DELAFIELD, RICHARD (179S-1873). An eminent American military engineer. lie was born in New York City; graduated at West Point, at the head of his class, in 1818: was as signed to the engineer corps, and served suc cessively as assistant engineer for the construc tion of the defenses of Hampton Roads, as engineer in charge of the improvement of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and as superintend ing engineer of the division of the Cumberland Road (q.v.) east of the Ohio. From 1338 to 1845, and again from 1856 to 1861, he was super intendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Tie was superintending engineer of the defenses of New York Harbor from 1846 to ]S55 (building Fort Wadsworth on Staten isl and), and of the improvement of the Hudson River from 1352 to 1355, and acted also as ehief engineer of the Department of Texas in ]853 and ]S54. in 1855-56 he was president of the commission of three sent by the United States Government to observe the military operations of the Crimean War, and prepared the commission's elaborate report. which was
published by the Government under the title Report on the Art of liar in Europe. in 1855, and 1856 (1860). During the Civil War lie acted from 1861 to l363 on the stall' of Gov ernor Morgan of New York, organizing and equip ping the forces from that State; was superin tending engineer of the defenses about New York City from MU to 1864, beeame a colonel in I863. and a brigadier-general in 1804: and from April. IS64, to August, 1366, when he retired from the service, was chief of engineers of the United States Army, with headquarters al Washington. In March, 1805, Ile was brevetted major-general for "faithful, meritorious, and distinguished ser vices in the engineer department during the Rebellion." After his retirement he served as a member of the commission for the improvement of Boston Harbor.