Alden Partridge
Encyclopedia
Alden Partridge, was an American
author
, legislator
, officer
, surveyor
, an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy
at West Point, New York
and a controversial pioneer in U.S. military education
, emphasizing physical fitness
training, advocating the concept of citizen soldier
and establishing a series of private military academies throughout the country, including Norwich University
.
, studious and devout son of soldier
Samuel Partridge, Jr., who had fought in the American Revolutionary War
at Saratoga. Tall and hardy, the younger Partridge hiked the Green
and White Mountains
, worked on his father's farm, and matriculated in local district schools, later at Dartmouth College
from 1802 until 1805.
at West Point, New York
in 1806, Partridge was appointed lieutenant of engineers
and assistant instructor of mathematics
. In its early days, the post served both as academy and headquarters for the United States Army
Corps of Engineers
and the superintendent was also chief of engineers
. In 1808 chief Jonathan Williams
promoted Partridge professor of mathematics and delegated to him the responsibilities of acting superintendent. Partridge set an example for physical fitness during his administration, frequently leading the cadet corps on extended marches in New York
and neighboring states. Never profane or intemperate, superintendent Partridge required cadets to attend church services, occasionally preparing and delivering the sermon on Sundays. Named professor of engineers in 1813, and officially appointed as superintendent in 1814, "Old Pewt" developed a reputation among academy faculty as a martinet, often micromanaging subordinates, and occasionally demonstrating preference toward favorite cadets.
The "Long Gray Line" that West Point has become known as originated during Partridge's tenure. Partridge had gray uniforms made in New York City in 1815 because of the blue cloth shortage. Then in 1816, when the War Department decided to select a new Cadet uniform, gray was chosen because "it better suits the finance of the Cadets than one of blue." In simple terms, the gray uniforms were cheaper.
Partridge refused to relinquish his command when former student (but superior officer) Sylvanus Thayer
was appointed to replace him as superintendent, but after court martial Partridge chose to resign his commission in 1818, after serving his entire Army career at the academy.
to drill and instruct a volunteer infantry company, and gave a series of lectures on the subject of fortification, military science, and military education. In these lectures, Partridge advocated a new program of regional military instruction and began a life-long campaign in opposition to the existing national military academy system which would shape the rest of his life. Partridge argued the national academy produced a professional officer class, and was creating a new military elite at odds with examples of the country's great generals, like George Washington
and Andrew Jackson
. Partridge proposed the nation be divided into state-based military departments, local citizen soldiers organized into militias and officers appointed by department, and units mustered on a regular basis for instruction and drill, much like minutemen
of the well-remembered American Revolutionary War
. Further, he suggested military colleges for officer instruction be established in each department.
Appointed chief of the surveying expedition establishing boundaries between the U.S. and Canada required under the Treaty of Ghent
, Partridge mapped Saint Lawrence River
and Hudson River
natural watersheds
areas, but still consumed with plans for a military college based on his program decided to resign from the expedition in 1820, and retired to his hometown, Norwich, Vermont
.
and located in Northfield, Vermont
), the nation's oldest private military college
, nicknamed the "Birthplace of ROTC" because it was the first school to offer the Reserve Officers Training Program. In the first four years, the nascent academy was attended by 480 students representing 21 of the 24 states, and Partridge's program seemed successful enough to attract the attention of the citizenry of Middletown, Connecticut
, who subscribed to induce him to relocate his academy to that town, drawing nearly 1200 students in three years, but the academy was operating again in Norwich by 1829.
Partridge advanced incorporated the study of liberal arts, agriculture, modern languages, engineering in addition to the sciences and various military subjects. Field exercises and drills, for which Partridge borrowed cannon and muskets from the federal and state governments, supplemented classroom instruction and added an element of realism to the college’s program of well-rounded military education.
One of America's first exercise
enthusiasts, Partridge became a strong proponent of physical education
as an essential part of school curriculum. As part of that program, he often led his classes on hiking expeditions in the many local mountains of New England
. On one climb of Vermont's Green Mountains
in 1822, Partridge led 27 pack-laden cadets on a 150-mile hike from Norwich to Manchester
in just four days.
in 1812, Partridge received similar honor from the University of Vermont
in 1821, but he declined that institution's offer the same year to become its president.
