★  Meigs, Montgomery C.

Montgomery Cunningham Meigs

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Meigs.jpg


Born: May 3, 1816

Birthplace: Augusta, Georgia

Father: Dr. Charles Delucena Meigs 1792 – 1869
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Mother: Mary Montgomery 1795 – 1865
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Wife: Louisa Rodgers 1816 – 1879
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Married: 1841

Children:
1st​ Lt. John Rodgers Meigs 1842 – 1864​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Mary Montgomery Meigs Taylor 1843 – 1930​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Charles Delucena Meigs 1845 – 1853​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Major Montgomery Cunningham “Monty” Meigs Jr. 1847 – 1931​
(Buried: Oakland Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa)​
Vincent Trowbridge Meigs 1851 – 1853​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Louisa Rodgers Meigs Forbes 1854 – 1922​
(Buried: Allenvale Cemetery, Aberdeen, Scotland)​
Infant Meigs 1856 – 1856​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Education:

1836: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (5th in class)​

Occupation before War:
1836: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 1st Artillery​
1836: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, Engineers​
1836: Reverted back to Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 1st Artillery​
1836: Transferred as 2nd Lt. to United States Army, Engineers​
1836 – 1838: 2nd Lt. United States Army, Engineers​
1838 – 1853: 1st Lt. United States Army, Engineers​
1849 – 1850: Special Duty with Engineer Bureau in Washington, D.C.​
1853 – 1861: Captain in United States Army, Engineers​
Civil War Career:
1595444578610.png

1861: Engineer for relieved Fort Pickens Florida​
1861: Colonel United States Army 11th Infantry Regiment​
1861 – 1882: Brigadier General in United States Army​
1861 – 1882: Quartermaster General of United States Army​
1861: Present at the First Battle of Bull Run Virginia but not engaged​
1862: Member of Committee to exam Washington D.C. Defenses​
1863: Present at the Battle of Chattanooga Tennessee​
1864: Commander of Belle Plain and Fredericksburg Supplies Base​
1864: Commander of Quartermaster Employees Washington D.C.​
1864: Brevetted Major General for distinguished service during war​
Occupation after War:
1861 – 1882: Brigadier General in United States Army​
1861 – 1882: Quartermaster General of United States Army​
1866 – 1867: Member of Board for building new War Department​
1867: Member of Board for marking graves in National Cemeteries​
1867 – 1868: Leave of Absence from Army due to traveling in Europe​
1869 – 1870: On tour of National Cemeteries, Inspection in Texas
Meigs 2.jpg
1871 – 1872: On tour of National Cemeteries, Inspection in California​
1872: Inspection in Arsenals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania​
1873 – 1874: Inspection of California and Columbia Departments​
1875 – 1876: Studied Construction & government of European Armies​
1876: Member of Commission for reorganization, United States Army​
1876: Member of Commission to preserve Centennial Exposition​
1876: Member Commission for extension Washington, D.C. Aqueduct​
1880: Member examine codification of U.S. Army Regulations​
1882: Retired from Active Service in United States Army, February 6th
1882 – 1887: Architect for Construction of U.S. Pension Office​
Fellow of National Academy of Sciences​
Regent for Smithsonian Institute​
Member of National Academy for Sciences​

Died: January 2, 1892

Time of Death: 5:00 PM

Place of Death: Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Pneumonia

Age at time of Death: 76 years old

Burial Place: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
 
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Montgomery Cunningham Meigs

:us34stars:View attachment 334295

Born: May 3, 1816

Birthplace: Augusta, Georgia

Father: Dr. Charles Delucena Meigs 1792 – 1869
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Mother: Mary Montgomery 1795 – 1865
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​

Wife: Louisa Rodgers 1816 – 1879
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Married: 1841

Children:
1st​ Lt. John Rodgers Meigs 1842 – 1864​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Mary Montgomery Meigs Taylor 1843 – 1930​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Charles Delucena Meigs 1845 – 1853​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Major Montgomery Cunningham “Monty” Meigs Jr. 1847 – 1931​
(Buried: Oakland Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa)​
Vincent Trowbridge Meigs 1851 – 1853​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​
Louisa Rodgers Meigs Forbes 1854 – 1922​
(Buried: Allenvale Cemetery, Aberdeen, Scotland)​
Infant Meigs 1856 – 1856​
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Education:

