In the USMA Cadet Application Papers (Microfilm reel 688-2) William Partridge is listed as 1805/4. He was a student at Dartmouth before West Point, in fact a member of the senior class. John Smith, Professor of the Learned Languages at Dartmouth certified in a letter of September 18, 1805 that Partridge "is a young gentleman of pure morals, and reputable acquirements in Literature." These early letters almost always refer to the candidates moral character, and almost never to any mathematical preparation, although there are exceptions.

Died September 20, 1812 at Detroit, MI, at age 24. 

He was a cadet at USMA from December 13, 1805 (the day after Alden Partridge arrived) until October 30, 1806 when he was graduated and promoted to Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers (Alden Partridge graduated and was promoted to First Lieut., Corps of Engineers the same day). On October 17, 1806 he was examined and, together with Alden Partridge, they were "the best Mathematicians in the Academy." Need to find out if they were related. Indeed they were. They were double first cousins, their fathers having married sisters. William was the son of Isaac Partridge (1761-1835), the steward at WP until he was removed by Swift on 1815 March 30 (see my catalog of Mansfield correspondence).

• Served at West Point, 1807.

• Served at West Point 1810-1811.

Need to find out in what capacity he served. Is this do to the influence of Alden Partridge? 

The following is quoted in full from Campaigns of the War of 1812-15, Against Great Britain, Sketched and Criticised: with Brief Biographies of the American Engineers (1879), by George W. Cullum, p. 353.

Captain William Partridge.

1788-1812.

--

William Partridge, born, 1788, in Vermont, was graduated October 30, 1806, at the Military Academy and promoted to be Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers; served till 1812 at West Point and on the defenses of Charleston Harbor, S. C.; and, having attained the rank of Captain, July 1, 1812, became chief Engineer of General Hull’s army; ill-health, however, preventing his taking any active part in the campaign.

Hull, preceding his capitulation at Detroit, called a council of war under the parapet in old Fort Shelby, during which much was said against the necessity of a surrender, not a single officer present being in its favor. When Hull, to the astonishment of the whole council, announced his determination to capitulate, he ordered Captain Snelling of the Fourth Infantry “to cross the river with a flag,” to which the indignant Captain replied, “I’ll see you in h—l first,” when the General’s Aide-de-Camp --- Captain Hull --- was directed to perform that humiliating duty of capitulation. Captain Partridge, one of the council, when Hull proclaimed his decision, broke his sword across his knee and threw the pieces at the General’s feet. Of course Partridge became a prisoner of war by the surrender of Detroit and its garrison; but a month after, September 20, 1812, he died in the enemy’s hands at the early age of twenty-four.

There are three works in the USMA library that were owned by William Partridge, or at least had his signature in them. The reason for this funny statement is that at the time books were purchased by the government for members of the Corps of Engineers and it is somewhat unclear who actually owed them. This list of three comes from searching the computer file of AAR. Another issue is how these three books got back to USMA. Perhaps he left them here when he left in 1811. If he actually read these works then he did indeed have a high level of mathematical ability.

Euclid, 1751. Euclide's Elements; the Whole Fifteen Books, Compendiously Demonstrated: with Archimedes's Theorems of the Sphere and Cylinder, Investigated by the Method of Indivisibles. Also Euclide's Data, and a Brief Treatise of Regular Solids. By Isaac Barrow. The Whole Carefully Corrected, and Illustrated with Copper Plates. To which is now Added an Appendix, Containing the Nature, Construction, and Application of Logarithms. London: Printed for W. and J. Mount and T. Page; et. al.  Copy owned by Wm. Partridge of U.S. Engineers. Have photocopy of the page with the signature. 

Newton, Isaac, 1769. Universal Arithmetic---Or a Treatise of Arithmetical Composition and Resolution. Translated by The late Mr. Ralphson; and Revised and Corrected by Mr.  Cunn. To which is Added a Treatise upon the Measures of Ratios, By James Maguire. The whole illustrated and explained, In a Series of Notes by the Rev. Theaker Wilder. London: Printed for W. Johnston.  Copy signed ``Wm Partridge of US Enineers [sic]'' on the title page.

Robins, Benjamin, 1761. Mathematical Tracts of the Late Benjamin Robins, Esq; Fellow of the Royal Society, and Engineer General to the Honourable the East India Company. 2 vols. London: James Wilson. Printed by J. Nourse. Copy owned by Wm. Partridge, U.S.  Have photocopy of the page with the signature.

Web file created January 2001.