Partridge founded six other military institutions during his quest to reform the fledgling United States military: Virginia Literary, Scientific and Military Academy at Portsmouth, Virginia
(1839–1846), Pennsylvania Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy at Bristol, Pennsylvania
(1842–1845), Pennsylvania Military Institute at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
(1845–1848), Wilmington Literary, Scientific and Military Academy at Wilmington, Delaware
(1846–1848), the Scientific and Military Collegiate Institute at Reading, Pennsylvania
(1850–1854), Gymnasium and Military Institute at Pembroke, New Hampshire
(1850–1853) and the National Scientific and Military Academy at Brandywine Springs, Delaware (1853).
and Mount Moosilauke in New Hampshire
when in 1818 he walked 76 miles from Norwich to climb both Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield
in two days. It rained the entire journey, according to his journal, and while one friend joined him climbing Mansfield, he hiked the balance of the expedition accompanied only by his "inseparable companions," his knapsack and barometer
.
In 1823 a sympathetic Partridge adopted a young Greek boy, George Colvocoresses
, whom he raised and educated at Norwich University. Colvocoresses, NU Class of 1831, was appointed to the United States Navy
in 1832; from 1838-1842 he served in the United States Exploring Expedition, better known as the Wilkes Expedition
of the Pacific Ocean
. Three separate geographical features, two on the west coast of the U.S. and another in Antarctica, were named for Colvocoresses.
Married to Ann Swasey in 1837, by whom he had two sons, Partridge died in Norwich January 16, 1854. His widow survived him by 48 years.
Elected four times to Vermont's state assembly, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives
, losing three times to Anti-Masonic
and Whig
party candidate Horace Everett
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Academic authorship
Academic authorship of journal articles, books and other original works is a means by which academics communicate the results of their scholarly work, establish priority for their discoveries, and build their reputation among their peers. Authorship is a primary basis on which many academics are...
, legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
, officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
and a controversial pioneer in U.S. military education
Military education and training
Military education and training is a process which intends to establish and improve the capabilities of military personnel in their respective roles....
, emphasizing physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
training, advocating the concept of citizen soldier
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and establishing a series of private military academies throughout the country, including Norwich University
Norwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...
.
Early life
Alden Partridge was born and raised on a family farm in Norwich, VermontNorwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
, studious and devout son of soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
Samuel Partridge, Jr., who had fought in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
at Saratoga. Tall and hardy, the younger Partridge hiked the Green
Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range extends approximately .-Peaks:The most notable mountains in the range include:*Mount Mansfield, , the highest point in Vermont*Killington Peak, *Mount Ellen,...
and White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
, worked on his father's farm, and matriculated in local district schools, later at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
from 1802 until 1805.
Military career
Quickly graduated from the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
in 1806, Partridge was appointed lieutenant of engineers
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
and assistant instructor of mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. In its early days, the post served both as academy and headquarters for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
and the superintendent was also chief of engineers
Chief of Engineers
The Chief of Engineers commands the US Army Corps of Engineers. As a staff officer at The Pentagon, the Chief advises the Army on engineering matters and serves as the Army's topographer and the proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs....
. In 1808 chief Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams (engineer)
Jonathan Williams , American businessman, military figure, politician and writer.Williams was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a grandnephew of Benjamin Franklin...
promoted Partridge professor of mathematics and delegated to him the responsibilities of acting superintendent. Partridge set an example for physical fitness during his administration, frequently leading the cadet corps on extended marches in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and neighboring states. Never profane or intemperate, superintendent Partridge required cadets to attend church services, occasionally preparing and delivering the sermon on Sundays. Named professor of engineers in 1813, and officially appointed as superintendent in 1814, "Old Pewt" developed a reputation among academy faculty as a martinet, often micromanaging subordinates, and occasionally demonstrating preference toward favorite cadets.
The "Long Gray Line" that West Point has become known as originated during Partridge's tenure. Partridge had gray uniforms made in New York City in 1815 because of the blue cloth shortage. Then in 1816, when the War Department decided to select a new Cadet uniform, gray was chosen because "it better suits the finance of the Cadets than one of blue." In simple terms, the gray uniforms were cheaper.
