Corps of Topographical Engineers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1838 – 63 |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Allegiance |  United States Army |
| Branch | Regular Army |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
John James Abert (1838-61) Stephen Harriman Long (1861-63) |
The U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers was a special group of soldiers. It was formed by the United States Congress in 1838. This group was made up only of officers. These officers were carefully chosen graduates from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Their main job was to map and survey military routes. They especially looked for paths to the Pacific Ocean.
This Corps played a huge part in the westward expansion of the United States. This happened between the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. They mapped the frontier areas of the West. This work helped Americans feel safe moving into these new areas. They also planned out trails, roads, railroad routes, and waterways. During the Civil War, the Corps of Topographical Engineers joined with the larger Army Corps of Engineers.
What Was the Corps of Topographical Engineers?
From 1777 to 1863, topographical engineers were important in the United States Army. In 1813, Congress allowed eight officers to be part of the general staff. Each of these officers had the special brevet rank and pay of a major in the U.S. Cavalry. They also approved eight assistants. Each assistant had the brevet rank and pay of a captain in the U.S. Infantry. Together, they formed the Topographical Bureau. This bureau was a part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In 1829, John James Abert became the leader of the Topographical Bureau. By 1838, he used his political influence to convince Congress. He wanted them to create an independent army unit. This new unit would be separate from the main Corps of Engineers. It was called the Corps of Topographical Engineers. People often called them "topogs" for short.
What Did They Accomplish?
The first big goal for the Corps was to explore the American West. They wanted to make it easier for people to travel there. Early on, they worked to make the Mississippi River and Ohio Rivers navigable. This means they made sure boats could travel safely on them. This work actually started under the Topographical Bureau. That was more than ten years before the Corps of Topographical Engineers was officially formed.
In the mid-1800s, they also helped with flooding problems on major rivers. They designed lighthouses and mapped safe routes for ships. They worked on many other projects for the federal government. The General Survey Act gave them the power to survey all canals and roads in the United States. For example, they surveyed the National Road. This road connected the Potomac River and Ohio Rivers. It became a very important path for thousands of settlers moving West.
During the 1840s and 1850s, the Corps was extremely busy. John C. Frémont led several important western explorations. His first exploration started in 1841. He explored the North Platte River. Next, he traveled west to what is now Pueblo, Colorado. His next trip went south through Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River.
With Kit Carson as his guide, Frémont began a two-year journey. This journey greatly increased what people knew about the West. It took him all the way to the Sacramento Valley in early 1846. The Corps was also involved in surveying boundary lines. This was especially true in Texas during the Mexican–American War. The Corps continued its important work until 1863. At that time, they joined with the Corps of Engineers. During the Civil War, they surveyed and built roads, bridges, and forts for the Union Army.
Images for kids
-
Topographical Engineers at work during the Yorktown campaign, May 1862.
_(14739935416).jpg)
