Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-28
AID TO CAPT. BEACH
Capt. We. djsraiehill Assistant Dis
ttrics Commissioner.
DETAILED, By SECRETARY OF War
Record II ting Appointee in Other
Service.
HIS "a RM Y Rec R


Capt. William E. Craighill corps of en-
gineers. was today assigned to duty as as
sistant to the Engineer Commissioner of
the District of, Columbia. The detail was
made by the Secretary of War, after con-
sultation with. the President. on the recon-
mendation of Gen. Wilson, chief of en-
gineerS.
Under the law the Engineer Commissioner
of the District is entitled to three as
sstants. but with the exception of short
period during the term of Major Powell,
predecessor of Major Black. the quota has
never been supplied, the reason usually
given being that the work of the corps
of engineers would not justify the detach-
ment of so many officers for the benefit of
the District government. When Major
Black was Engineer Commissioner he had
two assistants, Capt. Burr and Capt. Beach,
the latter of whom is the present Com
missioner g.
As is we'll known, at the outbreak of the
Spanish war Maj. Black and Capt. Burr
We're relieved from duly with the District
government and assigned to duty with the
troops in the field. Maj Black was placed
ON me staff of Maj. Gen. Miles and accom-
PANIED that officer in the campaigns of San
t1ago and Porto Rico. Cap. Burr was ap-
pointed lieutenant Colonel of volunteers
ana commanded a battalion of engineers in
the Santiago campaign. Subsequently he
was assigned 10 duty with the I'd Regiment
or Engineers and remained with it until
It was mustered GUS. Since then he has
been on special duty, in the Office of the
chlef OF engineers. He is now under orders
TO proceed to West Point for duty at the
Military Academy, and will take up his
dulles there in about'two weeks.
Needed Assistance.
When Major Black was relieved from
DUTY the staff of General Miles he
ordered to Havana as assistant to Major
General Ludlow, Commanding the depart
ment of the city OF Havana, and is still
there. -,- .a
Captain Beach Succeeded Major Black as
EnSneer Commissioner OF the District. He
mas performed all the duties OF tie office
ever since without any assistance from the
Engineer Corps OF the army. 1t was real
lzed that he was calted down with work
but the war conditions Mere such that it
was found to be impossibie to assign an
ofhcer to assist HIM up to the present time
The detail of Captain Craighl. as his as
slstant was made pasS.D.e by the assign
ment to the Corps OF Engineers Of Ma ior
Lucas, an engineer efBcer of the volunteer
department.
Capt CraiEhisfs Career.
Capt. Craishill Is regarded as one Of the
finest officers in !, the crack corps of the
army. He ia a son Of Gen. VIM p Craig
hill, the pre- .aecesser OF Gen Wilson as chief
OF engineers! He Is d native Of MARYLAND,
but claims West Virginia as his home. APP
pointed to bhe West Point Military Acad-
envy. at large, in September, 1881, he was
graduated, four years later, No in his
class, capt. Kuhn, now on duty in the
Office of ihe chief Of engineers, being No J.
On account Of His nigh class standing,
Capt. Craigtiil WITS assigned to the corps
of engineers and Served with the battalicn
Of engineers at Willets Point New York
from October. 1889, to July. 1855. During
that period he was on temporary duty at
Fort Niagara. y. J., and recorder of an
engineer board engaged in the Improvement
CT the Mississippi river from pes Mcines
falls to the mouth of this Illinois river.
Subsequently he served with Gen. Poe at
Detroit, with Col. Craghiil at Baltimore
and with Maj Alien At ST. Paul In 1890
he was on temporary duty al Mammoth
Hot Springs, Wyoming in connection with
the improvement of the Yellowstone Ma
tional Park. From June 1891, to Novem-
Der. 1898, he was assistant to Can't Price
al Montgomery, Ala, and was assistant to
Lieut.. Col. Robert IN charge Of engineering
works at New York from November, 1888,
to October, 1893. The two years following
he was on duty with the batta ion of en-
gineers at Winets Point, n. Y In March
1897, he detailed to take charge of
Notifications and river and harbor works
al and near Wilmington, N. G., where ne
has been stationed ever since His duties
there included the charge of defensive
works on the coast Of North Carolina the
improve ment of the harhor at Beaufor.
and Of Cape Fear river, az well as the SUI
peryision of. the construction OF bridges
across the Neuse. Trent and Cape Fear
rivers He reached his present grade of
captain February ., 1877, and stands No.
20 in the list. -
He will be succeeded in his presen, duties
by Maj Lucas of, the volunteers and wifi
report for duty in, this city as soon as the
transfer can be effected.