until he obtained his release, in exchange for a Confederate solider, in 1863.

Now able to return to battle, Joseph joined the Volunteer army as Colonel of the Second New York Heavy Artillery. Throughout the war, he would serve in the Washington D.C. and Richmond campaigns.

At the Siege of St. Petersburg, Joseph would be severely injured, and was disabled for two months. However, not allowing his wounds to keep him down, Joseph would once again enter into battle, defending Washington D.C. for much of the rest of the war.

When the Civil War ended, Joseph left the service with the rank of Brigadier General.

Dakota Territory
With the end of the Civil War, the United States Army began to decline in numbers. As the country became weary of fighting, positions within the military became sparse. For Joseph, who had few connections, that meant being sent to the Dakota Territory, in 1866.

It was not Joseph’s first choice of an assignment, having wanted to be located in the east. While he was seen as a decisive “fine man,” his lack of influence would lead to him being sent west.

“… the old soldier has spent his life on the plains, far from the political world and sources of favor, and can not exert enough influence,” Gen. Philippe Regis de Trobriand said.

Even though the Whistlers had made a name for themselves as a military family, by the end of the Civil War, they had fallen into poverty, which was attributed to the cost of educating the children in the east.



“… (his) family is in poverty, a poverty in which not even appearances can be kept up,” Philippe Regis de Trobriand said.

Stationed at Fort Buford, Joseph would soon lead a group of troops to near the present day city of Garrison, where he established Fort Stevenson, which now rests under Lake Sakakawea. The purpose of the fort was to protect both those navigating the Missouri River, as well as the American Indians at Fort Berthold Agency.

The same year, Gen. Alfred D. Terry, who commanded the Department of Dakota, divided the department into four districts. For the Middle District, which included Fort Rice, Fort Stevenson, Fort Totten, the Grand River Agency (later Fort Yates) and Fort McKeen (later Fort Abraham Lincoln), Joseph was temporarily put in charge.

It wouldn’t be long until a crisis arose at Fort Totten. Insubordination was running rampant, and many of the soldiers were threatening mutiny, as the commanding officers were habitually drunk. The state of Fort Totten led to many of the Dakota Indians at the Devils Lake Reservation to be completely neglected, and in danger of starvation.

Seeing the state of affairs, Joseph took command of Fort Totten in 1867, and swiftly acted. Because of his work, much credit has been given to Joseph for saving the lives of countless Dakota Indians.

“The condition at Fort Totten is completely different from what it was at the beginning of winter,” Philippe Regis de Trobriand said. “Since his arrival … Whistler has put everything on a new footing.”

Fort Rice
In charge of the Middle District, Joseph soon found himself at Fort Rice. While his career in the military had been quite successful, for the 45 year old soldier, who had been engaged in battle for more than half of his life, a burnout was beginning to leave its mark.

By 1871, Joseph was heavily drinking, and seemed to take his poker playing more serious than his military duties. A feud had also began to brew between Joseph and Thomas L. Rosser, a former Confederate major general of calvary, and a good friend of George Custer.

The feud worsened in the fall of 1871, when Rosser was assigned to lead a team of surveyors on the first of three Yellowstone Surveying Expeditions. Leading the infantry that would protect the surveyors was none other than Joseph.

While no attacks would be recorded during the expedition, which left Fort Rice on Sept. 9, 1871, and returned in Oct. 16 of the same year, the column had been engulfed by a prairie fire, shortly after leaving the fort.

The team would successfully accomplish their goal of finding a railroad route through the Badlands, tensions between Rosser and Joseph had built.

Having often disagreed about what route to take, Rosser and Joseph were often at odds. As the party neared the Badlands, Rosser had become sick, which allowed Joseph to send out a party to find the ideal route to the Yellowstone River, a feat that his party achieved.

Once Rosser and Joseph finally returned to Fort Rice, Rosser had become so angry that, using a pseudonym, wrote to a Minneapolis newspaper, detailing Joseph’s drinking. The letter would eventually be carried by the wire services to newspapers across the country.

While Joseph’s reputation was a bit tarnished, he would go on to repair it. The first chance occurred in 1872, as a second survey expedition was led to the Yellowstone.

Trying to find an alternative route, bypassing the Badlands altogether, the expedition would have to be abandoned as the crew was attacked by Lakota Indians, led by Chief Sitting Bull and Chief Gall. It was also determined that Whistler’s path was more satisfactory.

Later years
After the defeat of Custer and his men at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, on June 25, 1876, it was believed that a larger military presence was needed to exert greater influence in “Indian Country.”



In the fall of 1876, Joseph chose a site to help exert the influence. Located just south of the Yellowstone River, his men constructed Fort Keogh, which was one of the largest U.S. army posts.

Serving at the fort, Joseph would be instrumental in capturing Fast Bull and 56 of his warriors, in 1881, who were believed to be on their way to join Sitting Bull, in Canada. Later that year, Sitting Bull would surrender to the United States.

Later in 1881, Joseph would be promoted to commander of Fort Keogh, where Joseph would add to his reputation through his kindness.

However, Joseph’s career in the military was beginning to end. In 1883, he would once again be promoted, this time to Colonel, and was named the commander of Fort Buford, his last station before retiring on his birthday, Oct. 19, 1886. At the age of 64, he was the second oldest officer in the army.

After his retirement, Joseph moved back east, to Fort Wadsworth, N.Y., where he passed away on April 20, 1898.

He was remembered as “a man of sterling worth, a thorough soldier, an enthusiastic sportsman, a gentleman of the old school; … To those who served under him, we was like a father. To those of his own age ‘Beau’ Whistler was a beloved comrade.”

Joseph’s military legacy would go on to live through his son, Col. Garland N. Whistler, who became one of the foremost authorities on explosives, and was a long time commander of the School of Submarine Defense, at Fort Totten, N.Y.

When Garland retired, it marked the end of four generations of Whistlers in the army.