Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-03

ALEXANDER MackenZle and Charles j. Al
len, Corps of Engineers, and Senators Haw-
ley and Platt of Connecticut.
General Wright was born at Clinton.
Conn, in 1920 graduated at West Point
and was commissioned second lieutenant in
the corps of engineers in 1S41. After serv-
ing two years al West Point he was sent
to the gulf coast, and for ten years had
charge of the construction of Fort Jeffer-
son, commanding the harbor of Tortugas,
Fla He served in Washington as assist
ant to the chief of engineers from 1856 I'M
til the outbreak of the civil war in 1861
Civil War Record.
As chief engineer he accompanied the ex-
petition for the destruction of the navy
yard at Norfolk, Va. in April, 1861, and in
May crossed the Potomac with General
Heintzeman's column and laid out and be-
gan Fort Ellsworth covering Alexandria.
At the first battle of Bull Run he was chief
engineer Of HeintZelman'S division. He was
commissioned brigadier general of volun-
teers September IA, 1851, and assigned to
the command of a brigade of the land
forces at the Port Royal expedition In
February, 1862, he set out from Port ROYAL
with brigade of volunteers, and by the
middle of March had occupied Fernandina,
Jacksonville, St. Augustine and retaken
possession of Fort Marion and Fort CIinch
Returning to South Carolina in April, he
commanded division in the assault on Sc
cesSlonville. June 16, was promoted to be
major general of volunteers in July and
commanded the department of the Ohio
until March, 1853. In May, 1863. he was as
signed to the command of division of the
9th Corps, and was engaged at Gettysburg
on the second and third days of the bat
tie and in the subsequent pursuit of Lees
army. In the spirited assault on Kappa
hammock station, November {, 1868 he com
manded the corps, and was brevetted for
gallant and meritorious services
After the Mine Run affair. in which he
led his division, he was called to Washing
n a-I
notifications of our system of seacoast de-
lenses. Returning to the army in the
spring Of 1854, he led his division in the Sc
we're fighting in the Wilderness and Snott-
sylvania battles lin the last of which he
was wounded), succeeding to the command
of the 9th Corps May 8, on the fall of Sede-
wick His subsequent war record is that
of the 9Th Corps.
Summoned to Washington.
With the Army of the Potomac he was
present at every engagement up to JULY
1864, when he was summoned from the
I front of Petersburg, with his corps, to the
defense OF Washington, then threatened by
the confederates under Gen. Early. In the
pursuit which followed the Iatter's retreat.
Cen Wright, in command of all the troops,
overlook Early, and after a sharp skirmIsh
defeated him at Smokers Gap. In the en-
suing campaign of the Army of the Shen-
andoah under Sheridan he led his CORPS If
Opequan and Fishers Hill, and was in
command of the army at Cedar Creek
where, after the surprise of the Sth Corps
on the morning of October 49, he had re-
formed the army in a favorable position
upon the arrival of Sheridan when though
wounded, Wright resumed command of his
troops The disposition of the troops by
the latter was approved by Sheridan and
at the close of the day Early was hopeless
ly defeated and his army wreck The
9Th Corps was soon afterward returned to
the Army of the Potomac, and bore a
prominent part in succeeding operations re-
sulting in the surrender of Lee
After the surrender of Lee the corps was
sent to Sherman's aid in North Carolina
but upon the surrender of Gen. Johnson
returned to Washington and was muster
ed out in June, 1865.
After the War.
In July Gen. Wright was placed in COM
mand of the department of Texas. When
mustered out of the volunteer service in
1866, he returned to duty with the corps of
engineers, in which he had attained a lieu
tenant colonelcy in 1865. For gallantry at
Spottsylvania he was brevetted colonel;
brigadier general for Cold Harbor, and
major general for capture of Petersburg.
| He was a member of the board of en-
gineers for Notifications from 1867 to 1879,
| and chief of engineers from 1879 to 1884.
| lie was retired in 1884. He was the au-
thor Jointly with Gen. ]. G. Barnard and
| Col p. S. Niche of report on the 'Fabri-
! cation of Iron for Defenses"
The thanks Of the legislature of his ma
| tive state Connecticut. were rendered to
| Gen. Wright by resolutions of June Il
| 1868. for his eminent services in the civil
war.
The accompanying half-tone portrait of
ness and was rephotographed recently by
| Prince.