[George Washington]. American soldier, born in New York on the 25th of February 1809; graduated at West Point in 1833, entered the engineer corps, rising to the rank of colonel. Until the outbreak of the Civil War he was chiefly engaged in the construction of fortifications and public works at New London, Boston Harbor, New York City, Charleston (Fort Sumter) and New Bedford. In 1861 he was appointed aide-de-camp to Lieutenant-General Winfield Scott, and later was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers. He was chief of staff to General Halleck, chief of engineers at the siege of Corinth, and projected many engineering undertakings. He was superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1864 to 1866. From 1867 to 1874 he was a member of the board of engineers for improving the system of defenses of the United States. In January 1874, he retired from active service, after which period he devoted himself to literary, scientific and military studies. He was vice-president of the American Geographical Association, and president of the Geographical Library Society for several years. He published several military memoirs and historical sketches, among which are Systems of Military Bridges in Use by the United States Army, etc. (1863); Campaigns of the War of 1812–15 Against Great Britain (1879); etc. He died on the 28th of February 1892.
