Evening star., 1897-03-04

three additional companies of engineer SOL
diers and one company of Typographical
engineer soldiers We're added to the mill
tary establishment During the war 10
legal battalion organization existed. al
tnough the companies We're organized
in orders. This defect was remedied. how
ever, by the act of July. 1866 by the ad-
dition of sergeant major and a quarter
master sergeant and the recognition of the
detail OF officers of engineers to act as ad-
jrtant and quartermaster. the battalion
thus comprising total OF 800 enlisted men
its present legally authorized strength.
These engineer companies served through
out the civil war with the Army of the
Potomac with great distinction. To mar
rate their gallant services would nearly re
qIire repetition of the history of the war,
as they took part in nearly all the inn
pcrtant engagements.
Soon after the fail of Richmond the
headquarters of the battalion was estab-
lished at Willets Point. y. Y, where has
been gradually developed the present
Sineer school of application. All gradu-
ates of the Military Academy, assigned to
the corps OF engineers, are attached fer
Two or three Years 10 one of the comna-
nies TO acquire practical experience with
troops and to supplement their course OF
instruction in engineering received at the
Military Academy. One company of the
battalion is usually stationed at West
Point to aid in giving practical instruction
in special duties to the military cadets.
Three times since the civil war the bat
TALON has been called out by The President
TO join its comrades in line of the army
in aiding the civil authorities in enforcing
the law. The first occasion was the sup
preston of Illicit distilleries near the
Brooklyn navy yard in December. 1864.
The second was on similar duty i'll
Brooklyn, in November. 1870. at which time
the battalion also occupied the army build
Ing in readiness 20 suppress anticipated
riotirg in New York city, growing out of
the elections The third was TO aid in put
ting down the railroad riots in the sum-
mer of 1871, and ii so happened that the
only regular soldier wounded on that oc-
casion was member of the engineer bat
talon.
1t formed the right of the escort of reg
ular troops at the funeral of its old COM
mlLder. Major General George G. Meade
Detachments from it served at the centen-
nial exposition in Philadelphia and at
the Yorktown centennial.
a detachment of three officers and sixty
eight enlisted men from Willets Point and
one officer and thirty men from West Point
vas ordered to Johnstown, Pa. on the 9Th
of June for the purpose of building pontoon
and trestle bridges to replace, temporarily
those swept away by the great flood which
had devastated that region.
Stree 1879, the bat-alion has annually
taken part in target practice prescribed
for the army. Since 1871 Il has annually
taken part in the Memorial day and other
parades al New York city with other reg
ular troops.
II formed part or the escort at the fu
neral ceremonies of Gen. w. I. Sherman
in February, 1881: took part in the parade
Oh the occasion of the Columbian celebra-
ton at New York city in October 1S.,.
and was also on special escort duty in the
naval parade, New York city, April ~.
1888, ard at the unveilng of the statue OF
Gen. Warren in Brooklyn in 1896.
one important duty of the engineer troops
in times of peace is aiding in the perfec-
tion of engineering material. The result is
shown by the vast improvements in the
method of military bridge building and in
the development Of a system of submarine
mines for the defense Of rivers and har-
bors. The dury of employing these weap-
ons in war was added to the other mill
tary duties of engineer troops by Congress
in ISL All officers of the corps of en-
gineers are required and officers of other
arms Of the service are allowed, upon APP
| plicaticn, to take a special course of in
struction in submarine mining.
The following well-known names are
found in the roster of officers who have
| been on duty with the engineer troops:
\. J. Swift, Gustavus w. Smith, George B.
Mcclellan. John g. Foster. George w. Cul-
| lum, W. Z. Trowbridge, A. J. Doneson, A
II. Bowman, James Il. Mcpherson, John q
Barn1rd. Godfrey Weitzel Ranald S Mac
kenzie, James c. Duane, George II. Men
| DELL George l.. Gillespie, Q. 4. Gilmore
| ThoS- J.. Casey, VIM. p. Craighill, Cyrus B.
Comstock. Henry NJ. Robert.
Briefly described, the Battalion of En-
! gineers is body of troops armed and
| equipped like infantry ard drilled in the
! duties of infantry soldiers. as we'll as in
| pontooning and bridging. field fortitcation,
| submarine and land mine service, &c Its
| duties correspond to those of the royal
| engineer troops of the British army. TO
! the pioneers of the German army. and the
| sappers and miners of the French army.