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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1827

Vol. I
p386 470

(Born O.)

Ebenezer S. Sibley

(Ap'd Mich.)

1

Ebenezer Sproat Sibley: Born June 6, 1805, Marietta, OH.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1823, to July 1, 1827, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut. of Artillery, July 1, 1827.

Second Lieut., 1st Artillery, July 1, 1827.

Served: in garrison at Ft. Monroe, Va. (Artillery School for Practice), 1827‑29, — Ft. Independence, Mas., 1828, — 1Ft. Moultrie, S. C., 1828, — and Ft. Monroe, Va. (Artillery School for Practice), 1828‑29; on Engineer duty, Apr. 4, 1829, to Jan. 25, 1836; in the Florida War, 1836;

(First Lieut., 1st Artillery, Mar. 6, 1834)

on Engineer duty, Sep. 7, 1836, to Nov. 20, 1836; on Indian duty, May 3, 1837, to Apr. 20, 1838; as Aide-de‑Camp to Bvt. Brig.‑General Brady, Jan. to July 7, 1838; on Quartermaster duty at Savannah, Ga., 1838‑40,

(Capt., Staff — Asst‑Quartermaster, July 7, 1838)

— in the Florida War, 1840‑42, — at Savannah, Ga., 1842‑44, — Houlton, Me., 1844‑45, — Boston harbor, Mas., 1845, — Military Occupation of

(Captain, First Artillery, Aug. 31, 1844, to June 18, 1846)

Texas, 1845‑46, — in the War with Mexico, 1846‑48, being engaged in the Battle of Buena Vista, Feb. 22‑23, 1847, and in collecting Internal

(Bvt. Major, Feb. 23, 1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Battle of Buena Vista, Mex.)

Customs, 1847‑48, — at Detroit, Mich., 1848‑51, — as Chief Quartermaster of the Department of New Mexico, 1851‑53, — Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1854‑57, — and as Asst. in the Quartermaster-General's Office at

(Major, Staff — Quartermaster, Dec. 22, 1856)

Washington, D. C., 1857‑61.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑64; as Principal

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Col., May 6, 1861)

(Bvt. Colonel, June 12, 1861)

 p387  Assistant to the Quartermaster-General at Washington, D. C.,

(Lieut.‑Col., Staff — Dep. Quartermaster-Gen., Aug. 3, 1861)

Apr. 12, 1861, to Apr. 15, 1864.

Resigned, Apr. 15, 1864.

Civil History. — Vice-President, at New York, of Grand Portage Copper Company, 1864‑84; and of Lake Superior Silver-Lead Company, 1864‑84.

Died, Aug. 14, 1884, at Detroit, Mich.: Aged 79.​a

Buried, Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI.

Thayer's Note:

a The following obituary, The New York Times, Aug. 15, 1884, is of interest:

Obituary

Col. Ebenezer Sproat Sibley

Col. Ebenezer Sproat Sibley, who, it is believed, was the last survivor of the siege of Detroit by the British in 1812, died at Detroit yesterday. He was born at Marietta, Ohio, June 6, 1805, and was a son of Judge Solomon Sibley, who was the first American to go to Michigan, in 1798. His mother was Sarah Sproat, a daughter of Col. Sproat, of revolutionary fame, and a granddaughter of Commodore Whipple, who destroyed the English schooner Gaspey. When a child Col. Sibley saw many scenes of the war of 1812 as it raged in the vicinity of Detroit, and retained a vivid recollection of them throughout his life. He entered the Military Academy at West Point, and was graduated at the head of the class of 1827 without one demerit mark against him. He saw hard service in the Florida war, served under Scott in the Black Hawk war, and held important commands under Gen. Brady during the patriot war. He built the Chicago Road from Detroit to Chicago. He was Assistant Quartermaster on Gen. Taylor's staff throughout the Mexican war. For gallant services at Buena Vista he was promoted to a Captaincy. From that time he was located at various military posts until the civil war broke out. Then he was ordered to Washington and made Assistant Quartermaster-General, which position he held until 1864, when ill-health compelled him to retire. He was in active service in the army 41 years, resigning in 1864. He resided in New‑York until 1869, being interested in mines. He then returned to Detroit, and remained there four years. From 1873 until 1880 he lived in Europe. Since that time he has resided in Detroit.

Death was caused by paralysis. Throughout most of his life he had been possessed of an iron constitution. He was •over 6 feet in height, finely proportioned, and made a soldier of splendid appearance. He leaves a widow, two sons — Frederick T., of Detroit, and Henry S., of St. Paul — two unmarried daughters, two brothers — Gen. Henry H. and Frederick B. — and a sister, Miss Sarah Sibley. He was a member of the Order of Cincinnati, and in matters of religious belief an Episcopalian.

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