David Whittaker
Kansas' 9th Adjutant General
March 05, 1870 - March 05, 1873

COL David Whittaker was born on July 9th, 1831, in the town of Herringdon, Nerrlingdon County, Pennsylvania. He moved to Doniphan County, Kansas Territory on April 10, 1857. In the summer of 1859, he moved to Atchison.

In June of 1861, he was appointed and commissioned by Governor Charles Robinson as the County Clerk of Atchison County, after the Governor had heard of the holder of the office, "a conspicuous pro-slavery man named Duff Green." Whittaker later described Mr. Green as "obnoxious to the loyal free-state people at that time by reason of his detestable secession and disloyal utterances."

Whittaker qualified as County Clerk by giving bond and taking the necessary oath of office, but was only that that position a few weeks when the Civil War came. After deputizing a young man to act in his place, he and a company of Volunteers marched to Fort Leavenworth, where he was enrolled and sworn into the United States service on the 16th day of July, 1861. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in Company B, 10th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry.

During the summer of 1861 he was on active duty with the unit in southwest Missouri to suppress guerrillas and participated in the capture of West Point, Papinsville and Osceola, Missouri. In the summer of 1862, he participated in the invasion of the Cherokee Nation and was present at the capture of the rebel Colonel Clarkson, with over one hundred of his band at Locust Grove, Cherokee Nation, July 3rd, 1862. Whittaker had the honor of capturing two rebel flags in the engagement.

Later, he was involved in a battle at Newtonia, Missouri on September 29, 1862, where Kansas forces sustained severe losses, and also at the same place on October 4, 1862, in which the 10th Kansas was successful in routing the enemy. Whittaker was also at the engagement at Old Fort Wayne, Cherokee Nation, on October 22, 1862, where Confederate General Cooper sustained a heavy loss of men and the capture of a four-gun battery.

On October 25, 1862, Whittaker received an order from General Blunt, detaching him from his company to act as Provost Marshal of the 1st Division of the Army of the Frontier. He was at the capture of Cane Hill, Arkansas and the defeat of Confederate General Shelby at that place on November 23, 1862. He also participated in the glorious victory over the flower of "Southern Chivalry," under Confederate General Hindman, at Prairie Grove, Arkansas on December 7, 1862.

On the July 4, 1863, his regiment was ordered to St. Louis, Missouri for Provost duty. In August of 1863, in compliance with orders from the War Department, he became a member of a Board of Officers to examine and report upon the qualifications of applicants for appointments as commissioned Officers of Colored Troops. He remained on this board until August, 1864. He had spent over three years on duty and was mustered out of the United States services on August 19, 1864.

He returned to Kansas and in 1869, ran for, and was elected State Representative from Doniphan County. He was re-elected from the same district, the 5th Representative District, and served on various Committees of the House, including Chairman of the Committee on Claims. On March 5, 1869, he was appointed as one of the commissioners to audit Price Raid Claims. During the 1870 Legislative session, Whittaker was appointed by Governor Harvey to the position of Adjutant General of the State of Kansas. He was confirmed by the Senate and on March 5, 1870, became Colonel David Whittaker, Kansas Adjutant General. He served in that position during Governor Harvey’s term of office.

Colonel Whittaker died September 6, 1904 and is buried in Topeka Cemetery 69, Loy 150.

Adapted by 1st Lt. Dave Young, HQ-KSANG, from a personal history written by David Whittaker on July 30, 1892, for the Kansas State Historical Society