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Montgomery Meigs Biography

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MEIGS, Montgomery Cunningham (1816-92). An American soldier and military engineer. He was born in Augusta, Ga., studied for a short time at the University of Pennsylvania, graduated at West Point in 1836, and immediately afterward became second lieutenant in an artillery company. In 1837 he was transferred to the Corps of Engineers, in which he became a lieutenant in 1838 and captain in 1853. From 1836 to 1852 he was employed by the War Department on various important engineering works. Between 1852 and 1860 be superintended the construction of the Potomac Aqueduct from the Great Falls in Maryland to Washington, D. C., the erection of the Capitol extension in Washington, the Post Office extension, and the great iron dome of the Capitol. In the winter of 1860-61 he was engaged in placing Fort Jefferson, Fla., in a condition for defense, and in April, 1861, organized and conducted the Fort Pickens relief expedition. On May 15 he was appointed Quartermaster-General of the United States army, with the rank of brigadier general. In this important position he had the direction of the supply and equipment of the United States forces in the field during the continuance of the war. Though generally stationed at Washington, he frequently made personal inspections of the quartermaster's departments of the various armies during siege and field operations. On July 5, 1864, he was brevetted major general for "distinguished and meritorious services during the Rebellion." After the war until his retirement in 1882 he was a member of many important boards and commissions in connection with the War Department. After his retirement until 1887 he was employed as architect on the construction of the United States Pension Bureau Building in Washington. The historian Rhodes has grouped him with Stanton, Dana, and Fry, who, he says, "may challenge comparison with any administrators for honesty and efficiency."