Partridge refused to relinquish his command when former student (but superior officer) Sylvanus Thayer
Sylvanus Thayer
Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer also known as "the Father of West Point" was an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point and an early advocate of engineering education in the United States.-Biography:Thayer was born in Braintree, Massachusetts,...
was appointed to replace him as superintendent, but after court martial Partridge chose to resign his commission in 1818, after serving his entire Army career at the academy.
Citizen soldier
In the summer of 1818 Partridge was engaged in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to drill and instruct a volunteer infantry company, and gave a series of lectures on the subject of fortification, military science, and military education. In these lectures, Partridge advocated a new program of regional military instruction and began a life-long campaign in opposition to the existing national military academy system which would shape the rest of his life. Partridge argued the national academy produced a professional officer class, and was creating a new military elite at odds with examples of the country's great generals, like George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. Partridge proposed the nation be divided into state-based military departments, local citizen soldiers organized into militias and officers appointed by department, and units mustered on a regular basis for instruction and drill, much like minutemen
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
of the well-remembered American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Further, he suggested military colleges for officer instruction be established in each department.
Appointed chief of the surveying expedition establishing boundaries between the U.S. and Canada required under the Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent , signed on 24 December 1814, in Ghent , was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, Partridge mapped Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
and Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
natural watersheds
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
areas, but still consumed with plans for a military college based on his program decided to resign from the expedition in 1820, and retired to his hometown, Norwich, Vermont
Norwich, Vermont
Norwich is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States, located along the Connecticut River opposite Hanover, New Hampshire. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census....
.
Private military educator
Norwich University
In 1819, Partridge founded the "American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy" (now known as Norwich UniversityNorwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...
and located in Northfield, Vermont
Northfield, Vermont
Northfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. It lies in a valley within the Green Mountains, and has been the home of Norwich University since 1866. The town contains the village of Northfield, where over half of its population lives. The population was 6,207 at the 2010...
), the nation's oldest private military college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
, nicknamed the "Birthplace of ROTC" because it was the first school to offer the Reserve Officers Training Program. In the first four years, the nascent academy was attended by 480 students representing 21 of the 24 states, and Partridge's program seemed successful enough to attract the attention of the citizenry of Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
, who subscribed to induce him to relocate his academy to that town, drawing nearly 1200 students in three years, but the academy was operating again in Norwich by 1829.
Curriculum
The curriculumCurriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
Partridge advanced incorporated the study of liberal arts, agriculture, modern languages, engineering in addition to the sciences and various military subjects. Field exercises and drills, for which Partridge borrowed cannon and muskets from the federal and state governments, supplemented classroom instruction and added an element of realism to the college’s program of well-rounded military education.
One of America's first exercise
Physical exercise
Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of...
enthusiasts, Partridge became a strong proponent of physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
as an essential part of school curriculum. As part of that program, he often led his classes on hiking expeditions in the many local mountains of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. On one climb of Vermont's Green Mountains
Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range extends approximately .-Peaks:The most notable mountains in the range include:*Mount Mansfield, , the highest point in Vermont*Killington Peak, *Mount Ellen,...
in 1822, Partridge led 27 pack-laden cadets on a 150-mile hike from Norwich to Manchester
Manchester (town), Vermont
Manchester is a town in, and one of two shire towns of, Bennington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,180 at the 2000 census....
in just four days.
Other colleges
Awarded an honorary masters degree from DartmouthDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1812, Partridge received similar honor from the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in 1821, but he declined that institution's offer the same year to become its president.
Partridge founded six other military institutions during his quest to reform the fledgling United States military: Virginia Literary, Scientific and Military Academy at Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
(1839–1846), Pennsylvania Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy at Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia opposite Burlington, N.J. on the Delaware River. Bristol was first incorporated in 1720. Although its charter was revised in 1905, the original charter remains in effect, making Bristol one of the older boroughs in...
