cyrus cyrus february career officer graduating west point served beginning american civil war assisted fortification washington transferred field eventually chief engineer siege served chief engineer significant phase career began november appointed staff grant senior aide camp appointed senior engineer assault fort fisher north_carolina assault mobile alabama successful end war earned awards honorary grades major general brigadier general close war served military commission trial conspirators assassination president abraham_lincoln dismissed commission criticism proceedings later continued took engineering projects served president early life born massachusetts february attended west_point graduated class following graduation assigned assisted design construction fortifications served instructor engineering west_point civil war service commencement civil war holding rank lieutenant transferred west_point washington assistant brig engineer charge fortifications washington later chief engineer army took field spring continued serve assistant june appointed chief engineer continued remainder succeeded appointed chief engineer faced difficult task constructing bridges proved challenging career confusion washington materials necessary construction bridges arrive virginia time army despite urgent messages went unanswered took nearly month arrive time union army completely lost element surprise confederate army dug virginia morale sunk material bridges finally arrive personally led men 50th seeing task construction bridges soldiers dangerously exposed enemy fire reorganized army spring removed chief engineer army placed command battalion engineers capacity played important role overseeing construction bridges rivers allowed advance army later facilitated retreat union forces defeated siege transferred time involved siege mississippi command arrived june set work improving siege works efforts earned grant respect soon promoted major appointed chief engineer siege successful supervision overall siege works city surrendered union forces july victory marked major turning point war union_army gained control mississippi_river impression grant significant impact career later war remained fall november assistant inspector general promoted lieutenant colonel volunteers served role march general grant staff march grant appointed general chief united_states_army moved headquarters eastern theater virginia grant asked come senior aide camp grant determined command field following directing movements army major offensive summer known campaign played key role coordinating movements corps army personally conveying grant orders corps commanders efforts particularly successful battle wilderness won grant promotion lieutenant colonel temporarily detached grant staff appointed grant post chief engineer january transfer prompted failure fort fisher december fort confederate stronghold east coast serving command assisted planning second successful assault fort fisher following victory awarded grade colonel nominated president abraham_lincoln january award honorary grade brigadier general rank january services capture fort fisher confirmed award february returned virginia role grant senior aide remain long march grant dispatched aid key siege operation time mobile alabama confederate stronghold gulf_of_mexico served assisted operations leading surrender mobile battle spanish fort battle fort april serving alabama surrendered grant battle essentially ending civil war january president nominated award honorary grade major general rank march faithful services campaign city mobile defenses confirmed award march april president nominated award honorary grade brigadier general rank march services campaign ending capture mobile alabama confirmed award post war life lincoln assassination serving grant staff called serve military commissioners oversee trial conspirators assassination abraham_lincoln eager prosecution conspirators writing death good trial proceeded disturbed secrecy military proceedings concerned violation defendants rights began openly argue case transferred civilian court president removed commission protests rationale removal explained secretary war grant potential target conspirators commissioners felt grant counted act later career served grant staff returned service remained active duty retired rank colonel course post war duty served boards commissions including new_york_city survey north northwestern lakes united_states president years prominent member bequeathed fund academy support award scientist conducting innovative work investigation electricity energy today known award granted years academy family married daughter served lincoln administration daughter born detroit michigan work survey great lakes
Cyrus B. Comstock