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Civil War Soldiers - Delafield
| Delafield, Richard, brigadier-general,
U.S. Army, was born in New York city, Sept. 1, 1798, and was graduated
first in his class in the U. S. military academy in 1818, being
promoted 2nd lieutenant at once and assigned to duty with the American
boundary commission under the treaty of Ghent. He was engaged as
superintending engineer in constructing U. S. defenses until 1838, was
then promoted major and was superintendent of the military academy at
West Point from 1838-45 and 1855-61. He accompanied Capt. George B.
McClellan and Maj. Alfred Mordecai to Europe in 1855-56, to watch the
operations of the Crimean war, and his elaborate report of modern war
methods as seen in that war was printed by Congress in 1860. He was
promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1861, colonel in 1863,
brigadier-general and chief of engineers, April 22, 1864, and was
brevetted major-general U. S. A. for "faithful, meritorious and
distinguished services in the engineer department during the war." He
rendered valuable service to the government during the Civil war on
the staff of Gov. Morgan of New York, 1861-63, in the reorganization
and equipment of state forces ; was from 1864 to 1870 on duty at
Washington as commander of the engineer corps, and in charge of the
bureau of engineers of the war department, and served as inspector of
the military academy, as member of the light-house board, and of the
commission for the improvement of Boston harbor. He was also a regent
of the Smithsonian institution, and a member of scientific
organizations. He was retired, Aug. 8, 1866, after forty-five years'
service, and died in Washington, D. C, Nov. 5, 1873. Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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