The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Whitney, Henry Howard

WHITNEY, Henry Howard, American military officer: b. Glen Hope, Pa., 25 Dec. 1866. He was graduated from West Point in 1892, and was on special duty at the War Department in 1896-98. In the last-named year, under orders from the Secretary of War, he disguised himself as an English sailor, communicated with General Gomez, and made a military reconnaissance of the island of Porto Rico, thereby gaining the information upon which General Miles based the campaign on that island. He was captain of volunteers in 1898-99, served through the Spanish War as captain and assistant adjutant-general on the staff of General Miles, and in 1899 was appointed lieutenant. He accompanied General Miles in his tour around the world in 1902-03, and since 1911 has been stationed at Mindanao, P. I.