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Civil War Soldiers - Delafield

Delafield, Richard, brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in New York city, Sept. 1, 1798, and was graduated first in his class in the U. S. military academy in 1818, being promoted 2nd lieutenant at once and assigned to duty with the American boundary commission under the treaty of Ghent. He was engaged as superintending engineer in constructing U. S. defenses until 1838, was then promoted major and was superintendent of the military academy at West Point from 1838-45 and 1855-61. He accompanied Capt. George B. McClellan and Maj. Alfred Mordecai to Europe in 1855-56, to watch the operations of the Crimean war, and his elaborate report of modern war methods as seen in that war was printed by Congress in 1860. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1861, colonel in 1863, brigadier-general and chief of engineers, April 22, 1864, and was brevetted major-general U. S. A. for "faithful, meritorious and distinguished services in the engineer department during the war." He rendered valuable service to the government during the Civil war on the staff of Gov. Morgan of New York, 1861-63, in the reorganization and equipment of state forces ; was from 1864 to 1870 on duty at Washington as commander of the engineer corps, and in charge of the bureau of engineers of the war department, and served as inspector of the military academy, as member of the light-house board, and of the commission for the improvement of Boston harbor. He was also a regent of the Smithsonian institution, and a member of scientific organizations. He was retired, Aug. 8, 1866, after forty-five years' service, and died in Washington, D. C, Nov. 5, 1873.

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


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