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STANFORD LIBRAR

REPORT

OF

THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS.

HEADQUARTERS CORPS OF ENGINEERS,

Washington, October 21, 1867.

GENERAL: I have the honor to present the following report of the operations of the corps of engineers for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1867:

The number of officers in the corps of engineers at the end of the year was one hundred and seven on the active list and five on the retired. During the year eleven were added to the corps by promotion of graduates of the Military Academy. There have been retired from active service, four; resigned, one; one was promoted out of the corps, and one died.

On the 30th of June, 1867, the officers were distributed as follows:

On duty at the headquarters of the corps...

On duty with board of engineers for fortifications.

On duty with engineer battalion.....

5

5

13

On duty on construction of defences and on river and harbor improvements 39
On duty on river and harbor improvements.

On duty on survey of the lakes..

On special duty..

.... ....

On detached duty.

Absent with leave.

Retired off duty.

Graduates Military Academy.

12

5

3

17

1

1

11

112

The officers detached were on duty as follows:

Members of the Light-house Board, Brigadier General Richard Delafield, brevet major general United States army, and Colonel Hartman Bache, brevet brigadier general United States army

2

Engineer secretary to Light-house Board, Major O. M. Poe, brevet brigadier general United States army..

1

United States commissioner for Pacific railway, Colonel James H. Simp-
son, brevet brigadier general United States army...
Aides-de-camp of the General of the army, Major C. B. Comstock, brevet
brigadier general United States army, and Major O. E. Babcock, brevet
brigadier general United States army..

1

2

Chief astronomer and surveyor, northwest boundary commission, Major J.
G. Parke, brevet major general United States army....
On staff of Lieutenant General, commanding military division of the Mis-
souri, Major W. E. Merrill, brevet colonel United States army....
On staff of major general commanding department of the Gulf, Captain G.
L. Gillespie, brevet lieutenant colonel United States army
On staff of brevet major general commanding department of Dakota, Cap-
tain W. J. Twining, brevet major United States army.

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On staff of major general commanding department of the Missouri, Lieuten-
ant M. R. Brown.

On staff of brevet major general commanding department of the Platte,
Lieutenant RW. Petrikin..

On duty at Military Academy, Major H. M. Robert; Captain P. S. Michie,
brevet lieutenant colonel United States army; Captain W. H. H. Ben-
yaurd, brevet major United States army, and Lieutenant M. B. Adams..
Member of special commission to reimburse the State of Ohio for aid in
suppressing rebellion, Lieutenant Colonel Lorenzo Sitgreaves.

1

1

1

17

SEA-COAST AND LAKE FRONTIER DEFENCES.

Such progress as was consistent with the state of the important questions now in course of investigation respecting the increased power of artillery, and the best method of covering scarps, guns, and men from its action, and as was practicable with the reduced appropriations made by Congress for the service, has been made, during the year, upon the several maritime defensive works now in process of construction, repair, or melioration. The efforts of the year have been directed for the most part to the advancement of those portions of the works, the character of which is least affected by these questions; such as piers, quarters, store-rooms, earthworks, platforms, and magazines.

Restoration of forts injured during the war has been continued, repairs of damages caused by the elements effected, and such precautionary works executed as future security required.

A board of engineers for fortifications, consisting of the following officers: Colonel J. G. Barnard, brevet major general United States army; Colonel George W. Cullum, brevet major general United States army; Lieutenant Colonel Z. B. Tower, brevet major general United States army; Lieutenant Colonel H. G. Wright, brevet major general United States army, and Major C. B. Reese, brevet brigadier general United States army, secretary, has been constituted, to which is intrusted the duty of making examinations, inquiries, and experiments requisite to determine the force of the largest artillery, the means of using it in the forts, and of protecting our structures, guns, and gunners against its power. As soon as the deliberations of this board are completed and its conclusions matured and verified, the labors of construction should be greatly enlarged. This will require (especially in view of the great appreciation of cost of materials and workmanship) corresponding appropriations of money to enable work to be actively resumed on the defences, and the application of materials of increased cost to be made upon them.

In several cases it will be necessary, also, to apply to Congress for grants for the commencement of new works, which are required to keep an enemy at a greater distance from important points than has heretofore been the case.

Some special boards of officers have been constituted during the year, particularly one for the Pacific coast, presided over by Lieutenant Colonel B. S. Alexander, brevet brigadier general United States army, and composed of the senior constructing officers on that coast, the distance and importance of which have required this to be done.

The estimates presented for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, provide only for the continuation, at moderate rates, of such parts of works in progress as are not likely to be affected by the questions above indicated. The solution of these questions will require special calls from this office for further appropriations, for the purpose of pressing forward other parts of these works, and for the commencement of new defences for important and exposed positions, maritime cities, naval establishments, &c.

FORTIFICATIONS.

