Pioneers/sappers/engineer's

[atlantis]

For the men during the conflict who built things did this carry over post war or did they just gravitate back to prewar occupations.

 

[Dan Kohli]

One would assume that they, like most other volunteer soldiers, would go back to their previous occupations. For those who were enlisted in the Regular Army's Corps of Engineers,they ether went career or some similar job after being discharged.

 

[1SGDan]

After the war the officers that served in the engineer units from the army of the Potomac
went on to a variety of careers mostly in the engineering field or related careers.

Daniel P. Woodbury – following his relief as commander of the engineer brigade Woodbury was assigned as Commandant of the District of Key West and the Tortugas where he succumbed to Yellow Fever on August 15, 1864 at age 51.

Barton S. Alexander - On June 1, 1864, Alexander was named chief engineer for the defenses of Washington. After the war he presided over the drawdown of Union forces and decommissioning of many of the forts surrounding the city. The Senate approved his nomination to Brevet Brigadier General in the Regular army. After a brief assignment in New England he was transferred to the west coast. His work there supervising various projects in California, Hawaii, and a trip to Europe lasted until1875. Alexander died in San Francisco, California, on December 15, 1878 at age 59.

James C. Duane - Following the war Duane was confirmed as a Brevet Brigadier General in the regular army where he completed 40 years of service in 1888. Duane died in New York City, November 8, 1897.

Cyrus B. Comstock – remained on active duty until 1895 when he was forced to retire at the mandatory age of 64. He died in New York City on May 29, 1910 and is buried at West Point.

John G. Barnard – He was nominated and confirmed Brevet Major General on March 13, 1865. He remained in the Corps of engineers until 1881 serving in a variety of positions. Barnard died in Detroit, Michigan, on May 14, 1882.

William W. Folwell – After the war Folwell briefly dabbled in private business before accepting the chair of mathematics at Kenyon College for a year. In 1869 he became the University of Minnesota's first president. He held that title for fifteen years. Folwell died in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the age of 96.

John McLeod Murphy – Resigned his commission on July 30, 1864 and his attempts to regain the New York state senate seat he had held in 1860 and 1861 proved unsuccessful. He died in New York City on June 1, 1871.

Frederick W. Gerber – In 1867 Gerber was appointed adjutant of the Corps of Engineers. On November 8, 1871 Sergeant Major Gerber was awarded the Medal of Honor for his entire career. In 1875 while serving at the Engineer School at Fort Totten Gerber passed away from asthma ending his 32 years of service.

Henry W. Benham - Benham was mustered out of the volunteer service on January 15, 1866. Despite his rather dubious war record he was confirmed as a Major General on March 2, 1867 by the US Senate. He managed the construction of the Boston Harbor Sea wall from 1866 to 1873, and of the defenses of New York Harbor from 1877 to 1882. He died in New York City in July 1884.

Wesley Brainerd – After the war Brainerd moved to Evanston, Illinois to become owner of Brainerd & Company, a lumber business that existed until 1876. He then became manager of the Brighton Smelting works and later the president of the Chicago and Colorado Mining and Milling Company. This position caused him to move to Colorado. Years of profitable prospecting claims lasted until his death on August 19, 1910 at the age of 77.

Charles B. Stuart – following his resignation in 1863 Stuart returned to the railroad industry. He was as Chief Engineer engaged in the construction of the Conotton Valley Railway. In this position he suffered a badly sprained ankle which developed into gangrene and caused his death on January 4, 1881 in Cleveland, Ohio at the age of 66.

Thomas L. Casey – Continued service with the Corps of Engineers becoming Chief of Engineers. He most famously worked on the completion of the Washington Monument. He retired from the Army on May 10, 1895 after 33 years of service. He died in Washington, D.C. on March 25, 1896 at 64 years of age just a little more than ten months after his retirement.

Edward Serrell - After the war he became a consulting engineer to many projects and president of the Washington County Railroad. Including the consulting engineer to the American Isthmus Ship Canal Company. In 1879, Serrell was asked to examine the plans for the East River bridge, a new bridge from Brooklyn to New York City. He testified to the Assembly Sub-Committee on Commerce and Navigation, that the calculations of the assumed strength of the bridge were not correct. Serrell died of gastritis in Manhattan on April 25, 1906.

Thomas Bogan - Bogan resigned his commission on April 21st, 1863 and Larkin finished his two year enlistment and mustered out with his company on June 25th, 1863. He was later named Street Inspector for the 8th Ward but could not leave his troubled past life behind. He was killed in a bar room brawl initiated over a demand for cooked oysters in 1868.

William H. Pettes – Continued service as an engineer. Pettes died on February 29, 1880 in Fort Washington, Prince George's County, Maryland.

Timothy Lubey – Joined the Grand Army of the Republic in 1866. He served as commander in various posts and ultimately as Department Commander. He died on December 12, 1877 in Washington D.C.