The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-26
DEATH OF GEN. CASEY.
Record Of His Honorable Career at the
Nations Capital.


Brigadier- General Thomas Lincoln
Casey, late chief OF engineers, U. 8.
Army, passed away at his residence at
the nations capital The cause was heart
disease.
General Casey, accompanied by his son,
was on his way to his office in the new
Congressional Library building, OF the
construction of which he had charge, and
was taken sick in street car. He was
carried into the library and q physician
was SUMMONED who administered remedies
which relieved him sufficiently in the
course OF an hour to enable him to be re-
moved to his home. There, after suffer
ing another relapse, he suddenly died
form paralysis OF the heart.
Gen. Casey was one of the soldiers In a
ianily OF soldiers, who have done not a
LITTLE TO make the history OF Rhode Island
honorable, and who have also done brave
deeds for the glory OF the United States.
The name Casey was borne by settlers
who located themselves at North Kings
town and East Greenwich. From these
ancestral sources have spread out many
branches OF the family, turning in every
direction from Rhode Island. One Of
the descendants OF the East Greenwich
caseys was ex-senator Lyman X Casey
OF North Dakota, whose grandfather left
Rhode Island early in this century.
The branch OF the family which settled
In North Kingstown always maintained
close relationship with their kin OF East
greenwich. Thus it happens that although
the hrst soldier to bear the name was
born In East Greenwich, he being the
distinguished Gen. Silas Casey, the East
Greenwich Caseys now represent almost
the whole of the family. In consequence,
In RIM k.f n hx.r rxo hes S,f
the Indians in North Kingstown has been
OF late years owned ~ Gen. Thomas Lin
coin Casey. The old property has never
been out Of the family since the Indians
ggee fee simple to 1t forever. 1t is on
that farm that the late Gen. Sias Casey
was buried, and the little graveyard upon
the hill overlooking the bay also contains
the mortal remains OF Lieut.. Edward
Wanton Casey, a son of Gen Silas and
brother of Gen. Thomas Lincoln Casey,
who was killed in 1891, at Wounded
Knee.
Silas Casey, the father OF the soldier
who has just died, graduated from West
Point in 1928, and served with distinc.
tion. In the Seminole, Mexican and Civil
wars. For his services in the Mexican war
the town Of East Greenwich presented
him with silver vase and the Rhode
Island Legislature honored him with CON-
plimentary resolutions, repeating the hon.
or during the Civil war. He died in 1882.
OF his three sons two went into the
army and one into the navy, while his
two daughters married soldiers. The
eldest son was Thomas Lincoln Cssey,
who was born May 81, 1881, at Madison
Barracks, Sackett's Harbor, where MS
father was then doing garrison eervice.
He entered West Point in 1848, and grad
uated at the head Of his class in 1852.
He was fond of engineering, and SO took
N baf hpon noh NJ rat har ho
to the line. He was brevetted second
Lieutenant Of engineers In 1864, and at
once received an appointment to West
Point as assistant professor OF engineer
ing. He taught there for five years, at
tanning the rank OF first lieutenant In
1856. In 1859 hc was ordered to the Paci-
fic coast to command corps OF engineers
on duty in Oregon, and remained in
that part of the country until the war
broke out. He then returned to the
East to accept an appointment as stan
engineer at Fortress Monroe, and Aug.
6, 1861, was commissioned a captain Of
engineers. He now received orders to
superintend the erection OF fortifications
on the New England coast, and projected
many of the defences which were thrown
up on the coast of New England during
and Immediately after the war.
In 1893, Captain Casey was summoned
to Washington to take part in the expe-
ditions which were being sent against
the Southern ports OF the Atlantic coast.
In this connection he was appointed
major of engine ers on Oct. 2 of that year.
In 1864 he was with the first expedition
against Fort Fisher, ana was q partici-
pant in other efforts to break the Confed-
crate line from the seacoast. In 1866 he
received the brevets Of lieutenant colonel
and colonel for his services. In the de-
partment of engineers honors are always
ctn,s In hair arrival
portupities for personal activity are few
and narrow. These facts were borne out
by Colonel Casey's experience in the Civil
War, though It should be pointed out
that he was also one Of the very young
men M the army at that time, he being
but 81 years OF age when the war closed.
After the war he was appointed superin-
tendent of public buildings at Washing
ton and haa charge of the construction
of the state, War and Navy Department
building, which was finally completed
May 10, 1888. He was also the engineer
in charge of the Washington aqueduct,
and of the work required to complete
the grade OF Colonel in 1880, was APP
pointed president of engineers In 1885,
with residence at New York City, and on
July g, 1883, was made brigadier general
and chief of engineers. He held that
position until less than year ago and in
connection with II mas had full chArge OF
the river and harbor improvements. to-
gether with the designing and construc-
ton of new Notifications in the various
quarters where improvements of this
nature. were authorized. His report con-
tains models of concise, scientific studies
on such practical questions Of engineer
ing as are embraced in plans for the coast
defence of the United States.
In 1883 he was directed to take charge
OF the building for the library OF Con-
gress, and his administration Of affairs in
this particular was Characteristic of the
officer. A large item OF expense has been
saved the government, among other
things, by the arrangement General Casey
made for the construction of the gilded
dome OF the building.
In addition to the duties which
naturally fell to the chief OF engineers
General Casey has been during hts term
OF office charged with the supervision of
such matters connected with the con-
struction of jetties and other works at
South. Pass, Mississippi river, as required
the action of the war department He
has been q member OF the Rocky Creek
Park commission, a body authorized by
Congress- 10 convert q strip OF natural
country into park, in the northwest