Class of 1836

Montgomery Cunningham Meigs: Born May 3, 1816, Augusta, GA.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1832, to July 1, 1836, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Second Lieut., 1st Artillery, July 1, 1836.

Served as Asst. Engineer in repairing Ft. Mifflin, Delaware River,

(Transferred, Nov. 1, 1836, to Corps of Engineers,
as Bvt. Second Lieut., to date July 1, 1836;
but by Order of Dec. 31, 1836, reverted to original Appointment in 1st Artillery)

Pa., 1836, — on Surveys for the improvement of the Upper Mississippi,

(Transferred, July 1, 1837, to Corps of Engineers, as Bvt. Second Lieut.,
to date July 1, 1836, having relinquished his Commission in 1st Artillery)

(First Lieut., Corps of Engineers, July 7, 1838)

1837, — in building Ft. Delaware, Pea Patch Island, Del., and on improvement of harbors in Delaware River and Bay, and Delaware Breakwater, 1837‑39, — and to the Board of Engineers for Atlantic Coast Defenses, 1839‑41; as Superintending Engineer of the building of Ft. Delaware, 1841, — of Ft. Wayne, Detroit, Mich., 1841‑49, — and of Fts. Porter, Niagara, and Ontario, N. Y., 1846‑49; on Special duty in the Engineer Bureau, Washington, D. C., 1849‑50; as Superintending Engineer of the building of Ft. Montgomery, for the defense of the outlet of Lake Champlain, N. Y., 1850‑52, — of the harbor improvements in Delaware Bay, and on the New Jersey Coast, 1852, — of the devising and construction of the Potomac Aqueduct, from the Great Falls, Md., to Washington, D. C., Nov. 3, 1852, to Sep. 20, 1860, — of the U. S. Capitol Extension, by new Wings and Dome, Mar. 29, 1853, to Nov. 2,

(Captain, Corps of Engineers, Mar. 3, 1853, for Fourteen Years' Continuous Service)

 p632  1859, — of the U. S. General Post Office Extension, Apr. 25, 1855, to Nov. 2, 1859, — of repairs of Ft. Madison, Annapolis harbor, Md., 1854‑60, — of the building of Ft. Jefferson, Tortugas, Fla., 1860‑61, — and of the construction of the Potomac Aqueduct, 1861.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: as Chief Engineer, Apr. 13‑22, 1861, for organizing and conducting an Expedition

(Colonel, 11th Infantry, May 14, 1861)

for relieving Ft. Pickens, Fla., besieged by the Rebels; in directing the

(Brig‑Gen, Staff — Quartermaster-General, May 15, 1861)

equipping and supplying the Armies in the field, May 15, 1861, to Aug. 12, 1866, generally from headquarters at Washington, D. C.; present, but not engaged, at the Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861; as Member of Commission to examine the plan and sufficiency of the defenses of Washington city, Oct. 29 to Dec. 24, 1862; on Inspection, Aug. 1863, of Quartermaster's Operations in the Army of the Potomac, — of the Western Armies, Aug., 1863, to Jan., 1864, being particularly employed in providing transportation and supplies for the forces at Chattanooga, Ten., and was present during its investment and bombardment, and engaged in the Battle of Chattanooga, Nov. 23‑25, 1863; in command of Belle Plain, and Fredericksburg, Va. (General Grant's base of supplies), May 16‑18, 1864; on special mission to Bermuda Hundred, Va., May 21‑26, 1864; in Defense of Washington, D. C., commanding brigade of Quartermaster's employees and other troops, forming a division occupying the

(Bvt. Maj.‑General, July 5, 1864,
for Distinguished and Meritorious Services during the Rebellion)

trenches east of Ft. Stevens, July 11‑14, 1864; at Savannah, Ga., Jan. 5‑29, 1865, supplying and refitting General Sherman's army, and shipping captured stores; at Goldsborough, N. C., Mar. 22 to Apr. 13, 1865, directing the opening of communications for again supplying General Sherman's armies; and Apr. 21‑29, 1865 on a special mission to General Sherman's headquarters at Raleigh, N. C.

Served: as Quartermaster General, equipping and supplying the Army, headquarters Washington, D. C., Aug. 12, 1866, to Feb. 6, 1882; as Member of Board for preparing plans and specifications for new War Department Building, Oct. 4, 1866, to May 7, 1867, — of Board for marking graves in National Cemeteries, May‑June, 1867, — and of Board on illumination of Military Posts, June‑July, 1869; on sick leave of absence in Europe, June 6, 1867, to June 6, 1868; on tour of Inspection of Natural Cemeteries and Quartermaster affairs, in Texas and the Southwest, Nov. 8, 1869, to Mar. 9, 1870, and in California and Arizona, Dec. 16, 1871, to Mar. 22, 1872, — on Inspection of Arsenals at Philadelphia, Pa., and Western Posts and Railroad Routes, Nov. 4 to Dec. 4, 1872, — and on Inspection in the Departments of California and Columbia, Oct. 25, 1873, to Jan. 19, 1874; on Special Service in Europe studying the constitution and government of European Armies, June 1, 1875, to Apr. 1, 1876; as Member of Commission for Reform and Re-organization of the Army, Aug. 11 to Nov. 13, 1876; in devising project for new building for the National Museum, at Washington, to preserve and exhibit the contributions from the Centennial Exhibition, 1876; in projecting extension of Washington Aqueduct to the high ground north of Washington city, 1876; and in preparing a plan for a Hall of Records, 1878; and as Member of Board to examine and report upon the Codification of the Army Regulations, July 20 to Sep. 13, 1880.

Retired from Active Service, Feb. 6, 1882, he being over 62 Years of Age.

Civil History. — Architect for the construction of the Pension Office  p633 at Washington, D. C., 1882‑87. Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, 18–––.

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.