Christopher C. Wolcott • Cullum's Register • 2210

Vol. III
p102 2210

(Born O.)

Christopher C. Wolcott

(Ap'd at Large)

Christopher Columbus Wolcott: Born Sep. 25, 1846.⁠a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, Sep. 1, 1863, to June 17, 1867, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 3d Artillery, June 17, 1867.

p103 Served: on Frontier duty at Ft. McPherson, Neb., Oct. 16, 1867, to May, 1868, — Ft. Kearny, Neb., to Nov., 1868, — Omaha Barracks, Neb., to Apr., 1869. — Ft. Riley, Kan., to Sept. 5, 1870 (leave of absence Dec. 16, 1869, to Jan. 28, 1870), — Scouting in Kansas, June to Sep., 1870; on leave of absence, Sep. 5 to Nov. 8, 1870; in garrison at Key West, Fla., to Feb., 1871; on Signal duty at Ft. Whipple, Va., Mar., 1871, to May 5, 1875 (leave of absence, Dec. 13, 1872, to Mar. 10, 1873); In Navy Department

(First Lieut., 3d Artillery, May 1, 1873)

under orders of Secretary of the Navy, May, 1875, to May, 1878; and in garrison at Ft. Monroe, Va. (Artillery School for Practice), May 1, 1878, to May 1, 1880, — and Ft. Niagara, N. Y. (leave of absence, June 1 to Nov. 20, 1880), to Nov. 1, 1881.

Resigned, Nov. 1, 1881.

Civil History. — Civil Engineer, since 1881.

Vol. IV
p175 [Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Naval History. — Civil Engineer U. S. Navy, since Oct. 26, 1881.⁠b

Vol. V
p145 [Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Naval History. — Civil Engineer, U. S. Navy, with rank of Lieutenant, Oct. 26, 1881. — On temporary duty at Washington with Bureau of Yards and Docks, till Jan., 1882. — At Mare Island, Cal., Navy Yard to April 30, 1891.

(Lieut.‑Commander, June 1, 1897)

— At League Island, Penn., Navy Yard to April 17, 1901.

(Commander, Jan. 6, 1901)

(Captain, Feb. 27, 1901)

— On detached duty as a member of the Board on Naval Stations to April 5, 1902.

Died, Apr. 5, 1902, at Brooklyn, N. Y.: Aged 56.

Thayer's Notes:

a The middle name and birthdate I give here are not absolutely certain: they are from the following listing, of purely genealogical interest, on p174 of the Register (1902) of The Order of The Founders and Patriots of America. Only the coincidence of name and date of death make the information apply plausibly to the West Point graduate:

Gen. No. 180. Pa. No. 11. Civil engineer. Born September 25, 1846; died April 5, 1902. Son of Christopher Parson Wolcott and Pamphila Stanton; grandson of Christopher Columbus Wolcott and Susan Blinn; great-grandson of Christopher Wolcott and Lucy Parsons; great2-grandson of Alexander Wolcott and Mary Richards; great3-grandson of Roger Wolcott and Sarah Drake; great4-grandson of Simon Wolcott and Martha Pitkin; great5-grandson of Henry Wolcott and Elizabeth Saunders.

b Lt. Wolcott was the first graduate of the Military Academy to have a successful naval career other than as a Marine or a scholar. Although naval sources online confirm his career and rank, I would really have liked to see an AOG obituary for the man, especially one with some substance, explaining his circumstances and motivation; but there is none. If you have good information, I'd be glad to hear from you of course.

The following obituary appeared in the New York Sun, Apr. 6, 1902:

Christopher Columbus Wolcott, Civil Engineer, U. S. N., died yesterday evening at his home, 225 Washington avenue, Brooklyn, in his Fifty-sixth year. He had been ill only a few days; heart disease was the cause of death. He was second ranking engineer. He served in the Philippines from the close of the war until a year ago, when he returned and was assigned to duty at the navy yard in Brooklyn. He leaves a widow, son and daughter. The funeral services will be held at 9 A.M. to‑morrow in the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Greene and Clermont avenues. There will be two companies of marines and a squad of bluejackets at the services. Six naval officers will be honorary pallbearers.

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