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Civil War Soldiers - Tower
| Tower, Zealous B., brigadier-general,
U.S. Army, was born in Cohasset, Mass., Jan. 12, 1819. He was
graduated at West Point in 1841 at the head of the class, was
commissioned second lieutenant in the engineer corps on July 1, 1841,
was on duty for a year as assistant to the board of engineers, and in
1842 became assistant professor of engineering at West Point. From
1843 to 1846 he was employed in the construction of the fortifications
at Hampton Roads. He was raised to the rank of first lieutenant in
April, 1847, and during the Mexican war rendered brilliant and
effective service at Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Chapultepec, and in the
operations which ended in the surrender of the City of Mexico. Between
1848 and 1861 he was engaged in engineering work, mainly on the
Pacific coast. He was promoted captain on July 1, 1855, and major of
engineers on Aug. 6, 1861. He skillfully and successfully conducted
the defence of Fort Pickens, Fla., on Nov. 23, 1861, and as a reward
was promoted to brigadier-general of volunteers, his commission to
date from that time. He served with honor under Gen. N. P. Banks and
Gen. John Pope in northern Virginia, and at the second battle of Bull
Run received a wound that incapacitated him for service for the time
being. From July to Sept., 1864, he was superintendent of the West
Point academy. He then returned to duty in the field with the Army of
the West, as chief engineer superintended the construction of the
defenses in front of Nashville and participated in the battle at that
place in December. He continued to serve in the West and South until
the close of the war, holding responsible staff offices in the
military divisions of the Mississippi and Tennessee. In 1865 he was
made lieutenant-colonel of engineers and was repeatedly brevetted "for
gallant and meritorious services," reaching the rank of brevet
major-general, U. S. A., on March 13, 1865. On Jan. 15, 1866, he was
mustered out of the volunteer service, and during the following eight
years was engaged in improving the principal harbors of the country,
both for commercial and military purposes. He was promoted colonel of
engineers Jan. 13, 1874, and on the same day was voluntarily placed on
the retired list of the army. Gen. Tower died on March 20, 1900.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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