Trivia 10-17-16 Magnets

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Cyrus B. Comstock

Cyrus Ballou Comstock (1831 -1910) graduated from West Point 1855. In 1862 he served as Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac, but was given an engineer battalion instead when Hooker took over in 1863. His unit constructed the pontoon bridges utilized during the Chancellorsville Campaign. Shortly afterwards Comstock was transferred to the Army of Tennessee, supervizing the Siege of Vicksburg and becoming Chief Engineer to U.S. Grant. When the later went eastwards Comstock accompanied him as his senior aide. In 1865 the expertize of Lt. Col. Comstock was put to good use when he was sent to plan the successfull actions against Fort Fisher and later in the Mobile Bay. After the war Comstock was named as a commissioner on the trial of the Lincoln conspirators. When he changed his hardline opinions in favour of the defendants rights and demanded for a civil trial he was removed from the proceedings on reason of his ties to the also involved Grant. He continued his army service, becoming a full Colonel (with further brevets), and retired in 1895. Living in New York City he became a prominent member of the National Academy of Sciences. He funded what later would become the quinquennial Comstock Prize in Physics, awarded for innovative work regarding electricity, magnetism or radiant energy. Parts of his life, deeds and family became elements of the (kind of) alternate-history video game hit Bioshock Infinite.

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