Class of 1842

Theodore Thaddeus Sobieski Laidley:
Born Apr. 24, 1822, Guyandotte, WV (then VA).

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1838, to July 1, 1842, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., Ordnance, July 1, 1842.

Served: as Asst. Ordnance Officer at Watervliet Arsenal, N. Y., 1842‑44, — at Washington Arsenal, D. C., 1844‑45, — at Watervliet Arsenal, N. Y., 1845, — and at Allegheny Arsenal, Pa., 1846; in the War with Mexico, 1847‑48, being engaged in the Siege of Vera Cruz,

(First Lieut., Ordnance, Mar. 3, 1847)

Mar. 17‑29, 1847, — Battle of Cerro Gordo, Apr. 17‑18, 1847, — and

(Bvt. Capt., Apr. 18, 1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Battle of Cerro Gordo, Mex.)

Siege of Puebla, Sep. 13 to Oct. 12, 1847; as Asst. Ordnance Officer

(Bvt. Major, Oct. 12, 1847,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct in the Defense of Puebla, Mex.)

at Watervliet Arsenal, N. Y., 1848, and Ft. Monroe Arsenal, Va., 1848‑50; in command of Charleston Arsenal, S. C., 1850; as Asst. Ordnance Officer at Ft. Monroe Arsenal, Va., 1850‑51, — at Watervliet Arsenal, N. Y., 1852‑54; in command of North Carolina Arsenal, 1854‑58;

(Captain, Ordnance, July 1, 1856, for Fourteen Years' Continuous Service)

and in compiling and publishing a new edition of the Ordnance Manual, June 4, 1858, to Sep. 26, 1861.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: as Inspector of Powder, Dec., 1861, to Feb. 1, 1862; in command of Frankford  p117 Arsenal, Feb. 1, 1862, to Aug. 19, 1864; as Inspector of Ordnance,

(Major, Ordnance, June 1, 1863)

Aug. 19 to Sep. 24, 1864; and in command of Springfield Armory, Mas., Oct. 27, 1864, to May 3, 1866.

Bvt. Lieut.‑Colonel, and Bvt. Colonel, Mar. 13, 1865,
for Faithful and Meritorious Services in the Ordnance Department.​a

Served: in command of New York Arsenal, May 3, 1866, to Apr. 1, 1871, — and of Watertown Arsenal, Mas., Apr. 1, 1871, to Nov. 29, 1882; as Member of Board to examine and prove Ames's wrought-iron guns for Naval Service, June 5‑13, 1866, — of Board to select site for Powder Depot, near New York, Oct. 3 to Dec. 1, 1866, — to examine Ordnance Officers for Promotion, Mar., 1867, — to consider proposition to purchase

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Ordnance, Mar. 7, 1867)

and prove 15‑inch guns, June 23, 1871, — to test Major King's Depressing Gun-carriage, Aug. 4 to Dec. 26, 1871, — on modification of Sea-coast carriages, Apr. 26 to May 4, 1872, — to examine Colonel Benton's plan for manoeuvring Heavy Guns and protecting the Gunners, June 15‑22, 1872, — to arrange details for the manufacture of Experimental Guns (as directed by Congress), Sep. 18 to Oct. 4, 1872, — on the manufacture of Rodman 15‑inch guns at South Boston foundry, Jan. 26 to Mar. 8, 1872, — to examine the manufacture and construction of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores in the various countries of Europe, May 22 to Oct. 16, 1873, — on Rock Island Water-Power, Apr. 10 to May 5, 1874, — to investigate the causes of certain defects in Service Metallic Cartridges, Sep. 21 to Oct. 2, 1874, — to examine a model Cavalry Cart, July 20 to July 25, 1875, — and to test (as directed by Congress) the strength and value of all kinds of iron, steel, and other metals, 1875; and in charge of

(Colonel, Ordnance, Apr. 14, 1875)

preparing for the U. S. Service a System of Target Practice, 1877‑79.

Retired from Active Service, Dec. 4, 1882,
at his own request, having served over 40 Years.

Civil History. — Author of "A Course of Instruction in Rifle Firing," 1879.

Died, Apr. 4, 1886, at Pilatka, Fla.: Aged 64.

See Annual Association of Graduates, U. S. M. A., 1886, for an obituary notice.º

Buried, West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY.