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 [decorative delimiter] Class of 1834

Vol. I
p567
750

(Born N. Y.)

William D. Fraser​1

(Ap'd N. Y.)

1

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1830, to July 1, 1834, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, July 1, 1834.

Served: as Asst. Engineer on Survey of the Boundary Line between Ohio and Michigan, 1834‑36,​a — on improvement of Hudson River, N. Y., 1836, — and in the construction of Ft. Monroe, Va., 1836‑37; as Superintending

(Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, Sep. 21, 1836)

Engineer of the improvement of Lake Ontario harbors, 1837‑39;

(Captain, Corps of Engineers, July 7, 1838)

as Aide-de‑Camp to Bvt. Brig.-General Wool, Jan. 17 to Apr. 30, 1848, during Canada Border Disturbances; as Superintending Engineer of repairs of Ft. Niagara, N. Y., 1839‑46, — and of the construction of Ft. Porter, N. Y., 1841‑46; in the War with Mexico, 1846‑48, repairing and reorganizing the defenses of Monterey, — as Aide-de‑Camp to Brig.‑General Wool, Nov. 14, 1847, to Mar. 24, 1848, — and as Superintending Engineer of the repairs of Ft. Brown, Tex., 1848; in charge of the Engineer

(Bvt. Major, May 30, 1848,
for Gallant and Meritorious Conduct while serving in the Enemy's Country)

Agency in New York for the purchase and shipment of materials for the erection of fortifications, 1848‑54; and as Superintending Engineer of the removal of rocks at Hell Gate, East River, N. Y., 1852‑54, — of the construction of Ft. Richmond, N. Y., and repairs of fortifications of New York harbor, 1853‑54, — of Harbor Improvements on the New Jersey coast, 1854, — of Light-houses in the New York District, and on Lake Champlain, 1853‑54, — of construction of Ft. Knox, Me., 1854‑55, — of improvement of the navigation of Lake Champlain, 1854‑55, — of repairs of the defenses of Portland harbor, Me., 1854‑55, — and of the construction of Ft. Taylor, Key West harbor, Fla., 1856.

Died, July 27, 1856, at Key West, Fla.: Aged 42.


The Author's Note:

1 Named William Smith when he was graduated.


Thayer's Note:

a This isn't quite the placid job it sounds like; for the 1835 "Toledo War" between Ohio and Michigan, see Harlow, The Road of the Century, pp246‑247.


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Page updated: 5 Nov 13