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Class of 1864

Vol. III
p14 2020

(Born N. J.)

Garretta J. Lydecker

(Ap'd N. Y.)

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Sep. 1, 1860, to June 13, 1864, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

First Lieut., Corps of Engineers, June 13, 1864.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1864‑66: in Operations about and Siege of Petersburg (Army of the Potomac), June, 1864, to Apr. 13, 1865, being in command of Company of the Engineer

(Bvt. Captain, Apr. 2, 1865, for Gallant and Meritorious Services
at the Siege of Petersburg, Va.)

Battalion, Oct. 31, 1864, to Apr. 13, 1865; and as Asst. Engineer in making Surveys of the theatre of Military Operations before Petersburg, Va., Apr. 13 to June 15, 1865.

Served: as Assistant to the Board of Engineers for the melioration of the Fortifications in the vicinity of New York, June 20, 1865, to Mar. 21,

(Captain, Corps of Engineers, Aug. 8, 1866)

1867; as Assistant Engineer on Ft. Wayne, Mich., and Harbor Improvements on Lakes Erie and Huron, Apr., 1867, to Nov., 1868 (leave of absence, Jan.‑Feb., 1868), — and on works in charge of Major Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class. Prime, Nov., 1868, to Apr., 1869; as Superintending Engineer of the Defenses of New Orleans, Survey of Galveston Harbor, Tex., and Eighth Light-house District, west of Pearl River, Apr. to July, 1869 (leave of absence, July‑Aug., 1869); at the Military Academy, as Assistant Professor of Engineering, Aug. 28, 1869, to Feb. 15, 1871, and Principal Assistant Professor, Feb. 15, 1871, to Aug. 15, 1872; as Chief Engineer on the Staff of the Commanding General of the Division of the Pacific, Sep. 8, 1872, to Feb. 5, 1874; as Assistant Engineer on the works in charge of Major Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class. Houston, Feb. 24, 1875, to May 3, 1877 (leave of absence, Oct. 9 to Nov. 9, 1875); as Chief Engineer of the Division of the Missouri, May 3, 1877, to July 16, 1878; as Superintending Engineer of Improvements of the Harbor of Michigan City, May 3, 1877, to June 30, 1878, — of New Buffalo Harbor, May 3, 1877, to July 15, 1878, — of Chicago and Calumet Harbors, May 3, 1877, to June 19, 1882, — and of Illinois River, Nov. 13, 1877, to Julyº 19, 1882; as Member of Board of Officers for the examination of candidates for appointment of Second Lieutenants in the Army, Sep., 1873, — and of Board of Engineers on the Improvement of Chicago and Michigan City Harbors, July, 1878; as Engineer Commissioner

(Major, Corps of Engineers, Mar. 31, 1880)

of the District of Columbia, June 19, 1882, to Apr. 1, 1886; in charge of Washington Aqueduct and extension, and erection of fishways at the Great Falls of the Potomac River, Aug. 12, 1882, to Mar. 6, 1889; as Member of various Engineer Boards, 1880‑87; and awaiting orders, Mar. 6 to June 28, 1889.

Vol. IV
p142 [Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. — At Vancouver Barracks, Wash., as Chief Engineer Department of the Columbia, Aug. 14, 1889 to May 13, 1891.

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Dec. 14, 1891)

— At Louisville, Ky., in charge of engineer works, May 23, 1891 to July 22, 1893. — On sick leave to Nov. 14, 1893. — At Detroit, Mich., in charge of the defensive works at Fort Wayne, Mich.; of the improvement of ship channel connecting waters of the Great Lakes between Chicago, Duluth, and Buffalo; of St. Mary's River at the falls, and of Hay Lake Channel; operating and care of St. Mary's Falls Canal; improvement of the harbors at Cheboygan, Alpena, and Sand Beach; Saginaw, Sebewaing, Pine, Belle, Clinton, Detroit, and Rouge rivers, Black River at the mouth and at Port Huron; improvement, operating, and care of St. Clair Flats Canal; examination of Detroit River; survey of St. Clair Flats Canal; removal p143 of wrecked schooners Leader in Detroit River and Fontana and Martin in St. Clair River, Mich.; of issuing charts of Northern and Northwestern Lakes, and of water level observations on Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron. — To supervise the construction of bridges across Lake St. Clair, Rouge River at Fort Street, West, on the boundary line of the townships of Springwells and Ecorse, Belle River at Marine City (2), and the reconstruction of bridge across Pine River at St. Clair, Mich., Nov. 14, 1893 to –––––

Vol. V
p112 [Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Military History. — Supervising the construction of bridges across Lake St. Clair, Rouge River at Fort Street, West, on the boundary line of the townships of Springwells and Ecorse, Belle River at Marine City (2), and the reconstruction of bridge across Pine River at St. Clair, Mich. — Member of various river and harbor boards, November 14, 1893 to

(Colonel, Corps of Engineers, May 10, 1901)

January 14, 1902. — At Cincinnati, Ohio, as Division Engineer of the Central Division, and in charge of river and harbor works, and as member of various river and harbor boards, Jan. 15, 1902 to Nov. 14, 1904. — Engineer of the 14th Lighthouse District, Jan. 25, 1902 to Nov. 14, 1904. — At Detroit, Mich., Nov. 15, 1904. — As Division Engineer of the Central Division, until Nov. 15, 1907. — In charge of fortification and river and harbor works, and member of various river and harbor boards, to Oct. 9, 1905. — Engineer of the 11th Lighthouse District, Aug. 17 to Oct. 17, 1905. — In charge of Surveys of Northern and Northwestern Lakes and of water level observations on the Great Lakes, August 15, 1905 to April 30, 1906, and July 31, 1906 to April 20, 1907.

(Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Nov. 15, 1907)

Retired from Active Service, Nov. 15, 1907,
by operation of law.

— Residence, Detroit, Mich.

Vol. VI
p106 [Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(Born Nov. 15, 1843.)

Military History. —

Colonel, Corps of Engineers, May 10, 1901.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Nov. 15, 1907.

Brigadier-General, U. S. A., Retired, Nov. 15, 1907,
By Operation of Law.

After retirement, resided in Detroit, Mich.

Died July 9, 1914, at Detroit, Mich.: Aged 70.

Portrait and obituary in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1915.

Buried, West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY.

Thayer's Note:

a Gen. Lydecker's first name is often spelled Garret, as in the heading of his AOG obituary. In the Register it is uniformly spelled Garrett, as in the caption to his portrait in the same AOG obituary.

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