HUMPHREYS, Andrew Atkinson, Amer ican soldier: b. Philadelphia, Pa., 2 Nov. 1810; d. Washington, D. C., 27 Dec. 1883. He was a grandson of Joshua Humphreys (q.v.) and was graduated at West Point 1831, receiving a com mission in the artillery. He took part in the Seminole War. Resigning in 1836 he was as sociated with Maj. Hartman Bache as a civil engineer in government work. He re entered the army in 1838, joining the newly founded corps of topographical engineers, was detailed in 1844 to the Coast Survey office and was engaged in several government surveys, especially in connection with the Mississippi River delta. In 1854 he was detailed to the supervision of the surveys of railroad routes to the Pacific. In 1856 he became a member of the Lighthouse Board. In the Civil War he was chief topographical engineer to the Army of the Potomac. In 1862 he was made brigadier-general and commanded the 5th corps of the Army of the Potomac at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. He com manded a division in the battle of Gettysburg and earned promotion to a major-general ship in the volunteer forces. He then became chief of staff of General Meade. He cotn manded the 2d corps of the Army of the Potomac in the campaign which closed with Lee's surrender After his services at Sailor's Creek, he was brevetted major-general in the regular army and was subsequently placed in command of the engineer corps with the regu lar rank of brigadier-general. Throughout his career during the Civil War he displayed the greatest courage and wisdom and was one of the most successful commanding officers on the Union side. These characteristics,
combined with great administrative ability and untiring industry, made him equally sue c.essful as commander of the engineer corps. He was retired at his own request in 1879.
He held the honorary degree of LL.D. from Harvard and was a member of the American Philosophical Society, National Academy of Sciences and of numerous other domestic and foreign scientific bodies. He wrote (Pre liminary Report Concerning Explorations and Surveys principally in Nevada and zona) (Washington 1872) ; with H. L. Abbott, 'Report upon the Physics and Hydraulics of the Mississippi River, etc.) (Washington 1876) ; 'The Virginia Campaigns of 1864 and 1865) (New York 1882) ; ("Froth Gettysburg to the Rapidan) (New York 1882) ; 'Historical Sketch of the Corps of Engineers) in Occasional Papers No. 16 (United States Army, Engineer School, Washington 1904). Consult Abbott, H. M., 'A. A. Humphreys) (in Science Vol. III, p. 476, New York 1884) ; De Peyster, J. W., 'A. A. Humphreys) (in United Service, Vol. X, p. 254, Philadelphia 1884) ' • Humphreys, H. H. (Major-General A. A. Humphreys' United States Volunteers at Fredericksburg and Farm ville, Va.' (Chicago 1896) ; McClellan, C., 'General A A. Humphreys at Malvern Hill and Fredericksburg, Va.) (Saint Paul 1888) ; Wilson, J. H., 'Major-General A. A. Hum phreys) (in Military Historical Society of Massachusetts, Papers, Vol. X, p. 69, Boston 1895).