Advertisement

Alexander Eakin Shiras

Advertisement

Alexander Eakin Shiras Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA
Death
14 Apr 1875 (aged 62)
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA
Burial
Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA GPS-Latitude: 39.9874813, Longitude: -74.7868794
Memorial ID
View Source
Civil War Union Brevet Major General. Born in Mount Holly, New Jersey, he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1829. Graduating in 1833, he was posted to the 4th United States Artillery, serving that unit during the Seminole Wars of the 1830s. He was later stationed at Fortress Monroe in Virginia, at Fort Columbus in New York, and as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at West Point. During the Mexican War served as the Commissary of Subsistence for Volunteers. Promoted Captain in 1850, he served during the next decade at an Assistant to the Commissary-General in the Subsistence Bureau at Washington, DC. When the Civil War began, he was promoted to Major, and was a part of the massive effort to feed and clothe the rapidly expanding Union Army. Promoted Colonel and Assistant Commissary-General in February 1863, he served in that duty through the end of the war, and was also a member of the United States Sanitary Commission. For his efforts in helping keeping the one million man strong Union Army fed, he was brevetted Brigadier General, US Regular Army on September 17, 1864 for "distinguished and meritorious services in the Subsistence Department and in supplying the armies during the Rebellion," and Major General, US Regular Army on March 13, 1865 for "faithful, meritorious and distinguished services in the Subsistence Department during the Rebellion." He remained in the Regular Army Subsistence Department after the war, eventually being promoted to full-rank Brigadier General and Commissary General in 1874. He passed away less than a year after the promotion, still serving on active duty.
Civil War Union Brevet Major General. Born in Mount Holly, New Jersey, he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1829. Graduating in 1833, he was posted to the 4th United States Artillery, serving that unit during the Seminole Wars of the 1830s. He was later stationed at Fortress Monroe in Virginia, at Fort Columbus in New York, and as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at West Point. During the Mexican War served as the Commissary of Subsistence for Volunteers. Promoted Captain in 1850, he served during the next decade at an Assistant to the Commissary-General in the Subsistence Bureau at Washington, DC. When the Civil War began, he was promoted to Major, and was a part of the massive effort to feed and clothe the rapidly expanding Union Army. Promoted Colonel and Assistant Commissary-General in February 1863, he served in that duty through the end of the war, and was also a member of the United States Sanitary Commission. For his efforts in helping keeping the one million man strong Union Army fed, he was brevetted Brigadier General, US Regular Army on September 17, 1864 for "distinguished and meritorious services in the Subsistence Department and in supplying the armies during the Rebellion," and Major General, US Regular Army on March 13, 1865 for "faithful, meritorious and distinguished services in the Subsistence Department during the Rebellion." He remained in the Regular Army Subsistence Department after the war, eventually being promoted to full-rank Brigadier General and Commissary General in 1874. He passed away less than a year after the promotion, still serving on active duty.

Bio by: RPD2


Inscription

Major General
US Army
Born in Mount Holly, NJ
Died in Washington DC



Advertisement

Advertisement

How famous was Alexander Eakin Shiras ?

Current rating: 3.66667 out of 5 stars

12 votes

Sign-in to cast your vote.

  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Gregory Speciale
  • Added: Apr 6, 2006
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13872548/alexander_eakin-shiras: accessed ), memorial page for Alexander Eakin Shiras (10 Aug 1812–14 Apr 1875), Find a Grave Memorial ID 13872548, citing Saint Andrew's Graveyard, Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.