Fort Wayne, Detroit, Michigan, in. charge of Colonel T. J. Cram, brevet major general United States army.-The breast-height wall has been completed in the main work, with the exception of a space of twenty-five feet on the north face of east bastion. In the demilune it has been nearly finished. The doors of the casemates and magazines have been made, hung, and completed, except their fastenings. The road leading from the engineer dock to main entrance, and thence to the limit of government grounds at the county road, has been finished. A covered drain has been constructed in the ditch from the road to the main sewer. Another drain is in course of construction in the ditch, extending around the north bastion to the drain first referred to. The ramps, from the parade to the terreplein, have been paved. The gun platforms of the main work have been completed. In the demilune the platforms are now generally ready for their irons. The sodding and embanking for the parapet and banquettes have been nearly finished. The new demilune magazine is well on towards completion. Operations in contemplation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868: To complete the demilune magazine; the platform for 15-inch gun in its salient with its breast-height and parapet thereabout; to widen the ditch of the main work; to begin the new lateral batteries; to complete the drains in the ditch; to insert the pintles and set the traverse irons of the gun platforms; to place the fastenings upon all doors belonging to casemates and magazines; to construct two additional gates for sally ports; to complete drains, gate to entrance from county road, and prepare ground for raising sod for counterscarp.

Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $50,000.

Fort Porter, Black Rock, near Buffalo, New York, in charge of Major John A. Tardy and Colonel T. J. Cram, brevet major general United States army.— Operations at this work during the year were confined to the repair of two small temporary buildings for store-rooms.

No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year.

Additional works for the defence of Buffalo, New York-Operations. here are awaiting the result of experiments and the deliberations of the board of engineers upon the application of new materials to purposes of defence. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year.

Fort Niagara, mouth of Niagara river, New York, in charge of Major John A. Tardy and Colonel T. J. Cram, brevet major general United States army.But little has been done at this work during the year-operations having been suspended in October, 1866. Labor, up to that period, was applied mainly in excavating earth, removing old timber of scarp and sallyport, making and laying concrete, building dry wall, constructing casements of southeast flank, and digging wells in rear of scarp.

It is proposed, during the present year, to complete the coping of the new scarp on the land front, to put in the filling back of the new scarp, and sod after completing the parapet, and to complete the new sallyport, which was left in an unfinished condition.

Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $50,000.

Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel C. E. Blunt, brevet colonel United States army.-The principal operation of the year has been the raising of the scarp wall of the laud or entrance front to its final height along the curtain, flanks, and one-half of each face. The masonry of the gateway, postern arch, and casemates of left flank, including embrasures, has been completed. Part of the scarp of right face of bastion E has also been raised three feet on an average, to reference (13'). The stone used is quarried! and cut on the public land. During the year ending June 30, 1868, it is pro-posed to complete the scarp wall, and to continue the construction of the flanking

arrangements. This work is now in such a condition that it is very desirable that the construction should progress continuously to completion.

Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $60,000.

Fort Montgomery, outlet of Lake Champlain, New York, in charge of Major C. B. Reese, brevet brigadier general United States army, and Lieutenant Colonel C. E. Blunt, brevet colonel United States army.-At this work the principal operations have been the following: Completion of seventeen barbette gun platforms; laying coping of parapet wall on curtains one, two, and four, and bastions A and B, (thus completing the scarp wall of the fort ;) raising staircase of bastion C from foundation to level of gun casemates, (23.58';) laying flagging in lower story of bastion C, and concrete foundation for lower floor of bastion E; turning communication arches in lower story of bastion C; advancing interior finish of officers' quarters; embanking and laying stone facing on coverface; driving piles on south end of wet ditch with a view to a modification of the counterscarp. During the present year it is proposed to complete the staircase in bastion C, the parade wall of curtain three, and the barbette magazines on the land front, and to continue the interior finish of the officers' quarters, &c. The fort is now ready for a considerable portion of its armament. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $60,000.

Fort Knox, narrows of Penobscot river, Maine, in charge of Major Godfrey Weitzel, brevet major general United States army, and Major Thomas Lincoln Casey, brevet colonel United States army.-During the past year the north covered way, northeast demi-bastion, and defensive gallery, together with the closure wall and single caponniere of the north ditch, have been completed. The south and west glacis were brought to grade for a distance of some forty feet from their crests. Some progress was made with store-rooms in the parade of the main work, and a large amount of the finish of the quarters in the west front put in; two 15-inch platforms were completed in batteries A and B, and seven platforms for front pintle guns in the north covered way. During the present year it is proposed to complete the store-rooms of the parade, except their mastic coverings, the banquettes of the north counterscarp gallery, the magazine of the northeast demi-bastion, and nine positions for guns requiring only their traverse irons; the postern doors of the main and out-works will also ⚫ be hung.

Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $50,000.

Fort Popham, Kennebec river, Maine, in charge of Major Godfrey Weitzel, brevet major general United States army, and Major Thomas Lincoln Casey, brevet colonel United States army.-During the past year the scarps of the gun fronts and bastions have been brought practically to the level of the cordon line; the second tier of casemate arches all along these fronts has been completed, with its accompanying parade wall, piers, and stairway towers, and the flooring of the second tier of casemates completed far enough to receive the traverse irons of the second tier of gun platforms. During the remainder of the present working season the roof surfaces will be covered with asphaltum over eleven arches of the gun fronts; the foundation of three of the magazine traverses of the barbette will be laid, and the remainder of the work covered with boards to protect it during the coming winter.

Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $75,000.

Fort Gorges, on Hog Island ledge, Portland, Maine, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel George Thom, brevet brigadier general United States armyThe operations on this fort during the past year have been applied to completing the roof surfaces of the gorge, and filling the same with earth up to the level of the terreplein, in reference (47'); towards lining and finishing the quarters, which are partially floored, furred, and lathed, and have had all the window frames put in, and nearly all the sashes made, glazed, and fitted; to building four privy vaults and cutting outlets for same through the gorge scarp, and

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