The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-06
TO INSPECT THE HARBOR.
ARMY ENGINEERS LOOKING OVER
THE IMPROVEMENTS.

Arrive IN Savannah After an In
spection of the Government Works
ct Ports South of Here-The Person
mel of the Board.
The board of engineer officers OF the
United States army arrived here from
FernandIna, via Brunswick, yesterday, &C
companisd by Lieut. o. NJ. Carter. They
are stopping at the De Soto. The object OF
their visit south was to inspect the work Of
impr Jvement in Cumberland sound, Georgia
and Florida. All of yesterday afternoon
they were busily engaged upon this work at
the United States Engineer Office here, in
fact too busily for MORNING News re-
porter to have a few moments talk with
them. They will remain here to-day and
will probably leave for New York tonight.
The board as at present constituted con-
sists of Coils. Henry L. Abbot, Cyrus B.
Comstock, David c. Houston and Lieut..
Col. George l.. Gillespie. The duty devolv-
ing on it is to plan or revise, as may be
directed by the chief of engineers, from
time to time. projects of permanent forth
cations required for the defense of the
territory of the United States, and the
various works of river and harbor i'm
provements, and to consider and report
upon such other matters as may be re-
ferred to it by the chief engineers.
All the officers comprising this board
achieved glory and distinction in the civil
war, and since then, in the quieter pat s OF
peace have attained eminence in works
requiring great engineering skill, study and
perseverance. Humphreys and AbbOts
great work on the physical and hydraulic
features of the Mississippi delta is uDiver-
al IN a ~
being translated into several languages, and
had the effect Of bringing the authors into
prominence in the engineering world.
A sketch Of each officer follows:
COL. HENRY L. ABBOT.
Col. Henry l. Abbot, president Of the
board. was born Aug. 10, 1881, at Beverly,
Mass, and graduated from West Point Ia
1854 From 1854 to 1857 he served as assist
ant on Pacific railway surveys, and was
associated with Gen. Humphreys on the
photographic survey Of the delta Of
1861, the results being set forth in
an elaborate repori, "Physics and
Hydraulics of the Mississippi River"
In the civil war he served in the Mana ,sas
campaign, 1861; engaged at Blackburn's
Ford and Bull Run. where he was wounded
and breveted captain. He was also en-
gagged in the construction of the defenses of
insula, 1862; engaged at Yorktown (brevet
major and the seven days operations be-
fore Richmond. He was chief Topographic
cal engineer of Banks expedition TO
the Gulf OF Mexico, 1S62-'63; colonel of
First Connecticut Artillery Volunteers, in
command OF siege artillery before Peters
burg, lS64'66. and attained the brevet rank
of lieutenant colonel United States army
and brigadier general United States volun-
Ha In,
other actions, as chief of artillery of expe-
dition to Fort Fisher, 1865, and in command
of brigade in the defense of Washington,
1863-'65 Brevet colonel aud brigadier gem
eral United States army March 13. 1865,
and brevet major general United
States volunteers Since the war
he has been experimenting de-
fenses, and up to few years ago was In
command of engineer, battalion and torpedo
school of practice at Wlllet's Point, N. Y,
and member of various engineer boads. He
was in Sicily in 1S70-'71 as an observer on
solar eclipse expedition. He is member of
the American Academy of Sciences and
other associations. and Is at present sta
toned at New York city. He is also q men,
Der OF the board of ordnance and fortifica-
ton.
COL. CoMsToCK.
Col. Cyrus B. Comstock was born in
sNNAooesOao|CeNo
Point in 1855. He servei in constructing
Notifications 1859 and from then to the
outbreak Of the civil war as professor at the
military academy. He was engaged
in the defenses of Washing on,
1S61-'62; in Virginia Peninsula, 1852 |;
engaged in various military opera.
tions in Maryland campaign, 1852;
engaged at South Mountain and Antietam
He was chief engineer of the Army of the
Potomac in 1S62-'63. In the Rappahannock
campaign he took part in the engagements
at Fredericksburg AID Chancellorsville In
the Department of the Tennessee, 1868, en-
gagged at Vicksburg (brevet major, and was
chief engineer OF the Army of the Tennessee.
He was assistant inspector general Of the
military division Of the Mississippi 1S63'64;
and was senior A. ID. G. to Lieut.. Gen,
Grant, 1S64-'66. In the Richmond cam
paign 1S64'65, was engaged at the Wilder
ness (brevet lieutenant colonel, Spottsyl-
wanna, Cold Harbor, assaults at Petersburg
and mine, and Fort Harrison. As chief en-
glneer of the expedition to Cape Fear river,
North Carolina, engaged at Fort Fisher, bre-
veted brigadier general United States army
and brevet major general United States
volunteers From 1856 to 1870 was aide
de-camp to the general.in-chief, with the
rank Of colonel. From 1870 to 1873 was
superintendent of the geodetic survey of
the northern lakes, and president Of the
Mississippi river commission Dec. !, 1882.
He is also member of boards of engineer
officers to establish the harbor lines Of New
York harbor and its adjacent waters, to
establish the hsrbor lines of the port of
Philadelphia, and on improving the harbor
at Sabine Pass, Tex.
COL. HOUSTON.
Col David C. Houston was born in New
York and graduated from West Point in
1856; was assigned to the corps of engineers.
but was retained at the academy as assist
ant professor of natural and experimental
philosophy until September, 1857, when he
was placed on construction duty at Hamp-
ton Roads, and subsequently at
Sandy Hook. In the civil war be was en-
gagged at Blackburn's Ford and Bull Run as
engineer of Tyler's division; was assistant
engineer in defense of Washington; chief
engineer of the First army corps, depart
ment of the Rappahannock; of Third army
corps at Cedar Mountain and second battle
of Bull Run; of First army corps at
South Mountain and Antietam: of
department of the gulf at the siege of Port
Hudson, Red river campaign, ETC. brevet
captain, major, lieutenant colonel, and
colonel for gallantry and meritorious con.
duct. Since the close Of the war he has had
chargeof the defenses Of Narragansett bay.
Rhode Island, and extensive river and
barbor improvements in the northwest.
Lieut.. Col. George L. Gillespie was born
in Tenne see and graduated from the Mill