Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-03-06
Col. William P craighiIl.
Sketch ofthe President of 4merfcd,,
Society of CiUa Engiaeers.

ne tdSI issue OF tue engineering
Ne1cs contains the following interest
ing sketch of Col William P. Craig
hill, the distinguished army engineer,
who has recently been elected presi-
dent of the American society of Civil
Engineers:
Col. William Price Craighill, of
the engineer corps of the United
States Army, who was elected presi-
dent of the American Society of Civil
Engineers at the last annual meeting,
was horn on July ] /. 1888, at Charles
town, jefferson county, Va, (now
in West Virginia. His earlier cduca-
ton Was received at the classical and
mathematical academy of his native
town, and ON July /, 1919, he was
appointed cadet at West Point,
graduating on July /, 1898, as sec
ond in class of 50 members. In
tits class were Generals Sheridan,
Sehofield, MCPHERSON, Sooy, Smith,
Still, Vincent, rerrill and Tyler, on
the Union side during the civil war,
and Generals Hood, Chambliss and
Walker, of the Confederate Army
g Graduating rs hrevet second
lieutenant of the corps of eugi-
neers, he has since passed through
all intervening grades TO that of col
onel in his corps, with strong prob
ability of succession in 1898 to the
position now held by the present dis
tinguished chief of engineers, Brig
Gen. L. L. Casey.
During the civil war he received
the brevets of lieutenant- colonel and
and colonel for services performed.
At various times he has had charge
of the fortiiications of Washington,
Baltimore, Hampton Roads, Charles
ton, Savannah, the Dry Tortugas
and Delaware river. He was also on
the special board to arrange defenses
for San Francisco when the French
were in Mexico and threatened to
invade California, and Immediately
after the war he served on a board to
revise all the fortifications of the
United States.
For four years he was assistant
professor of military and civil cngi-
neering at the United States Milf
tary Academy, at West Point, when
Professor Mahan, whose name is
familiar to every civil engineer, was
at the head of that department.
From 1886 to 1859 Colonel Craighill
was assistant in the engineer bureau
in the War Department, while Cen
eral Totten was ut the head of tie
engineer corps, and again from 1866
to 1870 he was On duty in the cngi-
neer bureau.
''In connection with river and
harbor duty Colonel Craighill has
had active charge of many Important
public improvements all over the
United States and has taken an ac-
tive part in the projects for many
others. Among harbors may be
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Nor
folk, Charleston and Savannah. He
has had much TO do with river i'm
proven ent, and among the chief may
he mentioned the Columbia, Missis-
sippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky,
Delaware, Patpsco, James, Appo-
mattox, Kanawha. Cape Fear, Cum
hcrland and ST. Johns He has been
professionally employed in connec-
ton with harbors of refuge ut the
mouth of the Delaware, and on the
coasts of Massachusetts and South
ern California and has directed the
surveys for ship-canals between the
Chesapeake and Delaware bays, the
connection of the Atlantic coast aud
the Mississippi Valley by way of the
James, Kanawha and Ohio rivers, and
he was one of the board appointed to
consider the proposed Sturgeon bay
ship-canal near Milwaukee.
''CoIonel Craighill has been twice
sent TO Europe on engineering
missions for the general gov
crnment and has five times visited
the Pacific Coast on similar service.
He was president of the board ap-
pointed to select aud recommend 10
Congress sites for manufacturing
heavy guns OH the Pacific and Gulf
Coasts, was n member OF the light
honse board in Washington for sew
eral years. and has had the position
OF superintendent Of the Military
Academy. Ut West Point, several
times offered to him.
Colonel Craighillhas been amen
b.r of the American Society of Civil
Engineers since October Z. 1885, and
for two years was member of the
hoard of direction of that body. He
IS also member of the Amer
ican Association for the Advance
meui of Science. the IIistori-
cal Society OF MARYLAND and the
American Eeohonic Association.
In 1861 he complied The Army
Officers Pocket Companion. " in 1868
he translated ard published General
Dupont Ceurs de Tactiqnc.' and, in
connection Will Captain MendelI, he
also translated General Jomini's
'Precis de Fart de Ia Gnerre.'
''WhiIe the corps of engineers in
the United States Army is repre-
sented in the list of honorary nen-
llers of the American Society ofCivil
Engineers by three distinguished
men, who have all held the Office of
chief of engineers, United States Ar
my-Generals Duane, Newton and
/ Wright-Co Colonel Craighill is tue first
member of that corps who has been
elected president of the society
Considering the eminent standing Of
the engineer corps, professionally
- ,o.-s,,,oIFx,- ontI the fact that II