1836: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (5th in class)​

Occupation before War:
1836: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 1st Artillery​
1836: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, Engineers​
1836: Reverted back to Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 1st Artillery​
1836: Transferred as 2nd Lt. to United States Army, Engineers​
1836 – 1838: 2nd Lt. United States Army, Engineers​
1838 – 1853: 1st Lt. United States Army, Engineers​
1849 – 1850: Special Duty with Engineer Bureau in Washington, D.C.​
1853 – 1861: Captain in United States Army, Engineers​
Civil War Career:View attachment 367092
1861: Engineer for relieved Fort Pickens Florida​
1861: Colonel United States Army 11th Infantry Regiment​
1861 – 1882: Brigadier General in United States Army​
1861 – 1882: Quartermaster General of United States Army​
1861: Present at the First Battle of Bull Run Virginia but not engaged​
1862: Member of Committee to exam Washington D.C. Defenses​
1863: Present at the Battle of Chattanooga Tennessee​
1864: Commander of Belle Plain and Fredericksburg Supplies Base​
1864: Commander of Quartermaster Employees Washington D.C.​
1864: Brevetted Major General for distinguished service during war​
Occupation after War:
1861 – 1882: Brigadier General in United States Army​
1861 – 1882: Quartermaster General of United States Army​
1866 – 1867: Member of Board for building new War Department​
1867: Member of Board for marking graves in National Cemeteries​
1867 – 1868: Leave of Absence from Army due to traveling in Europe​
1869 – 1870: On tour of National Cemeteries, Inspection in Texas View attachment 334296
1871 – 1872: On tour of National Cemeteries, Inspection in California​
1872: Inspection in Arsenals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania​
1873 – 1874: Inspection of California and Columbia Departments​
1875 – 1876: Studied Construction & government of European Armies​
1876: Member of Commission for reorganization, United States Army​
1876: Member of Commission to preserve Centennial Exposition​
1876: Member Commission for extension Washington, D.C. Aqueduct​
1880: Member examine codification of U.S. Army Regulations​
1882: Retired from Active Service in United States Army, February 6th
1882 – 1887: Architect for Construction of U.S. Pension Office​
Fellow of National Academy of Sciences​
Regent for Smithsonian Institute​
Member of National Academy for Sciences​

Died: January 2, 1892

Time of Death: 5:00 PM

Place of Death: Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Pneumonia

Age at time of Death: 76 years old

Burial Place: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
Meigs is the man you have to thank for Arlington Cemetary's existence. It'd had been the property of the legendary Robert E. Lee before the war, but, as Alexandria was just accross the river from D.C., the Confederates abandoned Alexandria, which remained in Union hands for the rest of the war. Some say it was done out of spite for Lee siding with the south, but Meigs chose to use the property to bury the war dead.
Later, he would organize an emergency division to man the forts of D.C. against Jubal Early at Fort Stevens.
Had no idea this man was from Georgia. Hadn't read up on him too thoroughly.
 
Meigs was extremely powerful. He argued with Edwin Stanton as an equal, because Stanton had very little chance of eliminating corruption and running the war without Meigs and the quartermasters he had promoted.
When Meigs went to Chattanooga and experienced the logistical problems of Chattanooga directly, and fully endorsed Grant's plan to end the siege, it had a profound impact on the war.
What Meigs experienced was that when a logistical deficit occurs, the horses and mules weaken and die first. An army has logistical problems has to disperse its cavalry quickly and cannot move its artillery. In fact an army on the move has to minimize its artillery.
The soldiers can make do on restricted rations, as long as the logistical situation is improved quickly.
These lessons were then applied with special cruelty in Virginia.
By the end of November 1863, Grant had worked with Robert Allen as the quartermaster in St. Louis. He was personally acquainted with General Meigs due to the two of them having been in Chattanooga. Grant's personal friend, Rufus Ingalls, was the main quartermaster in the east. It was nearly inevitable after Chattanooga that Grant would redesign the US war effort and be the general in charge of US strategy, because he had the most allies in the quartermaster division.
 
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His effectiveness as Quartermaster General was regarded as outstanding and viewed by Sectretary of State Seward as a key factor in the Union victory.
The scope of corruption in the initial mobilization in the US was a significant advantage to the Confederacy and a severe handicap to the US Army in the east. Smaller armies were better able to cope, until the system became professionalized.
 
In October 1864 his son, Lt. John Rodgers Meigs, was killed at Swift Run Gap.Meigs believed that his son was murdered after being captured.despite no evidence. This might explain some of his hatred for the Confederacy. Both Lincoln and Stanton attended the funeral, by the way.
 
Meigs is the man you have to thank for Arlington Cemetary's existence. It'd had been the property of the legendary Robert E. Lee before the war, but, as Alexandria was just accross the river from D.C., the Confederates abandoned Alexandria, which remained in Union hands for the rest of the war. Some say it was done out of spite for Lee siding with the south, but Meigs chose to use the property to bury the war dead.
Later, he would organize an emergency division to man the forts of D.C. against Jubal Early at Fort Stevens.
Had no idea this man was from Georgia. Hadn't read up on him too thoroughly.
He buried his son in Lee's yard. Backfired on him. Now Arlington is hallowed ground.
 
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