(1842–1845), Pennsylvania Military Institute at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
(1845–1848), Wilmington Literary, Scientific and Military Academy at Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
(1846–1848), the Scientific and Military Collegiate Institute at Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
(1850–1854), Gymnasium and Military Institute at Pembroke, New Hampshire
Pembroke, New Hampshire
Pembroke is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,115 at the 2010 census. Pembroke includes part of the village of Suncook. The center of population of New Hampshire is located in Pembroke.- History :...
(1850–1853) and the National Scientific and Military Academy at Brandywine Springs, Delaware (1853).
Personal life
An avid hiker, Partridge is described as "a noted pedestrian" in A History of Norwich. He had reportedly already ascended Mount MonadnockMount Monadnock
Mount Monadnock, or Grand Monadnock, is the most prominent New England mountain peak south of the White Mountains and east of the Massachusetts Berkshires, and is the highest point in Cheshire County, New Hampshire...
and Mount Moosilauke in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
when in 1818 he walked 76 miles from Norwich to climb both Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield
Mount Mansfield
Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont with a summit that peaks at above sea level. The summit is in Underhill; the ridgeline, including some secondary peaks, extends into the town of Stowe, and the mountain's flanks also reach into the town of Cambridge.When viewed from the east or...
in two days. It rained the entire journey, according to his journal, and while one friend joined him climbing Mansfield, he hiked the balance of the expedition accompanied only by his "inseparable companions," his knapsack and barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
.
In 1823 a sympathetic Partridge adopted a young Greek boy, George Colvocoresses
George Colvocoresses
George Musalas "Colvos" Colvocoresses was a United States Navy officer who commanded the USS Saratoga during the American Civil War. From 1838 up until 1842, he served in the United States Exploring Expedition, better known as the Wilkes Expedition, which explored large regions of the Pacific Ocean...
, whom he raised and educated at Norwich University. Colvocoresses, NU Class of 1831, was appointed to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1832; from 1838-1842 he served in the United States Exploring Expedition, better known as the Wilkes Expedition
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. The voyage was authorized by Congress in...
of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Three separate geographical features, two on the west coast of the U.S. and another in Antarctica, were named for Colvocoresses.
Married to Ann Swasey in 1837, by whom he had two sons, Partridge died in Norwich January 16, 1854. His widow survived him by 48 years.
Elected four times to Vermont's state assembly, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, losing three times to Anti-Masonic
Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first "third party" in the United States. It strongly opposed Freemasonry and was founded as a single-issue party aspiring to become a major party....
and Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
party candidate Horace Everett
Horace Everett
Horace Everett was a United States Representative from Vermont. He was born in Foxboro, Massachusetts. His father was John Everett; his mother was Melatiah Ware. He was a descendant of Richard Everett and first cousin of Edward Everett. He graduated from Brown University, Providence, Rhode...
.
Works
Partridge wrote widely, mostly in local newspapers and in books, about his many travels, several mathematical and scientific subjects, and his constant, vocal opposition to the academy at West Point. The following is an incomplete list of his writings.- "Observations Relative to the Calculation of the Altitude of Mountains, etc, by the Use of the Barometer" (1812)
- "Method of Determining the Initial Velocity of Projectiles" (1812)
- "Account of Some Experiments on Fire of Artillery and Infantry at the Military Academy in 1810 and 1814"
- "Newton's Binomial Theorem" (1814)
- "Meteorological Tables" (1810–1814)
- "A General Plan for the Establishment of Military Academies" (1815)
- "Reports of the National Academy" (1814–1817)
- "Lectures on National Defense" (1821–1827)
- "Discourse on education" 1826. The art of epistolary composition, or Models of letters, billets, bills of exchange ... with preliminary instructions and notes : to which are added, a collection of fables ... for pupils learning the French language; a series of letters between a cadet and his father, describing the system pursued at the American, literary, scientific and military academy at Middletown, Conn.: E. & H. Clark, 1826. PE1481 .P4
- The Military Academy, at West Point, unmasked: or, corruption and military despotism exposed. By Americanus [pseud.], Washington [D.C.], Sold at the bookstore of J. Elliot, 1830, [3], 4-28 p. 22 cm. Attributed to Alden Partridge by Sidney Forman in his West Point. A History of the United States Military Academy (New York, 1950), p. 62. USMA: U410.F7 P258 .