MAJOR GENERAL QUINCY ADAMS GILLMORE
Item #: CWB545
Click on an image to enlarge
GENERAL QUINCY ADAMS GILLMORE. RENDERED IMPORTANT SERVICE IN THE UNION EFFORT TO RECAPTURE FORT SUMTER.
Gillmore, Quincy A., major-general, was born in Black
River, Ohio Feb. 28, 1825, was appointed cadet at the United
States military academy in 1845 and graduated at the head of
his class in 1849. The interval between graduation and the
opening of the Civil war he spent as engineer at Hampton Roads,
instructor and subsequently treasurer and quartermaster at the
academy, and in charge of the fortifications in New York harbor.
He was promoted captain of engineers in Aug. 1861, and as
chief of engineers in the Port Royal expedition and after the
capture of Hilton Head, S. C., rebuilt the forts and otherwise
strengthened their position. Gen. Gillmore gained his greatest
reputation and recognition as a leading military engineer by
reducing Fort Pulaski, defending the water approach to Savan-
nah, a strong fortification built on a marshy island that was
entirely surrounded by deep water. The reduction of this fort,
while considered essential to the success of the expedition,
was regarded as impracticable by the ablest engineers of both
armies. Capt. Gillmore, then acting brigadier-general, accom-
plished this by establishing on Tybee island, a mile distant,
eleven batteries of mortars and rifled guns, which, aimed and
fired under his minute directions, so shattered the fort as to
render it untenable. The bombardment was begun at 8 a. m.,
April 10, 1862, and lasted until 2 p. m. the following day.
For the exploit Capt. Gillmore was brevetted lieutenant-colonel
U. S. A. He was given important commands in Kentucky in Aug.,
1862, defeated Gen. Pegram at Somerset in March, 1863, for
which he was given the brevet rank of colonel, and in June,
1863, he was given command of the Department of the South com-
prising all territory occupied by Union troops on the coasts of
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. He was placed in command
of the 10th army corps in July, 1863, and commanded it in the
operations against Charleston, S. C. Here he again won dis-
tinction and was promoted by brevet to lieutenant-colonel,
colonel, brigadier-general and major-general in the regular
army for the capture of Fort Wagner in July, 1863. For the
part he took in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, capture of Fort
Wagner and Battery Gregg, and for operations against Charles-
ton, at long range from the battery known as the "Swamp An-
gel", he was also promoted major-general of volunteers and re-
ceived the commendation of the come mender-in-chief, who said
of him, "His operations on Morris island constitute a new era
in the science of engineering and gunnery." Being transferred
in 1864 to the command of the 1Oth corps in Virginia, he was
engaged at the landing at Bermuda Hundred and the action at
Swift creek, captured the line in front of Drewry's bluff and
enabled Gen. Butler to withdraw his army to the entrenchment's
at Bermuda Hundred. He commanded two divisions of the 19th
army corps in the defenses of Washington in July of the same
year, and in 1865 was again ordered to the Department of the
South, which he commanded until near the end of that year, when
he resigned his commission in the regular army, and, returning
to service in the engineer bureau in Washington, was made engi-
neer-in-chief of all fortifications on the Atlantic coast south
of New York. He was promoted major U. S. A., in June, 1863,
lieutenant-colonel in 1874, and colonel, Feb. 20, 1883. He was
president of the Mississippi river commission created by Con-
gress in 1879, of the boards of engineers for the improvement
of the Cape Fear river N. C., and the Potomac river and flats,
of several boards for important harbor improvements, and was
one of the judges at the Centennial exhibition of 1876. Gen.
Gillmore's works on professional subjects are considered among
the highest authorities in their class. He died in Brooklyn,
N. Y., April 7, 1888.
River, Ohio Feb. 28, 1825, was appointed cadet at the United
States military academy in 1845 and graduated at the head of
his class in 1849. The interval between graduation and the
opening of the Civil war he spent as engineer at Hampton Roads,
instructor and subsequently treasurer and quartermaster at the
academy, and in charge of the fortifications in New York harbor.
He was promoted captain of engineers in Aug. 1861, and as
chief of engineers in the Port Royal expedition and after the
capture of Hilton Head, S. C., rebuilt the forts and otherwise
strengthened their position. Gen. Gillmore gained his greatest
reputation and recognition as a leading military engineer by
reducing Fort Pulaski, defending the water approach to Savan-
nah, a strong fortification built on a marshy island that was
entirely surrounded by deep water. The reduction of this fort,
while considered essential to the success of the expedition,
was regarded as impracticable by the ablest engineers of both
armies. Capt. Gillmore, then acting brigadier-general, accom-
plished this by establishing on Tybee island, a mile distant,
eleven batteries of mortars and rifled guns, which, aimed and
fired under his minute directions, so shattered the fort as to
render it untenable. The bombardment was begun at 8 a. m.,
April 10, 1862, and lasted until 2 p. m. the following day.
For the exploit Capt. Gillmore was brevetted lieutenant-colonel
U. S. A. He was given important commands in Kentucky in Aug.,
1862, defeated Gen. Pegram at Somerset in March, 1863, for
which he was given the brevet rank of colonel, and in June,
1863, he was given command of the Department of the South com-
prising all territory occupied by Union troops on the coasts of
South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. He was placed in command
of the 10th army corps in July, 1863, and commanded it in the
operations against Charleston, S. C. Here he again won dis-
tinction and was promoted by brevet to lieutenant-colonel,
colonel, brigadier-general and major-general in the regular
army for the capture of Fort Wagner in July, 1863. For the
part he took in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, capture of Fort
Wagner and Battery Gregg, and for operations against Charles-
ton, at long range from the battery known as the "Swamp An-
gel", he was also promoted major-general of volunteers and re-
ceived the commendation of the come mender-in-chief, who said
of him, "His operations on Morris island constitute a new era
in the science of engineering and gunnery." Being transferred
in 1864 to the command of the 1Oth corps in Virginia, he was
engaged at the landing at Bermuda Hundred and the action at
Swift creek, captured the line in front of Drewry's bluff and
enabled Gen. Butler to withdraw his army to the entrenchment's
at Bermuda Hundred. He commanded two divisions of the 19th
army corps in the defenses of Washington in July of the same
year, and in 1865 was again ordered to the Department of the
South, which he commanded until near the end of that year, when
he resigned his commission in the regular army, and, returning
to service in the engineer bureau in Washington, was made engi-
neer-in-chief of all fortifications on the Atlantic coast south
of New York. He was promoted major U. S. A., in June, 1863,
lieutenant-colonel in 1874, and colonel, Feb. 20, 1883. He was
president of the Mississippi river commission created by Con-
gress in 1879, of the boards of engineers for the improvement
of the Cape Fear river N. C., and the Potomac river and flats,
of several boards for important harbor improvements, and was
one of the judges at the Centennial exhibition of 1876. Gen.
Gillmore's works on professional subjects are considered among
the highest authorities in their class. He died in Brooklyn,
N. Y., April 7, 1888.
Shipping Weight:
0.75 lb
Item # CWB545
$125.00 USD