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Bill Thayer

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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1832

Vol. I
p518
686

(Born Pa.)

Lorenzo Sitgreaves

(Ap'd Pa.)

25

Born Feb. 15, 1810, Easton, PA.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1827, to July 1, 1832, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 1st Artillery, July 1, 1832.

Served: on the "Black Hawk Expedition," 1832, but not at the seat of  p519 war;​a in garrison at Bellona Arsenal, Va., 1832‑33; in Creek Nation,

(Second Lieut., 1st Artillery, Sep. 30, 1833)

1833‑34; in garrison at Ft. Monroe, Va., 1834‑36; and in Creek Nation, 1836.

Resigned, Aug. 31, 1836.

Civil History. — Civil Engineer, 1836‑38.

Military History. — Re-appointed in the U. S. Army with the rank of

Second Lieut., Corps of Top. Engineers, July 7, 1838.

Served: as Asst. Top. Engineer in constructing Roads in Wisconsin, 1839‑40, — on Survey of Sault St. Marie, 1840‑41, — in surveying

(First Lieut., Corps of Top. Engineers, July 18, 1840)

Boundary Line between the United States and Texas, 1841, — and on Surveys near New Orleans, La., 1841‑42; as Assistant in Topographical Bureau, Washington, D. C., 1842‑43; as Asst. Top. Engineer in the Improvement of the Hudson River, N. Y., 1843‑44, — and on Survey of Portsmouth Harbor, N. H., 1844‑45, and of Florida Reefs, 1845‑46; in the War with Mexico, 1846‑48, being engaged on the march through Chihuahua, 1846‑47, — and Battle of Buena Vista, Feb. 22‑23, 1847; in

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

charge of the Boundary Survey of Creek Indian Territory, 1849; as Assistant in Topographical Bureau, at Washington, D. C., 1850; in charge of Survey of Zuñi River, N. M., 1851, and preparing report thereof, 1852;​b as Light-house Inspector, 11th District, Dec. 21, 1852, to Dec. 11, 1856;

(Captain, Top. Engineers, Mar. 3, 1853, for 14 Years' Continuous Service)

as Light-house Engineer, 5th District, May 15, 1857, to Aug. 8, 1859; and on sick leave of absence, 1859‑61.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66; as Mustering Officer at Albany, N. Y., 1861‑62; as Superintendent of

(Major, Top. Engineers, Aug. 6, 1861: Corps of Engineers, Mar. 3, 1863)

Volunteer Recruiting service, and Disbursing Officer, at Madison, Wis., Apr. 20, 1863, to Oct. 20, 1864; and on Inspection of the temporary

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Apr. 22, 1864)

Defenses in Kansas and Nebraska, Oct. 25, 1864, to July, 1865; and in charge of the Harbor Improvements on Lake Michigan, Aug. 3, 1865, to June 11, 1866.

Retired from Active Service, July 10, 1866, for Disability, resulting from Long and Faithful Service, and Disease contracted in the Line of Duty.

Died, May 14, 1888, at Washington, D. C.: Aged 78.º

Obituary notice in Annual Report, Association of Graduates, for 1888.º

Buried, Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, DC.


Thayer's Notes:

a The phrase "but not at the seat of war" occurs frequently in the Register in connection with the Black Hawk War; the explanation in most cases is the one given in the biographical sketch of James Monroe (q.v.).

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b Capt. Sitgreaves's expedition down the Zuñi and Colorado Rivers was the first systematic survey of the area, and laid a foundation for further surveys and ultimately the route of the Santa Fe Railroad. A summary is given by Grant Foreman in the introduction to his edition of Whipple's journal of 1853‑1854, pp15‑16. A photocopy of Sitgreaves' report is online at Archive.Org.


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