Whittlesey, Charles Austin, 1880-1922

Charles White Whittlesey (1884-1921) was born in Florence, Wis., and graduated from Williams College in 1905. After receiving his law degree from Harvard University in 1908, he worked for the New York City firm of Murray, Prentice & Howland (1908-1911), and then went into practice with his friend and classmate, J. Bayard Pruyn (1911-1917). In 1916, he graduated from the military training camp at Plattsburgh, N.Y., and in 1917 reported to Camp Upton in Yapshank, Long Island, for further training. In Europe, he served with the 77th Division, 308th Infantry. Whittlesey gained recognition in October 1918 when his battalion in the Argonne Forest was cut off from the Allied forces for several days without supplies. Refusing to surrender to the Germans, what was left of the "Lost Battalion" was eventually rescued by Allied forces on October 7. Whittlesey soon received an honorable discharge, and became the recipient of numerous awards, among them the Congressional Medal of Honor. He returned to his law practice but, in November 1921 while on the S.S. Toloa, Whittlesey jumped overboard, an apparent suicide.

From the description of Collection, 1905-1972. (Williams College). WorldCat record id: 39205986

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