The Corps That Built West Point

The Army Corps of Engineers was established March 16th 1802 at the United State Military Academy at West Point.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers was organized by the Continental Congress on June 16th 1775. Colonel Richard Gridley was the first chief engineer. The Corps of Engineers that we know today was authorized by President Thomas Jefferson March 16th 1802. His authorization said "that the said corps, when so organized, shall be stationed at West Point, and shall constitute a military academy." From then until 1866 the Superintendent of West Point was also the Chief of Engineers. Among these superintendents was Robert E Lee and PGT Beauregard. From the forming until 1866, all members of the Corps of Engineers where graduates of West Point, and handled all construction at the United States Military Academy.

First To Independence, First To Secede

On March 15th 1776 South Carolina declared it’s independence from England.

The colony of South Carolina declared its independence from England on March 15th 1776. It was the first American colony to set up it’s own government. In order to get South Carolina’s support, Thomas Jefferson removed any mention of criticism of slavery from the Declaration of Independence. The American Revolution found many slaves fighting for England and the promise of freedom. An estimated 25,000 slaves fled or died during the war, about thirty percent of whom were from South Carolina.

South Carolina was also the first state to vote to secede from the United States on December 20th 1860. The opening shots of the Civil War were fired in South Carolina at Fort Sumter.