Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-10
THE ENGINEER CORPS.
Different Speakers Pay Tribute to the
ORGANIZATION

Surviving members of the engineer corps
of the United States army of the war of the
rebellion met in reunion last evening in
Meade tent, on the White Lot. Although
the attendance was comparatively small,
the reunion was one of the most interest
ing that has been held during the week
The achievements of this branch of the
service during the civil war have been re-
markabIe. and at all times challenged the
admiration of the country. The engineer
corps in the great conflict was composed of
skilled men, who cleared roads for troops,
threw bridges across rivers and dug canals
in the face of sharpshooters. Their work
consists mainly in ia ciiitating the march Of
troops, but they were also called upon to
do fighting.
The reunion last evening was called to
order by Maj. Gilbert Thompson who, after
greeting the veterans, delivered an address
on the engineer corps. He told of the
formation of the corps and reviewed its
history in detail
The military engineering of this land Of
ours said Maj. Thompson, began, in a
strict sense, in colonial times. when the
pioneer cut loopholes in his log house or
constructed in unity of action with his
neighbors. for common defense and gen.
eral welfare the stockade of timber in
favorable location. stored it with powder
and provisions put in more powder and
lead, dug a we'll inside and called it q
fort
'In spite of the crying need of engineer
troops 1t was not until the condition of ac-
tual war with Mexico that Congress enact
ed, May. 1876, that Company A be organ
lied This company made a brilliant rec
ord in the campaigns under Gems. Taylor
and Scott, and its existence has been con-
tinuous to the present time. and only in
the last extremity will it ever be a mere
company on paper.
Maj. Thompson described the work of the
engineer corps at the siege of Fort Pulaski.
at Fort Sumter. at Cumberland Gap. Tenn;
Edwards Ferry, battle of the wilderness
and at James river. The speaker said the
corps was composed of men from all parts
of the country, and that every man proved
himself faithful and efficient. In conclu-
sion Mai Thompson named the different Of
ficers who served at the head of the corps,
speaking in eulogy of each.
Following his address. Maj. Thompson
exhibited the engineer flag of Gen. s. K.
Warren. This flag was used by Gen. War
rem from 1862 to 1866 during which time he
served chief engineer of the general
headquarters. From 1890 to 1898 the flag
used the emblem of the engineer
corps of the District of Columbia militia.
Col. A P. Green. who served with the
18th New York Volunteer Engineers. was
present and was called upon for talk.
He responded after some hesitation and
gave a most interesting description of the
work of the corps He explained the vari-
lot of the corps and tod of the hardship
the engineers experienced in building
bridges and making roads for the passage
of an army. Among others who spoke were
Capt Sidney F. Shaw, chief engineer of
the Department Of West Virginia: Sergt.
J. B. Butler of the 1st Michigan Engineers
and Artiticer A G.. Afford, who served in
the engineer corps during the civil war.
count of the work of his particular COM
m2nd-