Evening star., 1897-02-01

>'''i|''' : ., )
it's welfare and advancement. In his early
youth. that is, from 1S49 to 1853, General
Wilson was a page in the United States
body to say whether or not he shall be
placed at the head of the principal scen-
tfic department of the army.
Born in the District.
The new chief of engineers ALTHOUGH
born in the District of Columbia, was ap-
pointed to the Military Academy from
Washington territory. He was graduated
July !, 1860, and his first service was in
the artillery and ordnance departments.
He served as assistant ordnance officer at
the Fort Monroe arsenal, and at the Wash
ington arsenal, 1SGO-;1. He was actively
engaged throughout the entire war of the
rebellion, and made most creditable
record. He was in the battle of Bull Run,
assisted in the defenses OF Washington and
was IN the Virginia peninsular campaign
at Yorktown, Williamsburg. Slatersyille
Gaines Mill Mechanicsvilie, Malvern Hill
and other engagements. He afterward
took part in the Maryland campaign with
the Army of the Potomac. and was en-
gagged at South Mountain, Antietam
CharlestoWn and Harpers Ferry. During
this service. in July, 1862. he was trans
ferred to the engineer department, and
has remained there ever since. Afr
short service at the Military Acadmy in
1863 he was assigned to duty in cnnnec-
ton with the defense of Baltimore, Mem
phis. Vicksburg and NatcheZ, and in May,
1864, was assistant inspector general of the
military division of the west Mississippi.
In the following year he took an active
part in the operations resulting in the cap
tUre of Spanish Fort, Mobile Harbor, and
was present at the surrender OF General
Taylor's rebel army at Chronicle, Ala, IN
May, 1868 Subsequently he was in charge
of the construction of the fort 1T Ship
Island, Miss, and also took part in the
of the defenses OF New Or
leans.
Brevetted Six Times.
For lis services during the war he was
brevetted six times; as captain for meritor-
icus conduct at the battle OF Gaines Mill;
as major for gallant services al the battle
of Malvern Hill; colone! United States vol
unteers for faithful services in the cam
paign against Mobile; as lieutenant colonel
OF the army for gallantry at the capture
of Spanish Fort, and as colonel for neritor-
icus services at the capture of Fort Blake
ly, Alabama.
Since the war he has been engaged in
various important engineering works in
various parts of the country. He was the
experimenting engineer of the works at
Forts Ontario and Niagara from 1871 10
1873, and also had charge of harDor i'm
provements on Lake Ontario and the st.
Lawrence rapids, and a subdivision of the
transportation route from the great lakes
to tideWater. In 1879 he was transferred
to the extreme northwest, and had charge
of all the important engineering works
Washington and Oregon, including the i'm
provements of the Columbia river and the
canal around the cascades.
For four years from October, 1882, he
acted as assistant to the chief of engineers
in this city, at the conclusion of which
time he was ordered to California on duty
connected with the restraining barriers on
the Yuba, American and Bear rivers. At
the beginning of President Clevelands first
term he was ordered to Washington and
placed in charge of public buildings and
grounds, and served in that capacity until
September, 1889, when ne was appointed
of the Military Academy
He remained there for four years, at the
close of which time he was again summon
ed to Washington by President Cleveland,
and restored to his former station. In ad-
dition to the duties pertaining to that Of
duties of division engineer of the north
east division of the United States, includ-
ing the New England States, New York, a
PORTION of New Jersey and the harbors of
Lake Erie.
I'm Charge of Public Works.
While on duty in this city he has had
charge of a large number of public works
in this vicinity outside of his routine duties,
including the Improvement of the grave of
Thomas Jefferson at Monticello, the erec.
tion of a monument to mark the birthplace
of Washington, the erection of the statue
to President Garfield. the building Of the
Army Medical Museum, the erection of a
monument at Washingtons headquarters,
Newburg, placing memorial tablets at the
battlefield of Gettysburg, the completion of
the washington monument, the improve
ment Of the Washington aQreduct, the
repair of the Ford Theater building, the
erection of a monument to Gen. Hancock.
the repair and enlargement Of the govern
ment printing office, the erection of a ped
estal for the statue of DR.. Gross, the erec-
tion of bronze tablet at Gettysburg Park.
commemorattng the address of President
Lincoln, the repair and Improvement of
the house on 10th street where Abraham
Lincoln died. &c.
Gen. Wilson received the degree of LID
from Columbian University Of this city In
1880. He is member Of the American So
ciety OF Civil Engineers and the past presf-
dent OF the Society Of Civil Engineers OF
Cleveland. Ohio He rsSzned the grade OF
colonel OF engineers March lSa6 and n
tired In 1901 He was the second ranking
officer In the f.nrr,z HE sn1v loa,,s., 49,