William Emery Merrill facts for kids
William Emery Merrill (born October 11, 1837 – died December 14, 1891) was an American soldier and a very talented military engineer. He was born in Fort Howard, Wisconsin. His father, Captain Moses Merrill, sadly died in the Battle of Molino del Rey when William was young.
William was a brilliant student. He graduated at the very top of his class from West Point, a famous military academy, in 1859. After graduating, he even taught engineering there for a short time, from 1860 to 1861.
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Merrill's Role in the Civil War
During the Civil War, William Emery Merrill used his engineering skills to help the Union Army. He worked as an assistant engineer for the Army of the Potomac during important battles like the Peninsular campaign and the northern Virginia campaign.
From 1864 to 1865, he was in charge of a group of experienced volunteer engineers, holding the rank of colonel. For his brave and excellent service during the war, he received several special promotions, moving up through the ranks from captain to major, then lieutenant colonel, and finally colonel. These were honorary ranks given for outstanding performance.
Engineering Work After the War
After the Civil War ended, Merrill continued his important work as an engineer. In 1867, he earned the regular rank of major, and later, in 1883, he became a lieutenant colonel.
From 1867 to 1870, he served as the chief engineer for General Sherman, a famous Civil War general. General Sherman was in charge of the Military Division of the Missouri at that time. After this, Merrill spent the rest of his life working on important engineering projects for the United States government.
Building the Chanoine Dam
One of his most famous projects was building the Chanoine wicket movable dam. This was a very special kind of dam for its time in America. He built it at Davis's Island, which is about 5.5 miles below Pittsburgh. A movable dam is designed so parts of it can be lowered or raised. This helps control the water level in a river, making it easier for boats to travel, especially during different seasons or water conditions.
In 1889, Merrill was chosen to represent the United States Engineering Corps at a big meeting called the International Congress of Engineers. This meeting took place in Paris, France, showing how respected he was around the world for his engineering knowledge.
Books and Legacy
William Emery Merrill also shared his knowledge by writing books. He published Iron Truss Bridges for Railroads in 1870, which was about designing strong bridges for trains. Later, in 1881, he wrote Improvement of Non-Tidal Rivers, which focused on how to make rivers without tides better for navigation and other uses.
He passed away from heart failure in 1891 near Enfield, Illinois. He was on a train, traveling to another government project in Shawneetown, Illinois at the time.
