Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Whiting, Henry

WHITING, Henry, soldier, b. in Lancaster, Mass., about 1790; d. in St. Louis, Mo., 16 Sept., 1851. His father, John (1759-1810), fought in the Revolution, and at his death was colonel of the 5th infantry. The son became a clerk in the dry-goods store of Amos Lawrence in Boston, but on 20 Oct., 1808, entered the U. S. army as a cornet of light dragoons. He rose to be 2d lieutenant in 1809 and 1st lieutenant in 1811, became aide to Gen. John P. Boyd, and served with credit in the capture of Fort George, Upper Canada, 27 May, 1813. He was afterward aide to Gen. Alexander Macomb in 1815, promoted captain in 1817, and in 1821 transferred to the 1st artillery. After 1835 he served in the quartermaster's department, and on 6 July, 1846, he joined the army of Gen. Zachary Taylor as chief quartermaster. He was brevetted brigadier-general, U. S. army, on 23 Feb., 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Buena Vista. He was elected a regent of the University of Michigan in 1848. Gen. Whiting was the author of “Ontway, the Son of the Forest: a Poem” (New York, 1822); “Sannillac: a Poem,” with notes by Lewis Cass and Henry R. Schoolcraft (Boston, 1831); “The Age of Steam”; and “Life of Zebulon M. Pike” in Sparks's “American Biography.” He was co-author of “Historical and Scientific Sketches of Michigan” (Detroit, 1834), and edited George Washington's “Revolutionary Orders issued during the Years 1778, 1780, 1781 and 1782; selected from the MSS. of John Whiting,” his father (New York, 1844). His son, Henry Macomb (1821-'53), also served in the Mexican war in the artillery, receiving the brevet of 1st lieutenant for gallantry at Buena Vista.