Orville E. Babcock Military person
Orville Elias Babcock (December 25, 1835 – June 2, 1884) was an American Civil War General in the Union Army. He graduated third in his class as United States Military Academy in 1861. Babcock served in the Corps of Engineers throughout the Civil War. He was promoted to Brevet Brigadier General in 1865. Babcock served as aide-de-camp for Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and participated in the Overland Campaign. After Grant became President in 1869, Babcock was appointed his Private Secretary—in modern terms, the chief of staff—and served until 1876. Upon his appointment Babcock was young and ambitious and considered the Iago of the Grant administration. In 1869, Babcock was sent on a mission by President Grant to explore the possibility of annexing to the United States the Hispanic and mostly mulatto island nation of Santo Domingo. Babcock's tenure under President Grant was filled with controversy concerning involvement with the manipulation of both cabinet departments and appointments. Grant supported Babcock when he was accused of corruption. Grant's shielding of Babcock from political attack stemmed primarily from their shared experiences on the battlefield during the American Civil War. Indicted in the Whiskey Ring, Babcock was defended by President Grant in a historical deposition in 1876 that resulted in acquittal. Babcock was also appointed Superintendent of Public Buildings and Inspector of Lighthouses. Babcock served as chief engineer overseeing plans for the construction of Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse until 1884, when he drowned off Mosquito Inlet in Daytona Beach, Florida. His reputation is a combination of efficiency, loyalty to Grant, and involvement in corruption and scandal.
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Military person
| allegiance | United States of America Union |
|---|---|
| military operations | |
| military branch | |
| military unit | |
| service start | 1861 |
| service end | 1869 |